Quality in Preschool and Schoolage educare
Short description
The research theme focuses on different aspects of quality in the context of early childhood education and care (ECEC) and school-age educare. The addressed issues include policy and the conditions that are created for children’s well-being, learning, play and development in preschool, early school years and school-age educare (leisure-time centres).
About the research theme
The research activities within Quality in Preschool and School-age educare (QiPS) focus on issues related to quality, policy, the teaching profession, and the learning, play and development of children and young people within early educational institutions. PhD students, senior and junior researchers, adjuncts, and master students are involved in the research environment. The main research questions concern various aspects of policy and the conditions that shape children’s and young people’s well-being, learning, play and development in early childhood education and care, early school years, and school-age educare. Particular attention is given topolicy and quality in relation to teachers’ professional development and to the learning conditions of children and young people in institutional settings, where teachers’ professional competence and education are crucial to the quality of activities.
The research is guided by a holistic perspective on children and youth and addresses both the structural characteristics of institutions and the interactional practices, communication, and pedagogical approaches that form children’s and young people’s learning environments. A defining feature of the research is the adoption of a child perspective, alongside a strong ambition to incorporate children’s and young people’s own perspectives. This aims to highlight and analyse their development and their conditions for play, participation, influence, and agency across different domains.
Steering group
Catarina Andishmand: senior lecturer, catarina.andishmand@gu.se
Jonna Larsson: senior lecturer, jonna.larsson@gu.se
Hanna Petersson: doctoral student, hanna.petersson@gu.se
Ongoing research projects
Within this research theme, ongoing projects address children’s rights, the impact of group size in preschool and school-age educare, quality and quality evaluations of preschools, teacher competence in preschool practice, and issues related to sustainability in early childhood education. Additionally, projects focus on policy, quality, equity, and children’s learning in the context of school-age educare.
Members of the research theme are involved in several practice-based research projects, including areas such as professional development, the use of technology in preschool teaching, and models for practice-based education. The theme also includes ongoing strategy work focusing on quality in preschool and school-age educare, with interdisciplinary collaborations aimed at identifying what supports children’s well-being, learning and development.
National and international networks and collaborations
Members of QiPS participate in a wide range of national networks related to school-age educare and preschool, as well as international research networks and organisations including EECERA, ECER, EARLI, NERA, WERA, and OMEP. They also maintain active contacts and on-going collaborations with research groups in several countries. Currently, researchers are involved in the Nordic research network for evidence-based, high-quality preschool for social justice (funded by the Swedish Research Council) (link to https://www.su.se/english/research/research-groups/the-nordic-research-network-for-evidence-based-high-quality-preschool-for-social-justice ). The research environment is regularly visited by international guest researchers and PhD students.
Colloquia and seminars
The concrete work in QiPS is organized as seminars aimed at teacher educators, researchers, PhD students and others interested in quality issues in preschool and school-age educare. Activities include open lectures as well as text seminars and working seminars for researchers and doctoral students.
Upcoming events
May 20, at 13.00-15.00, room: B1 113:
Children’s development within interdisciplinary perspectives: Children’s development understood as a co-constitution of multiple knowledges. (In swedish)
Hillevi Lenz Taguchi, professor in child and youth studies at Stockholm university
June 16, at 10.00-12.00, room: AK2 138
Final seminar for Sara Andersson, PhD student in child and youth studies (in Swedish)
The seminars this autumn will take place the following Mondays: September 8, October 6, November 3, December 15, at 9.00-11.00. More information is to come.