The University of Cambridge is searching for a candidate to fill a position to lead a research department that will use Legos and the like to examine the role of play in development, learning, and overall education.

This 'professor of lego' will be made possible by over $6 million in donations from the Lego Foundation.

"Cambridge's general board has recommended for the Lego professorship 'of play in education, development and learning' to start in October 2015. The professor will be director of the Research Centre on Play in Education, Development and Learning," the Telegraph said.

The investment into researching the value and role of play in education is especially important now as experts and educators try to find a balance between the former and pushing rigorous academic standards in early education.

The Lego Foundation "describes its aims as being 'to make children's lives better - and communities stronger - by making sure the fundamental value of play is understood, embraced and acted upon,'" the article said.

Certainly, recent research has revealed that play is an essential part of early childhood education. Even Common Core standards emphasize its need in its core values.

As educators look for ways to add creative play into their curriculums so children can get the best of both learning and play, this investment at the prestigious University of Cambridge could have major implications for the future of education.

Read the full article here and comment below.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

06/16/2015