Research Around the World

European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA)

http://www.eecera.org/

EECERA is an international association that promoted early childhood research. They are a non-profit, independent organization that has world-wide members that obtains its own funding and receives no outside funding. They aim is to promote and maintain the rich tradition of the European early childhood. They are well known for their by their pioneers Pestalozzi, Owen, Froebel, Steiner, Vygotsky, Piaget, Malaguzzi  among others as well. The organizations aims to support these pioneers and also add new development and research that can be associated with Europe's pluralist and diverse culture. Their Journal is one of four top journals in the field that is located in Europe and their annual conference is the largest one held in Europe that helps to promote research, learning and scholarly work among educators in the field. 

 

Current international research topics that are being explored in the EECERJ are:

1. Promoting play for a better future
2. Play and playfulness, basic features of early childhood education
3. Is it play? Towards a reconceptualisation of role play from a activity theory perspective.
4. Digital play in the early years: a contextual response to the problem of integrating technologies and play-based pedagogies in the early childhood curriculum
5. Adult play guidance and children's play development in a narrative play-world
6. Teaching science through play in kindergarten: does integrated play and science instruction build understanding?

After exploring the EECERA website, it is very interesting to me how they are continuing to solely fund their own journal and annual conference with no outside resources. Early childhood education in Europe is promoted to the fullest development and they are highly commited to providing the best for children. Their dedication to their pioneers and the acceptances of new information shows their commitment to the development of early childhood education in their country. 

The information provided on this sites gives you resources that credible and provides lots of data on the different aspects that can affect and promote early childhood education. The information provided allows individuals to promote their own understanding about the field and gives you the opportunity to absorb more knowledge. This site provides future researchers, scholars and educators with great fundmental information on how early childhood education is represented in Europe.