Enabling better learning through place pedagogies in early childhood and primary education

This multi-disciplinary and international co-operative project aims to investigate how place pedagogies can enable better learning in urban and rural Norway. The project will meet the current need to investigate the relationship between teaching and worki ng methods and learning outcomes in early childhood and primary education. The proposed project will obetain new, scientific knowledge of kindergartens and primary schools as arenas for learning and development of children, and their impact on children's learning and development, by adopting new theoretical and methodical approaches. A pre-project will facilitate the foundations for a main project. A place pedagogies approach is relevant for: - Facilitating better learning by identifying the real and con textual factors in early childhood and primary education and its environment which influence teaching and learning - Facilitating more relevant learning by adressing the role of teaching and learning in the age of globalization so that the new knowledge c an have a direct bearing on the health and wellbeing of children and those places where they actually live, and be implemented to improve policy-making for education and regional development, and teacher education. Main research question is: How can plac e pedagogies enable better learning. Sub-research questions are: - What does place mean in and for education? - How can place be applied to enable better and more relevant learning? - How can place pedagogies meet the goals of the national curriculum and be operationalized through local actions plans in schools and kindergartens? - How can learning outcomes through place pedagogies be assessed for all involved participants?