ECE Teacher Training and Professional Development in Mathematics – International Views

CALL FOR PAPERS

ECE Teacher Training and Professional Development in Mathematics – International Views

Journal: Learning in Context

Publisher: Elsevier

Full Paper Submission Deadline: 31 August 2026

Introduction

High-quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) in mathematics depends fundamentally on competent ECE teachers equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to provide effective instruction. A major challenge in advancing international research in this field is the rich diversity of cultural and educational contexts in which ECE teachers are trained and operate.

Country-specific differences in ECE settings, national guidelines for teaching, teacher training programs, and professional development initiatives confront the international research community with serious challenges in interpreting, evaluating, and replicating studies across countries. There is an urgent need to collect and synthesize high-quality studies that focus on ECE teacher training and professional development in early mathematics education — crossing national, cultural, and educational borders.

Scope & Significance

This Special Issue aims to initiate discussion about both commonalities and differences in international research on teacher professional competence — improving insights into the key components of ECE teacher training and professional development in early mathematics education at both national and international levels.

In line with the journal's mission, contributions should highlight learning in context — including professionals' cultural and historical backgrounds, as well as institutions' histories, existing discourses, norms, values, content, methods, and tools embedded in teacher training and professional development programs.

Up to ten articles will be accepted for publication within this Special Issue. Each manuscript must include a substantial description of the context within which the reported study is conducted — and should go beyond context description to elaborate on context as an aspect of the learning and development taking place.

List of Topic Areas

Manuscripts are invited on themes including, but not limited to:

1. Reviews of developments in ECE teacher training and professional development — historical, policy, or international comparisons

2. Intervention studies in ECE teacher training and professional development programs

3. Empirical studies on pre-service and in-service ECE teachers' competencies, attitudes, or domain-specific pedagogical content knowledge for early mathematics instruction

4. International comparison studies on ECE teacher training and professional development programs — and their associations with ECE teacher competencies

5. Theoretical analyses of key components of ECE teachers' professional knowledge and skills for teacher training and professional development programs

6. Cultural and historical influences on ECE mathematics teacher education

7. National policies and guidelines shaping ECE mathematics teacher preparation

8. Early childhood mathematics — foundational content knowledge and pedagogy

9. Professional learning communities and collaborative professional development in ECE mathematics

10. Assessment of ECE teacher competencies in mathematics education

Guest Editors

Prof. Camilla Björklund

Prof. Simone Dunekacke

Prof. Pernille Bødtker Sunde

Prof. Joke Torbeyns

Key Timeline

Abstract Submission Deadline: 14 April 2026 (Submit via email to camilla.bjorklund@ped.gu.se)

Notification of Abstract Acceptance: 1 May 2026

Full Paper Submission Deadline: 31 August 2026

Review and Revisions Completed: February 2027

Publication: April 2027

Abstract Submission Requirements

Abstracts should include:

• Title and abstract — maximum 300 words (excluding references)

• Brief bio of each contributing author — maximum 100 words each

• Core references may be included where appropriate (not counting towards the word limit)

Submit abstracts via email to: Prof. Camilla Björklund — camilla.bjorklund@ped.gu.se

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

Articles may be up to 10,000 words — excluding references and appendices. Authors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the journal's Guide for Authors:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/learning-in-context/publish/guide-for-authors

All manuscripts will undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the highest scientific quality. The Special Issue welcomes a rich diversity of methodologies — both those addressing the particularity of the challenges described and those allowing for generality.

All submissions must be original and must not be under review elsewhere at the time of submission.

About the Journal

Learning in Context, published by Elsevier, is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing research on teaching and learning that is deeply rooted in and interpreted through specific cultural, historical, and institutional contexts. It supports open access publishing and provides an international platform for scholars exploring how context shapes learning processes, professional development, and educational outcomes across diverse settings and disciplines.

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