Policy, Profession, Quality and children’s Learning in preschool, preschool class and school-age educare
Short description
The research theme focuses on issues that concern policy, profession, quality and children’s learning, and play and development in the context of institutions of early childhood education and care.
About the research theme
The research activities of Policy, Profession, Quality and children’s Learning in preschool, preschool class and school-age educare (PPQL) focus on issues that concern policy, profession, quality and children’s learning, and play and development in the context of institutions of early childhood education and care. The participants in PPQL are senior and junior researchers, Ph. D. students, lecturers and master students. The major research issues concern the conditions created for children’s wellbeing, learning, play and development in preschool, preschool class and school-age educare (leisure-time centre). In particular, the interests focus on issues of quality and policy in relation to teachers’ professional development. The consequences for children’s learning in institutional settings of the professional competence and education of teachers are decisive for the quality of the activities. The research takes a holistic perspective on children and childhood, and it addresses structural characteristics of the institutions as well as interactional practices, communication and approaches that constitute the learning environments of children. A feature of the research is the adoption of a child perspective, seeking to draw attention to and analyse children’s learning and development and conditions for play, participation and agency in different areas.
Ongoing research projects
Within this research theme there are projects running that concern issues such as the consequences of group size of children in preschool and school-age educare (leisure-time centres), quality and quality evaluations of preschools, teacher competence and literacy education in preschools. There are also projects about policy, quality and children’s learning in the context of school-age educare (leisure-time centre), the digital competence of teachers in preschool class (a joint project with members of the research theme Learning, education and digitalization, LEaD). The members are engaged in several practice-based research projects, for instance in the areas of technology in preschool teaching, models of practice-based education and exploratory reading activities on science in preschool, preschool class and school.
National and international networks and collaborations
The members of PPQL participate in a range of national and international networks and research organizations, for instance EECERA, ECER, EARLI, NERA and OMEP, and they have contacts and on-going collaborations with several research groups, for instance at Moscow State University, the University of Copenhagen, the University of Southern Norway and The European Wergeland Centre, Oslo.
Colloquia and seminar
The concrete work within this research theme is organized in two colloquia and one seminar.
Policy, Quality and children’s Learning (PQL)
The colloquium focuses on quality and policy issues in relation to children’s learning. PQL has two open meetings per term with invited speakers relevant to the topic of the research. Information is available at The colloquium is led by professor Pia Williams and senior lecturer Jonna Larsson.
Policy and Practice in School-Age Educare
The colloquium for Policy and Practice in School-Age Educare is interested in questions about equivalence and quality of School-Age Educare as well as the profession's preconditions for pedagogical work. The colloquium offers internal seminars as well as open seminars with invited lecturers. The colloquium meets four times per semester and is led by senior lecturer Catarina Andishmand and senior lecturer Karin Lager.
Quality and Learning (QL)
The seminar meets regularly and coordinates the research work in the group. This includes discussions of texts, article manuscripts and research results of projects. Participants are researchers and Ph. D. students.The seminar is led by professor Pia Williams and senior lecturer Jonna Larsson.
Early Literacy Learning and Awareness (ELLA)
ELLA works with issues that concern learning of reading and writing during early childhood. The colloquium is currently not active.