At National College of Ireland, the dedicated Early Learning Initiative (ELI) team continuously works with communities in areas of greatest need, to provide world-class parent and child learning support programmes. We are delighted and proud to share that Cathy Steenson and Ramona Mihalka had the wonderful opportunity to present at this year’s EECERA Annual Conference that took place on Sep 3rd – Sep 6th, 2024, in the University of Brighton, UK.

This year’s conference was chaired by Michael Jopling, Professor of Education at the University of Brighton, and the theme was “Developing Sustainable Early Childhood Education Systems: Comparisons, Contexts and the Cognoscenti.”

What is EECERA?

European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) is a non-profit organisation. Independent and self-governed, this international association was launched in 1992 to promote and disseminate multi-disciplinary research on early childhood and its applications to policy and practice. EECERA’s Annual Conference is the largest early childhood research conference in Europe providing an exceptional forum and network for scholars, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners.

Learn More About EECERA.

ELI at EECERA’s Annual Conference 2024

Cathy Steenson and Ramona Mihalka’s presentation was entitled “Early Numeracy and STEM Play & Learn for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” This research study presents an innovative approach to early childhood education that is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Aimed at enhancing educational outcomes in numeracy and STEM for children in socio-economically disadvantaged communities and rooted in the findings of a community survey conducted by the Early Learning Initiative in 2005, which emphasized the important role of parental involvement in children's learning, this project addresses the identified need for numeracy-focused interventions. Drawing upon internal evaluations and academic literature, including studies by Cooper et al. (1996) and Alexander et al. (2007) highlighting the detrimental effects of extended breaks in education on children's learning, ELI’s STEM project seeks to mitigate summer learning loss and enhance educational opportunities.

Preliminary findings suggest that both programs have been effective in improving children's developmental skills and boosting parental confidence in supporting their children's learning journeys. By merging early numeracy education with STEM-focused family engagement initiatives, the Early Learning Initiative offers a comprehensive strategy to address educational disparities and promote holistic development in early childhood, thus contributing to the broader agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Here at National College of Ireland, we want to say well done and congratulations to Cathy Steenson and Ramona Mihalka on an excellent presentation, and we would also like to congratulate the entire ELI team as being represented at such a significant conference is a fantastic testament to all of the significant work they are doing in the local community and beyond.

Learn More About ELI Programmes and How to Get Involved.

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