In English

EARLY CHILDHOOD AND EARLY SPECIAL CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH GROUP

Welcome to the our research group’s website!

Early childhood and early special childhood education research groups as a point of interest is the synergy between cultural, social, psychological and biological factors in the growth, development and learning of the children. The target is to get more information about the boundary conditions of the group activities and to identify factors that enhance or threaten the learning and aim is to promote the creation of an environment for early childhood education that will strengthen equality and social justice. Research group seeks a common understanding by examining the phenomenon of education, development and learning multidisciplinaryly from different theoretical frameworks. The aim of the research group is to study and develop a high quality early learning environment where the group’s support can strengthen children’s learning and development and respond to the individual needs of all the children in the group.

The research group explore early childhood education as an operating environment based on different social systems and whose connection is more significant than the characteristics of individual systems. We have several sub-projects consist of organizational culture and leadership, teamwork, lifestyle (exercise, nutrition) and the well-being of children and staff. The core of the research project is to strengthen the pedagogic sensitivity of teachers, which increases their ability to regulate the child’s activities in everyday situations and strengthens peer relationships, especially in play. The Research group assesses the quality and effectiveness of different interventions and examines the models for organizing special support for children from an inclusive point of view. The group also studies early childhood education policy, transition from teacher training to working life, and issues related to the induction phase of the kindergarten teacher profession.

Responsible investigator: Nina Sajaniemi

Projects:

SPECIAL GROUPS

PEDASENS-INTERVENTION STUDY

YOUNG LEARNING MIND (POM)

INTERNATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION LEADER RESEACH

Research group:

Nina Sajaniemi (project leader), PhD, docent, University lecturer

Eira Suhonen, PhD, docent, University lecturer

Alisa Alijoki, PhD, University lecturer

Mari Nislin, PhD, EO, post doc researcher

Marja Syrjämäki, M.Ed, PhD student