Subdivision for Early Childhood Education

The Subdivision for Early Childhood Education of the German Educational Research Association (GERA) was founded in the 1970s. It considers itself as an organization of educational scientists and colleagues of neighboring disciplines from German-speaking territories, who are committed to national and international theory formations and research in early childhood education as well as contributions to a development of the discipline.

There is generally the possibility of an ordinary and associated membership as well as a guest membership.

Every two years a conference of the subdivision organized by the board is held for professional exchange. Moreover every year the workshops with a theoretical as well as empirical emphasis take place for specific issues to discuss.

Up-and-coming young scientists are organized in junior research groups. They also meet every year for professional exchange, networking and in particular to discuss their doctoral theses.

The subdivision offers its members a forum for scholarly and political debate in this specialized area. Amongst other offers the subdivision informs through its newsletter about job advertisements, provides references to conferences and public tenders of projects and thus supports the information flow within the committee.

All members of the subdivision work with a theoretical, historical, qualitative and quantitative access on scientific problems and cover the full range of Early Childhood Education.

Relevant subject areas apply amongst other things to:

processes of development, socialization, education and learning in early childhood
contexts of familial, institutional and beyond institutional education and care in early childhood
pedagogical practices, didactics and quality in early childhood activity areas
profession, professionalism and professionalization within Early Childhood Education
transitions to early and primary pedagogical educational institutions
life situations and lifeworlds of children
(educational) inequality and (educational) discrimination in early childhood
education, family and social policy

Chair

Prof. Dr. Jens Kaiser-Kratzmann
Kath. Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
Fakultät für Soziale Arbeit
Kapuzinergasse 2
85072 Eichstätt
pdfkErziehung@dgfewissenschaft.de