Policy, Quality and Children's Learning
The interest of research in this group is directed toward educational research including policy and quality issues related to children's learning, from a holistic perspective where structural issues, processes, content, and results are integrated.
The group has established research collaborations and networks, both nationally and internationally. Theoretical frameworks within the group are directed towards socio-cultural perspectives, ecological systems theory, policy theories and poststructuralist theories. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods are used.
Policy includes the conditions that are created on a macro level in terms of reforms aimed at children and families; written policy documents, curricula and lawstexts for pre-school, school and school-age educare (leisure-time centre). Quality includes conditions that are created for children's well-being, learning and development during childhood with a specific focus on the family and institutions. The interest is focused towards structural issues in the child's environment and processes in term of interaction, communication and approach and content issues including multi-ethnicity, language, science, mathematics, gender and professional issues. Children's learning involves children's wellbeing and health, opportunities for play, participation, influence and agency in which children can make their voices heard in various fields.