Early Childhood Education from the Network

Early Childhood Education is one of the focal points of the Leibniz Educational Research Network (LERN) and examined in many research and consulting projects by members of the network. Researchers from alliance institutions of the LERN-network are dealing with diverse aspects of this central subject from different disciplinary perspectives.

With regard to the Forum on Educational Policy 2018 a team of the DIW Berlin*, lead by Prof. Dr. C. Katharina Spieß, conducted a survey in order to clarify and document this diversity in the spring of 2018. All LERN members were asked to list all research and consulting projects over the past five years and current projects on early childhood education along a given scheme.

The survey showed that 17 out of 23 educational research facilities are currently working on projects in early childhood education. Altogether the LERN network is researching 94 early education projects, 32% have already been completed. At 69% there is a publication. 14% of the projects cooperate within the LERN network and in 41% the LERN members cooperate with universities in Germany and abroad (effective: 2018).

The projects deal with different phases of early childhood education, many consider different phases together. 12% of the projects have not specified a phase, these are not represented graphically.

An overview in German of all research and consulting projects in the LERN network is available at the coordination office of LERN. As part of the survey, other aspects of the projects had been taken into account, which can be made available if required.

Findings of this broad range of knowledge in the LERN network were the input for a policy document published at the day of the Forum on Educational Policy 2018 in Berlin.

*The DIW Berlin was a member of the LERN network from 2013 to 2020.