ERC TAMPERE 2026 – upcoming submission deadline for emerging researchers’ conference in finland

ERC TAMPERE 2026 – upcoming submission deadline for emerging researchers’ conference in finland

by | Emerging Researchers' Group

After the ECER conference in Belgrade, we – the organising committee of ECER 2026 in Tampere – found ourselves reflecting on what makes conferences so special. Although important, we guess that for most, it is not just the panels or the presentations. For us, it is also the atmosphere of intellectual generosity, meeting the friends we have made in the academic community, and making new ones.

In addition, what made the experience in Belgrade so special was that the place itself reminded us of the power of collective action. Walking through the city, hearing about the student protests driven by a deep concern for justice, transparency, and democracy, we couldn’t help but think about the questions of what it means to act on knowledge ethically, collectively, and with purpose. What does it mean for a research community to know in ways that matter? And how do we transform the knowing into action? These questions they stay with us as we look toward Tampere and our upcoming theme: “Knowing and Acting”.

ECER 2026

Collective knowing and acting requires a community. For EERA community it means creating spaces where emerging voices are heard and valued. That’s why the Emerging Researchers Conference feels so important for us as the organisers of ECER Tampere 2026. ERC is not only an event for junior members of an academic community, it’s EERA’s collective effort to build up a community that is welcoming, supportive, intellectually stimulating and rigorous, and ethical. We would like the ERC to be a place where early career scholars can connect, share ideas, and build friendships that sustain them in the often-challenging academic world. This is a prerequisite of collective knowing and acting. Thus, we warmly encourage the members of EERA community to support early career researchers’ participation in ERC in Tampere.

Emerging Researchers’ Conference 2026

The Emerging Researchers’ Conference programme consists of two days of conference activities. In various sessions, the ERC participants can engage with paper and poster presentations, ignite talks, posters, and workshops. The participants can also enjoy a keynote lecture by Richard Budd (Lancaster University) and an interactive session themed “For slow reading and criticality in accelerating academia” by Zsuzsa Millei (Tampere University) and Antti Saari (Tampere University). To network and discuss with colleagues further, ERC in Tampere has interactive lunch breaks and a City Reception Event.

Conference information

Read more about the programme of the Emerging Researcher Conference in Tampere and how to submit your proposal by 31 Jan 2026: Emerging Researchers’ Conference | EERA

We wish that ECER Tampere 2026 will bring us opportunities to imagine together what education research can be and do, and to act on that imagination.

Associate Professor Maiju Paananen

Associate Professor Maiju Paananen

Chair, Organising Committee, ECER Tampere 2026

Associate Professor Maiju Paananen is the chair of the Local organising committee of Emerging Researchers’ Conference in Tampere 2026. Paananen leads Child politics and Early Childhood research group at Tampere University, Faculty of Education and Culture.

Dr Iida Kiesi

Dr Iida Kiesi

Conference coordinator of ECER Tampere

Dr Iida Kiesi is the coordinator for the ECER 2026 in Tampere. Kiesi defended her doctoral thesis in 2024, in which she researched privatization of Education in Finland.

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ERG Webinars: Tips for academic publishing and grant application for early career researchers

ERG Webinars: Tips for academic publishing and grant application for early career researchers

by | Emerging Researchers' Group, NW 28 Sociologies of Education

Between March and May 2025, EERA Sociology of Education Research Network and the Emerging Researchers’ Group, hosted a three-part webinar series aimed at supporting emerging scholars in navigating key stages of academic life. Each session opened a window into different aspects of early academic careers. Featuring tips on academic publishing and grant application writing, the webinars offered both practical strategies and personal reflections from experienced researchers.

Webinar 1: Meet the editors – Advice from journal editors on academic publishing

There’s a moment right after the PhD ends, when many early career researchers suddenly find themselves standing alone. No longer students, not yet fully established scholars, they’re now expected to publish, write grant applications, and shape an academic identity. But where do you learn how to do any of that? How do you figure out where to submit your article, or why one paper gets accepted while another is rejected? These are not just technical questions. For many of us, they’re questions about belonging, confidence, and finding our voice in a world that often assumes we already know the rules.

That’s why our recent “Meet the Editors” webinar felt so meaningful. It wasn’t just about insider tips on academic publishing, it was about opening the black box of publishing and hearing directly from those who sit on the other side. We had the privilege of hosting two generous and thoughtful editors, Prof. Rachel Brooks, University of Oxford, Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Sociology of Education and Prof. Antonio (Ono) Olmedo, University of Exeter, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Education Policy. They spoke about the differences between their journals, what kinds of scholarship each is looking for, and how editorial decisions are made.

Building on the spirit of the conversation, the webinar offered more than just practical tips, it opened a window into how experienced editors think about publishing, not only as gatekeepers but as mentors and scholars themselves. They reminded us that before submitting an article, it’s essential to read recent issues of the journal we’re aiming for. What topics are being discussed? What theoretical frameworks and styles of argumentation are common? A strong paper doesn’t just present something new; it actively engages with the existing conversation and signals why its contribution matters in that space and moment.

The editors also emphasized the importance of timing. Don’t rush to submit; ask yourself whether this is truly the best version of your paper, and whether you’re ready for it to be read critically. Too often, early-career researchers focus on showcasing their data or findings without thinking carefully enough about where the paper belongs and why now. Editors are not only looking for originality; they’re also looking for relevance: why this paper, in this journal, at this time?

More than anything, the conversation reminded us that finding your way into academic publishing isn’t just about following rules. It’s about developing a sense of voice, confidence, and connection. And that’s not something you have to figure out alone.

Webinar 2: Publishing your first journal article

This second webinar featured Barbara Gross from the Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, who shared reflections and practical tips on publishing a first academic article. With a particular focus on selecting an appropriate journal, the session offered insights drawn from Prof. Gross’s own experience as a researcher and author. Aimed at emerging researchers, the webinar provided concrete strategies to navigate the complexities of academic publishing and addressed key considerations involved in taking the first steps toward publication.

The session moved from big-picture ideas to practical steps, outlining different publishing options such as book chapters, conference proceedings, and most importantly, peer-reviewed journal articles. Participants explored the differences between national and international publishing cultures, the growing role of English for global visibility, and the ongoing value of publishing in national languages to reach local audiences.

A key focus was on selecting the right journal. Our guest lecturer explained how to evaluate a journal’s scope, audience, mission, and ranking – including impact factors and quartiles – and how to balance national and international outlets. She also touched on open access and the institutional support available to cover related costs.

When it came to writing, Prof. Gross highlighted the importance of identifying a clear research gap, building a well-structured article, and following journal guidelines closely. Ethics were stressed, from transparency in data use to participant privacy and disclosure of AI tools.

Prof. Gross then guided participants through the submission and peer-review process, noting that revisions are a normal and constructive part of publishing. She offered tips on responding to reviewer feedback, even when disagreeing, and reminded attendees to submit to only one journal at a time. Rejection, she said, can be an opportunity to improve and resubmit.

Finally, the webinar closed with strategies to increase the visibility and impact of published work, including conference presentations, networking on platforms, and tracking citations and metrics. By the end, participants had a clear sense of the steps involved in moving from research to publication, along with the confidence to start their own publishing journeys.

Webinar 3: Writing a successful ERC grant application

Our final webinar sought an insider view on how to write a successful European Research Council (ERC) grant application. While numerous webinars address the technical details of the application process, since education research is rather underrepresented amongst the successful applications, we were curious to invite colleagues who can speak from the particular perspective of education researchers.

To our great excitement, two distinguished scholars from the critical education field, Prof. Sotiria Grek and Prof. Miri Yemini accepted our invitation to share their reflections and experiences about the exceptionally competitive application process. Prof. Yemini is leading an ERC Consolidator Grant project exploring youth activism in diverse contexts, including climate crisis and human rights between 2023 and 2028 (See the project website here).

Prof. Grek led an ERC Starting Grant (2017-2022) on the ‘International Organisations and the Rise of a Global Metrological Field’ (METRO), researching the role of international organisations in the quantification of global governance, with a focus on the fields of education and sustainable development. Since 2024, she has been working on an ERC Consolidator Grant entitled ‘Art and Policy in the Global Contemporary: Examining the Role of the Arts in the Production of Public Policy’ (POLART, 2024-2029).

We had a rich and insightful conversation with the two scholars who shared details about their personal journey of developing the project proposal and their experiences about the interview phase in an informal yet right-to-the-point manner. The conversation had three key messages[1].

Grant proposal writing is a specific kind of writing
This can be learnt and should be practised. The best ideas need time and care to hatch. One needs to dedicate time to sit on them, talk about them, cook them, and dream about them.

Timing is key
This helps to successfully get the project together. One needs to block time to read and write, and to schedule a generous amount of time to receive feedback. A strong proposal gives the feeling to the reviewer that the idea is ‘timely’, and the time to do the research is now.

Balance and focus
Being centred and focused from the beginning to the end of the proposal leads to success. One needs to demonstrate a good balance between the project’s feasibility and ambition. From family and friends to mentors and colleagues; the more diverse audience the better. All of this provides a safety harness. Mock interviews with mentors and professional providers prove extremely helpful in the preparation for the interview, because they could accurately predict the reviewers’ questions and allow space to rehearse for them.

On a final note, both scholars emphasised that they realized how important the people they have been working with became for them. Project leadership is about building and valuing the team one creates and co-create researches with.

[1] The key points follow Prof. Grek’s presentation

Unfortunately, due to a technical issue, we do not have a recording of this webinar.

Together, these three webinars offered an insight into the journey of the challenges faced by early-career researchers. From finding one’s voice in publishing, to submitting that very first article, to preparing for ambitious grant applications, the series reflected our commitment as a community to supporting the next generation of scholars. We are grateful to all our speakers and participants, and we look forward to continuing the conversation.

Key Messages

  • Early-career researchers must learn to navigate academic publishing, journal selection, and grant writing to build their academic identity.
  • Engaging with journal editors provides essential insights into publishing expectations, peer review, and developing scholarly voice and confidence.
  • Selecting the right journal, understanding publishing cultures, and responding to feedback are vital steps in publishing your first article.
  • Successful grant writing requires dedicated time, clear focus, and learning from mentors, with strong project leadership and teamwork.
  • Community support, mentorship, and sharing experiences are crucial for emerging researchers facing the challenges of early academic careers.

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Why we must listen to migrant children: School belonging in a hostile environment

Why we must listen to migrant children: School belonging in a hostile environment

by | BERA, Emerging Researchers' Group, NW 25 Research on Children's Rights in Education

It seemed like a regular school room, with colourful posters on the walls, a small table with pencils and books, and two blue chairs tucked behind a large desk – but for hydrous [1], a 9-year-old boy from Poland, it meant belonging. It was a space where he felt secure, where he could get help with his English, and where staff showed him care and attention that made him feel seen. In a world that often felt confusing and unwelcoming, this room became a quiet anchor, a place where he could just be a child, not “the foreign kid”.

My research showed that schools can act as powerful spaces of inclusion and belonging for migrant children – what I describe as an oasis within wider hostile political environments. In a time when migration and diversity are increasingly politicised, recognising and supporting these inclusive spaces is more urgent than ever.

An image taken by a child showing a room in a schoool with bright images on the walls.

Image by hydrous

A hostile environment

Image of a small wooden pavillon in a school playground.

Image by Luna

Across the UK and Europe, migration is being framed as a problem. From intensified border controls in Germany to stricter citizenship requirements in Italy through securitised language and policy in the UK, the environment has become deeply challenging for migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and their families. Anti-immigration rhetoric is no longer confined to the far right; even centrist and liberal parties have adopted exclusionary discourses and policies in an effort to appeal to nationalist sentiments.

Children are not immune to these dynamics. Migrant children, in particular, are caught in the tensions between their lived experiences and the public narratives about who belongs and who doesn’t (Richey, 2023). While politicians and media outlets often discuss migration in abstract terms, real children are navigating these social currents daily, in classrooms, in playgrounds, and in their journeys to and from school.

This development is especially significant given that, across the European Union, children with a migrant background represent a growing proportion of the population. While around 10% of the general EU population was born outside the EU, among children, the proportion with at least one foreign-born parent is closer to one in four. This generational shift underscores the growing importance of fostering belonging, inclusion, and identity in schools. As classrooms become increasingly diverse, education systems must adapt to ensure that all children, regardless of background, feel recognised, valued, and supported.

The role of schools

A coloured pencil drawing by a child showing children playing under a rainbow

Children often talked about the importance of playing and being with friends
Drawing by Mistral

In this context, the role of schools becomes critical. For children, schools sit at the intersection of family and society and are often the first space where migrant children socialise with members from outside their ethnic group. Educational institutions have the potential to buffer against hostile discourses by fostering empathy, inclusion, and intercultural understanding, offering opportunities for children to anchor their belonging in formal, social, emotional and symbolic dimensions (Popyk, 2023). Multi-ethnic school environments, in particular, allow migrant children to experience their backgrounds as ordinary (Tajic and Lund, 2023), rather than exceptional. 

My PhD thesis explored how children with a migrant background in post-Brexit England perceived their school environment. Conducted at a multi-ethnic primary school about 30 miles from London, the ethnographic study involved 15 Polish children aged 9–11, using participant observation and creative, child-centred methods, including drawings, photo voice, and Persona Dolls. It revealed that while broader society was increasingly hostile to immigrants, schools can provide safe, inclusive spaces that nurture children’s sense of belonging and support their identity development. 

Through my research, I found that children place deep value on small, everyday gestures that acknowledge and respect their cultural backgrounds – whether it’s a teacher learning a few words in their native language or seeing their national flags proudly displayed on classroom walls and learning materials. The children praised the school’s ethos of inclusivity and identified racism as something more commonly encountered in other educational settings. They also spoke about the importance of friendship as a way to counter hostility and discrimination. Of course, not all schools succeed in creating such environments, and some can even reproduce marginalisation and inequalities (Tereschenko et al., 2019), but my research highlights how, in some cases, schools can provide much-needed spaces of safety, recognition, and support.

The missing voices of children

What is often missing from public debates is the perspective of migrant children themselves. We talk about them but rarely listen to them. And yet, their insights are vital, not only for creating inclusive school environments but also for informing broader conversations on migration, education, and children’s rights. Schools, as everyday sites of encounter and negotiation, offer valuable lessons for society on how to foster tolerance, challenge xenophobia, and better understand the lived realities of migration.

Final thoughts

Schools can serve as spaces of belonging in the context of increasingly exclusionary politics, offering migrant children recognition and inclusion. To strengthen this role, further research is needed on how education systems can meaningfully engage with and reflect migrant children’s voices, ensuring their experiences inform policies and practices.

Key Messages

  • Migration has become increasingly politicised across Europe, with anti-immigration attitudes, discourses, and policies creating a hostile environment for migrant children.
  • Schools can act as buffers of resistance, fostering belonging through inclusive pedagogies and practices.
  • Listening to migrant children’s voices is essential for shaping inclusive education policies and practices. Their perspectives can inform wider efforts to build more tolerant and cohesive societies.
Dr Thi Bogossian

Dr Thi Bogossian

University of Warwick, UK

Thi Bogossian (they/them) recently completed a PhD in Sociology at the University of Surrey (UK) and is currently based at the University of Warwick. With research interests in childhood and youth, education, migration, and gender, they bring previous experience as a school teacher and are now building a research and teaching profile in higher education.

Thi is actively engaged in international and comparative research and has contributed to global policy initiatives in the field of education

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References and Further Reading

[1] I gave children the opportunity to choose their pseudonyms. In the assent form, hydrous did not capitalise his name and I decided to respect his decision.

Bogossian, T. (2024). Polish schoolchildren in post-Brexit England: Performativities, identities, and sense of belonging. [PhD]. University of Surrey. DOI: 10.15126/thesis.901242 

Eurostat, Statistics Explained. (2025) EU population diversity by citizenship and country of birth. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=EU_population_diversity_by_citizenship_and_country_of_birth. Accessed on 05-Aug-2025. 

Gaál, F. (2025). Germany ramps up border checks. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/tighter-borders-germany-ramps-up-checks/video-72606467. Accessed on 05-Aug-2025. 

Moench, M. (2025). Italy tightens rules for Italian descendants to become citizens. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxkk0z9y05o. Accessed on 05-Aug-2025. 

 Orav, A. (2023). Integration of migrant children. [Briefing]. European Parliamentary ResearchService. PE754.601. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2023/754601/EPRS_BRI(2023)754601_EN.pdf. Accessed on 05-Aug-2025. 

Popyk, A. (2022). Anchors and thresholds in the formation of a transnational sense of belonging of migrant children in Poland. Children’s Geographies, 21(3), 459–472. DOI: 10.1080/14733285.2022.2075693 

Richey, S. (2023). Collateral Damage: The Influence of Political Rhetoric on the Incorporation of Second-Generation Americans. University of Michigan Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.11691056 

Syal, R. (2025). Starmer accused of echoing far right with ‘island of strangers’ speech. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/12/keir-starmer-defends-plans-to-curb-net-migration. Accessed on 05-Aug-2025. 

Tajic, D., Lund, A. (2023). The call of ordinariness: peer interaction and superdiversity within the civil sphere. American Journal of Cultural Sociology 11, 337–364. DOI: 10.1057/s41290-022-00154-5 

 Tereshchenko, A., Bradbury, A., & Archer, L. (2019). Eastern European migrants’ experiences of racism in English schools: positions of marginal whiteness and linguistic otherness. Whiteness and Education, 4(1), 53–71. DOI: 10.1080/23793406.2019.1584048

How an ERC bursary opened the door to a transformative research experience

How an ERC bursary opened the door to a transformative research experience

by | Emerging Researchers' Group, NW 1 Professional Learning and Development

When I received the email confirming that I had been awarded an Emerging Researchers’ Conference (ERC) bursary, I became excited and, at the same time, slightly nervous. As a first-year PhD student in Educational Sciences, I was just beginning to look for my footing in the world of academic research. Indeed, the bursary provided me with the opportunity to attend the Emerging Researcher’s Conference (ERC) and the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) in August 2024 in Nicosia, Cyprus—an experience that would have been out of reach without this support.

Why this experience mattered

Presenting at a major international conference so early in my PhD journey was both empowering and challenging.  I was working intensively on preparing a systematic literature review in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the existing research in my field. As a result, I delivered my presentation “The Integration of Generative AI in Foreign Language Teacher Education: A Systematic Literature Review” during one of the Emerging Researchers’ sessions. This was my first time presenting my research in such a large and diverse setting. Receiving an abundance of questions made me reflect more deeply on the work I had done and inspired me to make meaningful improvements accordingly.

At the same time, what stood out most was not just the opportunity to speak—but to listen as well. The conference brought together researchers, educators, and professionals from all over Europe and beyond. I had the opportunity to choose freely from a wide range of sessions, where each offered unique insights into different areas of educational research. This diversity introduced me not only to new and unique ideas, but also to different contexts.

Growth beyond the conference room

Moreover, I was able to fully immerse myself in the event. I met fellow PhD students, early-career researchers, and experienced academics. We spoke about everything from research methodology to the emotional highs and lows of academic life.

These conversations—whether in formal sessions or over coffee—helped me reflect on my own research. Some discussions sparked new professional and personal interests, while others helped me realise what I did not want to pursue in my work. This growing sense of clarity was just as valuable as discovering new directions. I left Cyprus with a head full of questions, fresh ideas, and a renewed sense of purpose. I realised that some of the most important learning happens in the spaces between presentations: in informal chats, shared doubts, and collective curiosity.

Reimagining my research focus

Back in Lithuania, I continued the conversations I had started at the conference—with my PhD supervisor, university professors, and peers. One key realisation came into focus: I had spent significant time in Rwanda and Kenya, gaining both personal and professional experience, yet this perspective was not reflected in my research.

Listening to presentations and discussions under the ECER 2024 theme “Education in an Age of Uncertainty: Memory and Hope for the Future” made me reflect on how deeply education is shaped by historical, social, and geopolitical contexts. The theme encouraged me not only to acknowledge the complexities and uncertainties of the present but also to draw from past experiences to imagine more hopeful futures. In this light, I recognised the importance of including my African experience—not just as background, but as a meaningful lens through which to explore and reframe my research. It was a powerful reminder that educational research must remain open to multiple narratives, histories, and hopes – especially in a globalised and interconnected world.

With support from my academic community, I revised my original doctoral topic “Educational–Technology Enhanced Self-Directed Learning in Foreign Language Teacher Education”, which initially focused on how digital tools can enhance self-directed learning within the context of foreign language teacher training. However, with support from my academic community, I reshaped the topic to incorporate a broader and more critical perspective. The revised focus—Self-Directed Learning of Future Lithuanian and Kenyan Foreign Language Teachers in the AI Era—still centers on digital technologies but, at the same time, expands to include a comparative, global dimension. This new direction combines my interest in digital technologies with a deeper and a more global understanding of teacher education.

Indeed, the experience at ERC and ECER, including all the variety of presentations, networking, and critical feedback encouraged me to move beyond a Eurocentric perspective and toward a more comparative, interdisciplinary, and globally relevant dissertation topic.

The real impact of the bursary

The ERC bursary made all of this possible. It was not just some financial support—it was a vote of confidence. It allowed me to:

  • Present and test my ideas in a professional setting
  • Connect with researchers from around the world
  • Discover how international education challenges intersect with my own
  • Gain the courage to rethink and refine my research direction

Why this matters to others

Whether you are a fellow researcher, an educator, or someone interested in how education is changing, these kinds of international experiences are incredibly valuable. They help us build bridges between ideas, cultures, and communities. They show us that education is never one-size-fits-all, and that our work benefits from being shaped by many voices.

Final thoughts

Research can often feel like a solitary path, especially in the early stages. But my experience in Cyprus reminded me that academic work is a shared journey. With the support of initiatives like the ERC bursary, young researchers like me get the chance to become a part of something bigger—to contribute, to learn, and to even be transformed in the process.

Key Messages

  • Receiving an ERC bursary enabled me to attend and present at ERC/ ECER 2024 in Nicosia, Cyprus—an eye-opening international research experience early in my PhD journey.
  • Presenting my first systematic literature review on AI in language teacher education sparked valuable feedback and reflection.
  • Conversations with global researchers reshaped my research focus to include my African experiences and explore self-directed learning in Lithuania and Kenya.
  • The ERC bursary was more than financial support—it was a transformative boost in confidence, connection, and clarity.
Laura Kildė

Laura Kildė

PhD candidate, Vilnius University

Laura Kildė is a university lecturer, book author, and founder of foreign language schools. Her research interests include language education, educational technologies with a focus on generative AI, teacher training, self-directed learning, and postcolonial studies. She has worked internationally in France, Spain, Rwanda, Kenya, the UK, and the USA across various roles in education and research.

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laura–Kilde?ev=hdr_xprf

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-kildė-14826277/

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ECER Belgrade 2025

Since the first ECER in 1992, the conference has grown into one of the largest annual educational research conferences in Europe. In 2025, the EERA family heads to Serbia for ECER and ERC.

08 – 09 September 2025 – Emerging Researchers’ Conference
09 – 12 September 2025 – European Conference on Educational Research

Find out about fees and registration here.

Since the first ECER in 1992, the conference has grown into one of the largest annual educational research conferences in Europe. In 2025, the EERA family heads to Serbia for ECER and ERC.

In Belgrade, the conference theme is Charting the Way Forward: Education, Research, Potentials and Perspectives

No doubt that education has a central role in society, but what it is destined to do is contested politically as well as scientifically. Yet more debate is had concerning the question of the way in which educational research should shape the future of educational practice. The important, but sensitive role educational research occupies in that regard should be the promotion of a better understanding of the contemporary and future world of education, as is expressed in EERA’s aim.

Emerging Researchers’ Conference – Belgrade 2025

The Emerging Researchers’ Conference (ERC) precedes ECER and is organised by EERA’s Emerging Researchers’ Group. Emerging researchers are uniquely supported to discuss and debate topical and thought-provoking research projects in relation to the ECER themes, trends and current practices in educational research year after year. The high-quality academic presentations during the ERC are evidence of the significant participation and contributions of emerging researchers to the European educational research community.

By participating in the ERC, emerging researchers have the opportunity to engage with world class educational research and to learn the priorities and developments from notable regional and international researchers and academics. The ERC is purposefully organised to include special activities and workshops that provide emerging researchers varied opportunities for networking, creating global connections and knowledge exchange, sharing the latest groundbreaking insights on topics of their interest. Submissions to the ERC are handed in via the standard submission procedure.

Prepare yourself to be challenged, excited and inspired.

ECER Belgrade 2025

Since the first ECER in 1992, the conference has grown into one of the largest annual educational research conferences in Europe. In 2025, the EERA family heads to Serbia for ECER and ERC.

08 - 09 September 2025 - Emerging Researchers' Conference
09 - 12 September 2025 - European Conference on Educational Research

Find out about fees and registration here.

Since the first ECER in 1992, the conference has grown into one of the largest annual educational research conferences in Europe. In 2025, the EERA family heads to Serbia for ECER and ERC.

In Belgrade, the conference theme is Charting the Way Forward: Education, Research, Potentials and Perspectives

No doubt that education has a central role in society, but what it is destined to do is contested politically as well as scientifically. Yet more debate is had concerning the question of the way in which educational research should shape the future of educational practice. The important, but sensitive role educational research occupies in that regard should be the promotion of a better understanding of the contemporary and future world of education, as is expressed in EERA’s aim.

Easy and difficult maths problems – and why language matters

Easy and difficult maths problems – and why language matters

by | Emerging Researchers' Group, NW 24 Mathematics Education Research

As soon as we receive a task, we judge it, whether mentally or verbally. Is it interesting, boring, easy, difficult, or worthwhile? In school, teachers and students handle a large number of tasks every day, so it is unsurprising that they do the same.

For example, when  looking at the maths problems below, can you immediately tell which ones you find easy and which you would find more difficult to solve?

Three maths problems are shown. 350 + 120 769 + 858 444 - 111

If you were then asked to sort each addition problem according to its difficulty into the following table, could you solve the task, or would you hesitate?

A piece of paper with a line drawn down the middle. On one side of the line is a simple drawing that resembles a feather or perhaps a stalk of wheat. On the other side of the line is a simple drawing of two circles joined by a line, that resembles a dumbbell.

This sorting task is commonly used in German primary schools. Let’s take a closer look at it, and at the linguistic level of its illustrations. At first glance, the teacher may think this is a simple task, but when considered more closely, it is clear that understanding the task depends on the level of students’ experience, especially those new to the language of instruction, i.e., non-native speakers.  

In this blog post, I’d like to expand on the situational and linguistic factors that influence how a student may perceive the difficulty of a maths problem – beyond their basic mathematical abilities. 

Are there objective or subjective categories in mathematics teaching?

According to mathematics educators, the difficulty of math problems depends on how much effort students have to put into solving each problem, which again depends on their mathematical abilities (Rathgeb-Schnierer & Green 2015), and even diagnoses such as dyscalculia and other learning disabilities.

With this in mind, let’s look again at the maths problems above, how students might perceive them, and how educators might react to students who struggled with the task. Did you find them easy or difficult to solve?

350 + 120 – this task should be easy, given that you understand the decimal place value system. You can add the tens and the hundreds separately without having to carry, and each number is comparatively small.

References in the illustration: Torbeyns&Verschaffel (2013), Baroody (1984), 

Situational factors that affect mathematics understanding

Your judgement of a task’s difficulty might also depend on other factors. Maybe you spent the last weeks working only on subtraction problems, so they seem a little easier right now. Maybe your favourite number is eight, so you enjoy calculating with numbers that contain an eight, which makes the second problem the easiest for you. Perhaps the person next to you received the worksheet earlier, and after watching them calculate, none of the problems are difficult for you anymore. Maybe you want to impress your teacher by showing that you can solve all of the problems, even though they are difficult.

Your mathematical knowledge and familiarity with certain calculation strategies is only one factor that might affect how you solve maths problems. Equally important is your current situation and your relationship with the people you solve the problems with and for.

Whether you use the table to sort the problems as expected also depends on whether the task and the symbols were explained properly.

Linguistic factors that affect mathematics understanding

Whether the table above left you at a loss probably depends on how familiar you are with the German translations of ‘easy’ and ‘difficult’: ‘Leicht’ and ‘schwer’.

These words are often illustrated using drawings in the picture above of a feather and a dumbbell. These symbols are based on a second meaning of the German terms. ‘Leicht’ can also mean ‘light’ in the sense of weight, as illustrated by the feather. ‘Schwer’ can mean ‘heavy’, as illustrated by a dumbbell.

The task is to put the problems you find easy in the left column with the feather and the problems you find difficult in the right column with the dumbbell.

This example of a task observed in a German primary school classroom shows the relevance of language in mathematics classes – and how unexpected it can sometimes be. Without the linguistic explanation, there is no way of logically concluding which column to use for the easy and which for the difficult problems. Trying to find a logical connection between the terms and the symbols might even be misleading.

For example, you might consider the difficulty of a task to be its complexity and apply this to the illustrations. In that case, you might find the dumbbell symbol (which only consists of three lines) a lot less complex than the feather symbol. Consequently, you would sort the easy and difficult problems opposite to the task’s intention. Your only chance to use the table as intended would be to guess. But if you guessed wrong (and you have a 50% chance to do so), that would not be indicative of either your linguistic or mathematical abilities.

Especially when working with a student who is new to the language of instruction, we teachers, teacher assistants, or peers may be quick to assume students’ mistakes are due to a lack of linguistic understanding. We might even believe they didn’t receive proper mathematics education in their previous school.

Conclusion

There is more than mathematics and mathematics learning going on in mathematics lessons. We are often not aware of linguistic aspects, even in tasks and phrases we use every day, that are not explained sufficiently, even by translating.

All students face the challenge of handling these linguistic and situational aspects, but they may be especially confusing to those who have only recently joined a class in a new country, a new language, or a new culture. 

Can you think of an example of ambiguous terms or tasks in your native language? Do you also use the differentiation between ‘easy’ and ‘difficult’ maths problems in your schools? 

Key Messages

  • Beyond the actual learning of mathematics, situational and linguistic aspects are relevant when students are working on a task
  • Any of these aspects can influence whether a maths problem is perceived by the student as easy or difficult. Not understanding the maths problem, therefore, does not unambiguously point to a level of mathematical ability
  • Certain aspects of language can be open to interpretation, such as when using images. We need to be aware of this and take more care when using everyday tasks and phrases that might cause confusion.

Alexandra Dannenberg

Research Assistant and PhD candidate, Kassel University, Germany

Alexandra Dannenberg is currently a research assistant and PhD candidate at Kassel University, Germany, and the graduate school InterFach. She studied primary education in the subjects mathematics, German as a first language, and natural & social sciences. During her studies, she discovered her interest in education research and began her current position in primary education research shortly after graduating. In her doctoral studies, she focuses on the relevance of language in primary school mathematics classroom interactions. Her general research interests are power relations in education, educational disparities, and institutional discrimination.

Other blog posts on similar topics:

References and Further Reading

Baroody (1984): Children’s Difficulties in Subtraction: Some Causes and Cures. In: The Arithmetic Teacher, 32, 3, pp. 14-19. https://www.jstor.org/stable/748349?seq=1&cid=pdf-reference#references_tab_contents

Rathgeb-Schnierer & Green (2015): Cognitive flexibility and reasoning patterns in American and German elementary students when sorting addition and subtraction problems. In: Proceedings of CERME 9 – Ninth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, pp. 339-345. https://hal.science/hal-01281858/document

Torbeyns&Verschaffel (2013): Efficient and flexible strategy use on multidigit sums: a choice/no-choice study. In: Research in Mathematics Education, 15, 2, pp. 129-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/14794802.2013.797745

Peer review in the era of generative AI models: An ethical call

Peer review in the era of generative AI models: An ethical call

by | Emerging Researchers' Group, NW 11 Educational Improvement and Quality Assurance, NW 9 Assessment, Evaluation, Testing and Measurement

The emergence of generative AI models, such as ChatGPT, is significantly impacting various facets of society, including research and academia. Given their ability to generate human-like text based on input data or prompts, generative AI models have profound implications for the academic community. These implications entail ethical and societal challenges within the peer review process, raising questions about the potential role of such models (Schintler, McNeely and Witte, 2023).

As a reviewer, I believe that it is my responsibility to highlight and discuss these critical and timely ethical concerns. Thus, while acknowledging the potential benefits of using such models for academic purposes, this blog post aims to highlight the caveats of using such models in peer-reviewing, and some of their potential pitfalls. This, in turn, emphasises the fundamental need for clearly shared and regularly updated ethical guidelines that ensure the healthy use of such models in academia.  

Can generative AI assist or replace expert reviewers?

How much of AI is too much?  This raises the ethical dilemma: should generative AI assist or replace expert reviewers? To address such fundamental questions, we should first acknowledge that AI, like any technology, is designed to increase the productivity of professionals, not necessarily replace them.

To begin with, generative AI (GAI) can assist reviewers, particularly those for whom English is not their first language, in producing clear and concise reports in less time. For instance, generative AI tools, such as editGPT, have the potential to save time in assessing text readability; tasks that are less intellectually demanding (Checco et al., 2021). I therefore believe it is acceptable for expert reviewers to use generative AI to streamline the review process, while emphasising the necessity of checking the report accuracy.

The pitfalls of AI in the peer review process

Generative AI models are typically unable to offer recommendations based on the latest research findings in the dynamic and complex field of education. The expertise of human peer reviewers is generally beyond the capabilities of generative AI models, which lack the required domain knowledge and intellectual capacity, at least in the foreseeable future. These limitations may have serious implications where GAI models typically provide general comments that lack critical content about the concerned manuscript (Donker, 2023); this means the lack of proper improvement recommendations with the possibility of the manuscript being unjustly dismissed.   

Generative AI models may produce reviews that contain ethical concerns and biases. AI algorithms risk copying and/or possibly expanding human biases (Schintler, McNeely and Witte, 2023). An example of one ethical consideration, which even human reviewers may not fully adhere to, is the importance of respecting the authors’ perspective and not converting their manuscript into that of the reviewers. AI might make recommendations that do not really respect or consider the authors’ perspective enough. This could potentially result in humans being responsible not just to fellow humans but also to machines (Schintler, McNeely and Witte, 2023). Reviewers equally need to be aware of caveats such as breaching the confidentiality of the manuscript under review, as generative AI models may use or share the original ideas as part of their machine-learning processes (Mollaki, 2024). These ethical issues clearly highlight a call for the wise use of unfolding AI technology.

Effective GAI Implementation

We acknowledge that GAI technology is developing at a fast pace (Checco et al., 2021), so it is not easy to predict its exact capabilities. Accordingly, we might witness the emergence of generative AI models that address some of the above ethical concerns. Therefore, it is the collective responsibility of all involved in knowledge production (authors, reviewers, editors, academic supervisors) to continually review and update the scientific community, as well as society members in general, on best practices for using generative AI in academia.

Peer reviewers have an ethical duty to uphold their full responsibility and resist the temptation to simply delegate the job to generative AI models. While researchers importantly advocate for policies that govern the use of AI in peer review (Mollaki, 2024), I do believe that it is, first and foremost, an ethical responsibility that should be central to the review process, with clear repercussions for those disregarding these fundamental ethics.

Thus, this blog post, following Facer and Selwyn (2021), advocates for a ‘non-stupid’ optimism that acknowledges the limitations of using digital technologies in academia. This necessitates that the dialogue be positioned within continuous academic discussions and research on reliable and ethical AI-powered peer review. All those involved in advancing educational research need to ensure that ethics is at the heart of the knowledge production process; otherwise, the integrity of the entire process would be compromised.

Key Messages

  • Generative AI models like ChatGPT have critical implications for academic peer review.
  • Expert reviewers play a crucial role in maintaining the quality and integrity of the peer review process.
  • Generative AI should complement, not replace, human judgment and expertise in academia.
  • Continuous review and dialogue are necessary to ensure ethical and effective use of AI in peer review.
Dr Ayman Hefnawi

Dr Ayman Hefnawi

Mathematics Instructor, ADVETI, UAE

Ayman Hefnawi holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Bath, United Kingdom, and a master’s degree in educational leadership and management from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom. Additionally, Ayman serves as a reviewer for educational journals and maintains memberships in various academic associations

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ayman-Hefnawi 
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ayman-Hefnaw 
https://twitter.com/aymanhefnawi 
https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0000-0002-7744-6997 
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57315619100 

Other blog posts on similar topics:

References and Further Reading

Checco, A., Bracciale, L., Loreti, P., Pinfield, S. and Bianchi, G., 2021. AI-assisted peer review. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 8(1), pp.1-11. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-00703-8

Donker, T., 2023. The dangers of using large language models for peer review. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 23(7), p.781. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(23)00290-6/fulltext?rss=yes

Facer, K. and Selwyn, N., 2021. Digital technology and the futures of education: Towards ‘Non-Stupid’optimism. Futures of Education initiative, UNESCO.

Mollaki, V., 2024. Death of a reviewer or death of peer review integrity? The challenges of using AI tools in peer reviewing and the need to go beyond publishing policies. Research Ethics, p.17470161231224552. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17470161231224552

Schintler, L.A., McNeely, C.L. and Witte, J., 2023. A Critical Examination of the Ethics of AI-Mediated Peer Review. arXiv preprint arXiv:2309.12356. https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.12356

Hope and Community – A community of practitioners for social change

Hope and Community – A community of practitioners for social change

by | Emerging Researchers' Group

Thriving communities of practice necessitate cultivating and adopting a shared repertoire of communal resources, such as stories, tools, and symbols, that encapsulate the collective knowledge of the community. Essentially, the community shares practices – approaches and tools collectively embraced by its members.

In pursuing their interest in their domain, it is important to provide members with the opportunity to engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information (Wenger-Trayner & Wenger-Trayner, 2015). Through offering and receiving help, we gain awareness of the richness of the community and build an expectation that we can contribute to others and that others reciprocate in some way. As Wenger (2000, p. 241) notes, “Identity needs a place where a person can experience knowing as a form of social competence.”

Could summer schools, workshops, and training sessions be this place for early career researchers to shape their identities as researchers?

To find out, the EERA summer school was organised at the Faculty of Philosophy, University in Belgrade, with the support of UNICEF Serbia. Under the title “Inclusive Approaches To Educational Research,” more than 30 early career researchers from over 20 countries gathered from July 12th to 14th, 2023, to explore and embody progressive and just methodologies in the field of education.

Inspired by the World as Classroom (bell hooks, 1994), we swayed from classrooms at the Faculty of Philosophy and the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, along the Sava Quay, through the socialist heritage of New Belgrade blocks, to the school courtyard in Ledineneighbourhood on the outskirts of Belgrade.

Our goal was not only to raise pivotal questions that shape our understanding of research but also to foster a close-knit community of early career researchers. We’re all passionate about finding answers that can make educational research more inclusive. As Tijana aptly describes, it guided us from isolation to a sense of belonging.

From ‘isolation’ to ‘belonging’

The EERA Summer School brought together a young group of researchers from diverse educational backgrounds. Despite the differences in our research topics, we all shared some common challenges, from finding the appropriate literature, writing, and conducting research to publishing. During our workshops, we agreed that creating a support group of peer young researchers in the field of education would help us overcome the various challenges, just as the Summer School provided us with the space to discuss them and share valuable advice. Moving from the position of an isolated researcher to a community of like-minded people helps us broaden our perspective and spark new ideas.

Tijana Gasi

University of Belgrade, Serbia

Using dialogue, walks, presentations, discussions, mental mapping, reflective logs, artistic expressions, and many other techniques, participants formed a community of learners, together with the organising team of tutors, lecturers, and volunteers. There was a heatwave this summer in Belgrade, but there was also a genuine need among us to merge academic with real–life knowledge from the ground and from the local communities. Together we asked:

 What constitutes meaningful research? How can we create research methodologies that align with our shared values? What is the relationship between change and hope? Where do we find spaces of freedom, and where are the sources of marginalisation?

For many of us, participating in a summer school was something completely new, so we were even more surprised by how quickly we became an accepting and supportive community:

“As for me, I haven’t experienced such a strong sense of belonging to engaged and thoughtful people for years. Our shared engagement for the process of inclusion in education and society led to an almost tangible synergy manifested in mutual inspiration, cooperation, and enthusiasm we kept and took back home. The EERA Summer School provided me with a Socratic sense of how little I know about participatory research and how much I still have to learn. I felt the need to recognize and appreciate the diversity, perspective, and competence of children or minority groups at our concern. And I was confronted with some new ethical issues; now I feel committed to address them honestly whenever they arise.” 

Jana Pleskotová

Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic

The keynote speakers inspired our discussions, developing our critical awareness of our participation in the summer school, as well as the participation of others in research, education settings and local communities. We experienced how participatory, caring workshop spaces can facilitate transdisciplinary collaboration and hopeful horizons for research.

Collaboration, community, and change

…through discussions, keynote presentations, and workshops, I learned about new research methods and began to consider how I could incorporate them into my study. Often, our approach to the world and to research is prescribed; we repeat the same patterns that are present in our nearest environment. As researchers, we need to learn new ways to be present in the world; we should try to do things differently, to evolve. This kind of opportunity helps us find partners who have the skills we lack so that we can become agents of change in our own communities.

Gamze Uçak Ersizer

Boğaziçi University, Turkey

A patchwork of experiences

In the realm of education, the term “professional learning community” has frequently been employed to denote any conceivable alliance of individuals sharing a common interest in education with a specific focus on the learning process rather than mere practice, as noted by DuFour (2004). However, the question that arises is: How do we truly transform into a community? Addressing this question involves drawing upon Wegner’s (1998) notion of learning as a social and situated process, predominantly derived from our engagements in various communities of practice.

Putting theory into practice

Part of our programme involved visiting local neighbourhoods. In one, New Belgrade blocks, our guide described the dynamic histories of the local area, and brought their research about critical utopianism to life, by intertwining personal memories with the architectural landscape. We visited the apartment blocks, designed to look like sails amongst the urban sea of Belgrade. We discussed transformations of these spaces, from shared spaces inherited during socialism (terraces, laundry rooms, spaces for leisure and relaxation), to illegal privatisations during the 1990s aimed at shrinking common good, to reconquesting it, and reimagining it today.  

The other visit was to the local community Ledine, where the collective Škograd/Schoolcity has been working since 2016. Part of their efforts have involved trying to overturn the segregation trend taking hold in the local primary school, where there is harsh marginalisation of Roma and other minorities, and mitigating the effects of poverty, under-education and violence.

Moving around to move to

Walking through Belgrade’s scorching streets led to a profound reflection on the “community of learners” and the “community of practice.” The former involved sharing ideas and experiences, often failing to translate them into action in our contexts. The latter, “community of practice,” emphasised hands-on learning and collaboration, celebrating diversity as a strength. It highlighted the power of collaboration to turn inspiration into action, promoting change in our communities.

Bojana Milosavljević

University of Belgrade, Serbia

“It is imperative that we maintain hope even when the harshness of reality may suggest the opposite”.

Paulo Freire (1996)

In Ledine, a neighborhood in Belgrade, the sign on a trash can says, “I dream”.

Ledine, a neighborhood in Belgrade, the sign on a trash bin says, “I dream”

At Škograd, we could see tangible collaborations between researchers, children, and families. The artwork, games, and gardening, alongside the use of spaces, inspired us to question how we can promote inclusive community spaces and build meaningful collaborations with the local communities. As one participant said:

It was a completely new experience to deeply explore how the research is connected with the local community and expresses the hope visually. Witnessing the hope emanating from the pupils’ artworks in the “Imagine a Dream Path” project was truly inspiring. These remarkable pieces vividly demonstrate how the researcher’s involvement has ignited the children’s creativity.

Yupei Wei

University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Engaging in an open dialogue about the research journey, we witnessed and felt the joys and the challenges of participation, and recalibrated around the importance of researching with communities for social justice. This visit was an illuminating opportunity to engage with the local community, to attentively absorb their narratives, and to experience the intimate and respectful collaboration between researchers, children, and families.

I discovered more about different countries and contexts, where ‘Inclusion’ and inclusive practices were influenced by a range of legislation changes, socio-cultural factors, and how they can be implemented in various ways. Despite these differences, the summer school highlighted the ways in which our field of education connects us all. It was clear that we had a strong pursuit for social justice, and an intense curiosity for community-based learning. We came away with a sense of purpose in our field. I felt empowered, inspired and rejuvenated as the time during the summer school connected us as one community of researchers across the world.

Katherine Gulliver

Plymouth Institute of Education, Plymouth University, United Kingdom

Overall, the EERA Summer School was an embodied learning experience that is difficult to summarise. We carry this experiential learning forward in our souls and our actions, nourished by connecting, and empowered to embed participatory and inclusive approaches in our own research practice.

How the community can shape us, and how do we shape the community

Throughout Summer School, the emphasis on values was strong. The shared values of curiosity, collaboration, and respect guided our interactions and discussions. This commitment to values created an environment where learning was not just about acquiring knowledge but also about personal growth and ethical engagement…

The EERA Summer School was not just a one-time event; it was a catalyst for a habit of continuous lifelong learning. The knowledge transfer during those days in Belgrade planted seeds that continue to grow. We left with a renewed commitment to education and a network of colleagues and friends dedicated to making a positive impact. We came as individuals and became a Community of Learners, intending to become a Community of Practitioners for Social Change.

Adna Sokolović

COI Step by Step, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Conclusion and final reflections

Image: Ledine, neighborhood in Belgrade, “Vlada Obradović Kameni” school courtyard, open classroom codesigned with children

The process of evolving into a community of practice or community of practitioners, as outlined by Wenger (1998), revolves around shared interests of personal or professional significance. Our community, rooted in a collective perspective on education, perceives it as a vital social practice and research in education as a catalyst for transformative change capable of recalibrating power dynamics.

The shared values among us have cultivated a common purpose– the pursuit of social change. Bojana encapsulated this sentiment by stating that the summer school highlighted the power of collaboration to turn inspiration into action – resulting in change in our communities.

Key Messages

  • Often, our approach to the world and to research is predetermined; we often replicate the same patterns found in our immediate surroundings. Therefore, you need to move around to move from.
  • Despite the differences in our research topics, we all encountered common challenges, ranging from finding suitable literature and conducting research to the process of publication.
  • Our community influences us, and in turn, we contribute to shaping the community.
  • We observed firsthand how participatory, supportive workshop environments can foster transdisciplinary collaboration and inspire optimistic research prospects.
  • Researchers and research have the potential to instigate change, or at the very least, offer hope for the possibility of change.

Authors

 *We choose a circular representation of authorship in order to display different, but equally valuable contributions each of us made in writing this blog. Our affiliations are:

Adna Sokolović, COI Step by Step, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bojana Milosavljević, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Gamze Uçak Ersizer, Boğaziçi University, Turkey

Jana Pleskotová, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic

Jelena Joksimović, Škograd, Serbia; Faculty of Education, Jagodina, University of Kragujevac

Julia Dobson, Institute of Education, University College London, United Kingdom

Katherine Gulliver, Plymouth Institute of Education, Plymouth University, United Kingdom

Tijana Gaši, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Yupei Wei, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Olja Jovanović, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Other blog posts on similar topics:

References and Further Reading

Add your list of references here. Use [1], [2], [3]… to mark where they are used in the text above.
5 practical tips for maths teachers for the design of emotion-sensitive classrooms

5 practical tips for maths teachers for the design of emotion-sensitive classrooms

by | Emerging Researchers' Group, NW 24 Mathematics Education Research

“If I fill in this survey, will all mathematics classes be removed?”

That was one of the questions the participants asked most often when I was collecting my PhD data, aiming to examine middle school students’ academic emotions in mathematics classes. Many of the students completed the surveys in the hope that they would be excused from all future mathematics classes. The sad truth was that this sentence was a kind of reflection of those students’ feelings.

As described by Rosenberg (1998), emotions are “acute, intense, and typically brief psychophysiological changes that result from a response to a meaningful situation in one’s environment” (p. 250). Students experience such intense feelings during each phase of their academic lives in education, which foregrounds educators’ and researchers’ attention to work on this topical phenomenon. My study findings have motivated my continued interest in researching in this era to determine why students’ emotions matter at schools and what could be done to design emotion-sensitive classrooms.

Academic emotions are important, but why?

Imagine a fourteen-year-old child is taking a mathematics test on algebraic equations. Unfortunately, the questions are not easy, and the child cannot remember the formula. On the other hand, the child recognizes his parents’ expectations about the test, and time is passing. The heart and sweating rate of the child might increase; he might wish to have escaped from taking the test; the test might induce him to experience high stress, and all of these might reflect on his face. In short, the child is experiencing test anxiety.

As described in the given situations, emotion is a complex construct, including affective, cognitive, motivational, expressive, and physiological dimensions (Pekrun, 2006; Pekrun & Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2012, 2014). Based on Pekrun’s (2006) control-value theory of achievement emotions, students might experience various emotions due to achievement activities and achievement outcomes. These emotional experiences of students might exert an influence on their cognitive resources, motivation to learn, learning strategy use, and self-regulated learning, which have a place on their learning and achievement. The most crucial thing is that each element is reciprocally related, so the association between emotions, motivation, and learning-related variables would be dynamic. That foregrounds attention to why both educators and researchers should seek and construe students’ academic emotions.

Mathematics, in particular, has consequential effects on students’ emotions regarding the nature of the discipline, teaching quality, pedagogical knowledge and skills of mathematics teachers, and various student-related factors. Because of the rising focus on 21st-century skills and the “frightening” reputation of math classes, distinct student emotions may stem from their learning activities and outcomes in this discipline. Therefore, my research route specifically addressed students’ achievement emotions in mathematics.

A short glance at students’ mathematics academic emotions in Turkey

My research addressed the antecedents and consequences of the emotional experiences of middle school students (10-14 years of age) in mathematics. In Turkey, where the context of the study was built, mathematics is an often feared subject domain with an increased level of education (Çalık, 2014). Students often fall behind on mathematics competencies regarding Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results (OECD, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019).

In addition, students’ capability judgments towards accomplishing mathematics tasks were below, and their anxiety was above the OECD average (Education Reform Inıtiative, 2013). Those results might signify the changes in intensity and the variety of the experienced emotions in this subject domain across grade levels. As just a small part of my research, the findings indicated that 8th-grade students (13-14 years of age) tended to experience less enjoyment and more anxiety and anger than 7th-graders, which raises the first question of why such a decline occurs. Indeed, a number of student-related, teacher-related, parent-related, instruction-related, and assessment-related factors for this trend (Çalık, 2021) bring the second question to our minds: What could be done in designing emotion-sensitive classrooms?

5 practical tips for maths teachers for the design of emotion-sensitive classrooms

Here are several suggestions for designing emotion-sensitive classrooms regarding the potential sources and consequences of academic emotions based on the control-value theory of achievement emotions (Pekrun, 2006). These five tips might be beneficial for mathematics educators to improve the teaching quality of their classes. Those would also lend themselves to regulating students’ emotional experiences in mathematics.

Make a connection between the subject matter and real-life

As one of the basic process standards of NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics), students should be able to recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics, which requires the connection between subject matter in mathematics and real life. When maths teachers design authentic learning environments, students in those contexts could easily identify where they might apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in mathematics classes.

In particular, problem-based and project-based learning approaches might be adopted while creating lesson plans. In those cases, students would have the opportunity to learn, apply, and assess the knowledge by dealing with real-life problems, such as teaching how to calculate means or draw bar graphs through a given real-life scenario. Such practices promote the value of learning math and improve learning motivation for mathematics.

Plan the lesson around the student-centered learning activities to contribute to students critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, research, and communications skills

In line with the connection of mathematics with real life, planning mathematics classes around student-centered learning activities would ease students’ understanding of mathematics concepts. Accordingly, constructive learning practices, including problem-based and project-based learning approaches and cooperative learning strategies, would make students active in learning processes and hold them responsible for their learning.

During the teaching process, employing learning technologies, including Web 2.0 tools (e.g., concept mapping tools, assessment tools, interactive presentations, animation and video, Word clouds), dynamic geometry software, and statistical packages, make mathematics learning more enjoyable for students. Those tools captivate learners’ attention by cultivating inquiry, critical and creative thinking skills, and collaboration among learners. Besides, students have the opportunity to express themselves in more than one suggested way and receive immediate feedback from their teachers and peers in mathematics. That might also increase their engagement, motivation to learn, and positive emotions.

Give individual, prompt, and constructive feedback to students

Mathematics teachers may provide process feedback that reveals detailed information about students’ progress on what is expected of them and what they should do to achieve the intended knowledge and skills in mathematics. For instance, rather than comparing the student with his/her peers or telling the child, “Ok! You’re correct!,” for a typical mathematics problem, the mathematics teachers might come up with a statement, such as “I noticed that you came up with an original solution for this problem which you have not tried before, just amazing!”

In other words, teachers might individualize their feedback by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the child by relating their previous projects, homework, assignments, performances, etc. However, the weaknesses might be considered “yet to be accomplished sides” rather than deficits. Otherwise, students are more likely to attribute their failure and achievement in mathematics to unstable and uncontrollable situations, which might boost the rate of experiencing negative emotions. In short, individual and constructive process-oriented feedback foregrounds attention on the efforts put in by students, which also contribute to the level of interest in mathematics.

Make students feel successful by adding their mastery experiences

Self-efficacy is one of the strongest allies of positive emotions. In mathematics, students with high self-efficacy experience more positive and less negative emotions, so adding up self-efficacy beliefs might trigger students’ positive emotions in mathematics. Particularly, helping students reach success in mathematics adds to their mastery experiences in this field.

For this aim, mathematics teachers might divide the tasks into smaller chunks and make students form reasonable goals upon completing those chunks rather than at once. For instance, by giving short homework at first, then increasing the intensity and the number, or asking students to write math dairies or journals to see what they have accomplished and learned each day. Each student can learn at their own pace; however, completion of smaller steps would make students experience success and feel more capable, which, in return, would make them more optimistic and less of a ‘math hater’.

Display high enthusiasm for teaching and be sincere while communicating with students

As a last tip to design emotion-sensitive classrooms, teacher emotions are of value. Teaching is an emotion-laden job, so teacher enthusiasm is a key element for designing supportive teaching and learning environments. As well as enthusiasm and motivation, negative emotions, such as anxiety, anger, and boredom, would also be mirrored by students. Students are more likely to integrate the feelings experienced by teachers and experience similar feelings.

Therefore, the experience of high enthusiasm for teaching influences not only teachers but also students in the long term. In order to increase teaching enthusiasm and positive teacher emotions in mathematics, the bond between students and teachers should be so strong that both parties (teacher and student) would enjoy the teaching and learning process. That would be provided by ensuring sincerity during communicating with students. For example, mathematics teachers who make eye contact while talking with students, call students by their names, use humor while teaching math, mind their tone of voice, and are mindful of their body language. Those tips will not only support communication between students and teachers but also reduce the likelihood of experiencing negative emotions.

Key Messages

  1. Teachers should design authentic learning environments in which students are provided with learning opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in different disciplines and real life.
  2. The mathematics lessons should be designed around student-centered learning activities that cultivate the 21st-century skills of students.
  3. The feedback given to students should be individual, prompt, and constructive.
  4. The increase in mastery experiences could make students feel successful and foster students’ self-efficacy beliefs so they may experience more positive emotions.
  5. Teaching enthusiasm is also critical for students’ emotions, so the student-teacher interaction is of value.
Dr. Başak Çalık

Dr. Başak Çalık

Assistant Professor in the Educational Sciences Department of Istanbul Medeniyet University, Turkey & Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Educational Psychology Department of City University of New York, Graduate Center, US

Dr. Başak Çalık is an Assistant Professor in the Educational Sciences Department of Istanbul Medeniyet University, Turkey & Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Educational Psychology Department of City University of New York, Graduate Center, US. She holds a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.

Her doctoral dissertation was supported by the Turkish National Science Foundation International Research Fellowship Program and the Middle East Technical University Academic Research Projects Grant. The dissertation study entitled “Investigation Of Middle School Mathematics Teacher Emotions And Their Students’ Mathematics Achievement Emotions: A Mixed-Methods Study” received the METU Outstanding Dissertation Award. Dr. Çalık received the Turkish National Science Foundation International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to continue her studies at the City University of New York, Graduate Center. Her research interests include affective aspects in the teaching and learning process, academic emotions of teachers and students, self-efficacy, and teaching quality.

Profile in Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Basak-Calik

Profile in Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ba%C5%9Fak-%C3%A7al%C4%B1k-57a23687/

University Profile: https://avesis.medeniyet.edu.tr/basak.calik

Other blog posts on similar topics:

References and Further Reading

Çalık, B. (2014). The relationship between mathematics achievement emotions, mathematics self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning strategies among middle school students. (Unpublished Master Thesis). Middle East Technical University, Ankara.

Çalık, B. (2021). Investigation of middle school mathematics teacher emotions and their students’ mathematics achievement emotions: a mixed-methods study. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Middle East Technical University, Ankara.

 Education Reform Initiative (2013). Türkiye PISA 2012 analizi:Matematikte öğrenci motivasyonu, özyeterlik kaygı ve başarısızlık algısı [Turkey PISA 2012 analysis: Student motivation, self-efficacy, anxiety and failure perception]. Retrieved from http://erg.sabanciuniv.edu/sites/erg.sabanciuniv.edu.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2010). PISA 2009 results: What students know and can do – Student Performance in reading, mathematics and science (Volume I). Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/48852548.pdf 289

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2013). PISA 2012 results in focus: What 15-year-olds know and what they can do with what they know. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012-results-overview.pdf

 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2016). PISA 2015 results in focus. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisa-2015-results-in-focus.pdf

 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2019). PISA 2019: Insights and interpretations. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/PISA%202018%20Insights%20and%20Interpretations%20FINAL%20PDF.pdf

 Pekrun, R. (2006). The control-value theory of achievement emotions: Assumptions, corollaries, and implications for educational research and practice. Educational Psychology Review, 18, 315–341. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-006-9029-9

 Pekrun, R., & Linnenbrink-Garcia, L. (2012). Academic emotions and student engagement. In S.L. Christenson et al. (eds.), Handbook of research on student engagement (pp. 259-282). Springer.

Pekrun, R. & Linnenbrick-Garcia, L. (2014). Introduction to emotions in education.

In R. Pekrun & L. Linnenbrick-Garcia (Eds), International handbook of emotions in education (pp. 1-109). New York and London: Routledge.

 Rosenberg, E. L. (1998). Levels of analysis and the organization of affect. Review of

General Psychology, 2, 247–270. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.247