Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen

Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen

Dean
Unit
Faculty of Education and Psychology
Room number
RUU C220
Email
marja-kristiina.lerkkanen@jyu.fi
Mobile
+358408053347
Postal address
Alvar Aallon katu 9
Fields of science
516 Educational sciences

Research interests

My research foci include individual, family, and teacher factors contributing to children’s academic learning and motivation in preschool and early school years. In particular, I have been interested in developmental trajectories of young children’s reading and math skills and the effects of motivation, teacher-student relationships and teacher-parents partnership to child’s learning. I am involved in interventions for supporting literacy skills development by computer games and iPad apps and also teacher interventions supporting teacher-child interaction, motivation and engagement in classrooms.

Publications

Publication
2026

Kaksivuotisen esiopetuksen kokeilu : loppuraportti

Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön julkaisuja.
Sarvimäki, Matti
Holvio, Anna
Kuusiholma-Linnamäki, Julia
Sulkanen, Mimmu
Alasuutari, Maarit
Harju, Kaisa
Harjunen, Oskari
Izadi, Ramin
Kalland, Mirjam
Laakso, Mikko-Jussi
Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina
Muhonen, Heli
Ruutiainen, Ville
Räsänen, Pekka
Salo, Anne-Elina
Salo, Saara
Saranko, Lotta
Suorsa, Tuomas
Upadyaya, Katja
Villanen, Hilla
More publications from this author

Research groups

Research group

ADAPT – Underlying Mechanisms of Successful Student Adaptation in Educational Transitions during Adolescence

The ADAPT project examines students’, parents’ and teachers’ experiences during school transitions from primary to secondary school, and from lower secondary to upper secondary education.
Iloisen näköisiä lapsia heittämässä ylävitosia.
Research group

Right to Belong: Tackling loneliness and ostracism during childhood and adolescence 2022-2028

The interdisciplinary Right to Belong project (R-to-B) seeks research-based solutions to decrease children’s and youth’s loneliness and ostracism in different environments.
Research group

Teacher and Student Stress and Interaction in Classroom (TESSI)

The study aims to investigate teacher and student well-being and related factors

Projects

Educa Flagship
Project

EDUCA (Education for the Future) Flagship

The Education for the Future EDUCA flagship focuses on the timely challenges of education to prepare children and young people for the future in the changing world.
Logo of the project: the shapes of an adult and 2 children in front.
Project

Get Involved! Primary School

Learning in primary school: What parents and teachers think, feel and do.
Logo of the project: an adult and a child reading a book.
Project

Get Involved!

Study investigates the role of parents and teachers in the development of children’s academic achievement, motivation, and behavior across the transition from preschool to primary school.
Project

Interaction, Learning and Development (VUOKKO) follow-up study

VUOKKO-pitkittäistutkimuksessa seurataan lasten taitojen kehitystä 2-12 vuoden iässä sekä lasten oppimisympäristöjen (päiväkoti, koulu ja koti) merkitystä taitojen kehitykselle.
Project

EarlyMath - Pathways to math difficulties: A longitudinal study from birth to school-age

The EarlyMath project (2021-2026) studies children’s early development of mathematical skills, motivation and emotions in interaction with learning environments. We want to understand better why the learning of basic mathematical skills is challenging for