Project PERLE

Professional perception of early mathematics in everyday learning situations

According to theoretical models of the mathematical-didactic competences of early childhood education professionals, recognising mathematical learning opportunities in everyday (play) situations is an important factor for competent early childhood education. If professionals are able to recognise the mathematical potential of everyday situations, these can become natural learning situations for children. However, previous empirical studies indicate that early childhood educators seem to find it difficult to identify everyday situations that contain mathematics.

The aim of the project is to investigate whether the promotion of mathematics didactic competences can lead to an improvement in the cognitive abilities of early childhood educators and to an increased and more elaborate action planning. For the development of mathematics didactic competences, computer-based self-learning modules have been developed, which the professionals work through independently. Subsequently, the effectiveness of this training approach will be evaluated, with particular attention being paid to (situational) recognition skills and action planning, in addition to mathematical didactic competences.

With this approach, the PERLE project aims to contribute to both basic and applied research. If the self-learning modules can be shown to have a positive effect on recognition skills and action planning, evidence-based training courses can be made available online to educational practitioners.