FILIORUM- Centre for Research in Early Education and Care is proud to have two esteemed Professor IIs, both internationally recognized researchers in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). With extensive experience and expertise, they bring valuable insights and global perspectives to our work.
Wilfried Smidt - Professor of educational science
Wilfried Smidt is a professor of educational science with a focus on early childhood education at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. His research interests focus on professionalization in early childhood education, personality traits of early childhood pedagogues, educational quality in preschool and family, educational approaches and concepts in preschools, and leadership in early childhood education.
Selected research projects:
- “Frühe sprachliche Bildung und Förderung – Ausbildung und Praxis gemeinsam erforschen und gestalten“ (Early language education and support − researching and developing training and practice together)
- The quality of preschool teachers’ training in Austria and Ukraine: A comparative analysis
- “Education for sustainable development in early childhood and social education institutions” (SENSE)
- “Assistenzkräfte in Kindergärten – eine bedeutende, aber kaum beachtete Berufsgruppe“ (Assistant teachers in preschools - an important, but hardly noticed vocational group)
- “COVID-19 Pandemie und elterliche Förderung von Early Literacy” (COVID-19 pandemic and parental support for early literacy)
- “Quality of Children´s Interactions in Preschool“
- “Leitungsqualität in Kindertageseinrichtungen” [Quality of Leadership in Preschools]
- “Qualitätsindikatoren von Waldkinderbetreuungseinrichtungen in Tirol” (Quality Indicators of Forest Day Care Centers in Tyrol)
Selected publications
Jenni Salminen - Docent, early childhood education science
Jenni Salminen is a postdoctoral researcher (PhD, Docent) at the Faculty of Education and Psychology at University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Her research focuses on examining teacher-child interaction in the context of early childhood education and care (ECEC), especially understanding how the characteristics and quality of early teacher-child interaction are associated with children’s learning and well-being, how teachers’ characteristics and experiences shape the interactions in the classrooms, as well as understanding the role that home environment plays for the child development.
Selected research projects
- Interaction, Development and Learning [VUOKKO] follow up study
Selected publications