Welcome to Jyväskylä!
Education systems worldwide are facing profound transformations. Growing learner diversity, rapid technological development, artificial intelligence, demographic change, and increasing expectations for equity and inclusion are reshaping the conditions under which learning takes place. To build education systems that support both excellence and equity, we need a deeper understanding of variability in learning and the factors that promote learning across different contexts.
The Conference addresses these challenges by bringing together the complementary expertise and excellence from learning sciences, educational systems, digital transformation, teacher education and inclusion. The organizers comprise three scientific consortia with high international visibility and impact. The conference is jointly organized by EDUCA – Education for the Future Flagship (universities of Jyväskylä, Helsinki, Turku and Aalto), Center of Excellence in Learning Dynamics and Intervention research (InterLearn; universities of Jyväskylä and Turku) and Digital Transformation for Neurodiversity Inclusion in Africa and Asia (AAN-DI; universities of Jyväskylä and Barcelona).
The conference invites together researchers, educators, educational leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders from around the world to explore how educational research can understand the growing variability of learners’ backgrounds, abilities, developmental pathways, cultures, languages and learning contexts and promote learning, participation, wellbeing, and opportunity for all learners. By connecting perspectives from different disciplines, cultures, and educational contexts, the conference seeks to advance research-informed solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing education today.
The conference focuses on six interconnected themes:
- Supporting Diverse Learners. Understanding diversity among learners’ abilities, backgrounds, experiences, identities, developmental pathways, and educational needs is essential for designing learning environments that enable all learners to participate and succeed. This theme explores approaches for supporting diverse learners, including those who are at risk of educational exclusion or underachievement.
- Engagement, Belonging and Inclusion. Learners can thrive when they feel that they belong, are valued, and can actively participate in their communities. This theme addresses factors that foster engagement, inclusion, well-being, and meaningful participation in ECEC, schools, higher education, and other learning environments.
- Teaching and Learning Processes. Advancing learning requires understanding of support needed at different levels. This theme focuses on learning processes, instructional practices, teacher-student interactions, motivation, and other conditions that promote learning experiences across educational settings.
- Digitalization and AI in Education. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are transforming ways of learning and accessing information. This development brings with it questions regarding future role of educators and equity. This theme addresses how digital innovation can support learning while taking into account the potential challenges and opportunities.
- Teacher Education, Professional Development and Educational Leadership. Teachers, teacher educators, principals, early childhood leaders and teacher educators play have a critical role in shaping educational cultures and learning communities. This theme focuses on professional learning, teacher expertise, leadership, collaboration, and capacity-building for educational improvement across different educational contexts.
- Evidence, Policy and Educational Transformation. Research can contribute to educational development when connected to decision-making, and policy, and when evidence is be translated into educational practice. This theme concerns the ways in which research can inform educational reforms, policy development, resource allocation, and systemic change, and respond emerging societal challenges.
By bringing together these perspectives through four keynote lectures, paper sessions, poster presentations, and panel discussions the conference creates a unique platform for international dialogue and collaboration.
