The University of Madeira will host the 34th Annual Conference of EECERA (European Early Childhood Education Research Association), a significant international gathering focused on research and practices in Early Childhood Education. The event, taking place from August 25th to 28th at Madeira Tecnopolo and the Penteada University Campus, will focus on the theme 'The Development of Autonomy, Participation, and Democracy in the Digital Age'.
Approximately 700 researchers and education professionals from around the world will participate, fostering a reflection on the challenges of early childhood education in a rapidly transforming social and technological context. The conference, co-chaired by professors Júlia Oliveira-Formosinho and Ana França Kot-Kotecki, aims to discuss the preservation and valorization of pedagogical knowledge, responding to the challenges of the digital age and promoting the view of children as active subjects.
The event will pay special attention to the impacts of generative artificial intelligence, analyzing both opportunities and risks, such as the potential reduction in the quality of human interactions. Renowned international speakers, including specialists from universities like Cambridge and Edinburgh, will be present.