Mona Have Nielsen

Research and development areas

I work with the interplay between body, movement, play, cognition and learning in pedagogical and didactic contexts. My focus is on how embodied, sensory and playful approaches can support children’s and young people’s participation, well-being, motivation and learning across early childhood education, school and higher education.

Presentation

I have an interdisciplinary research profile grounded in cognition and movement, pedagogy, didactics and psychology. My work focuses on how children, students and professionals learn and develop through the interaction between the body, space, materials, relationships and pedagogical settings.

I am particularly interested in how research-based knowledge can be translated into teaching methods, learning environments and development processes that are meaningful in practice. Through my work, I explore how movement, play and sensory approaches can contribute to more engaging, inclusive and qualified pedagogical environments.

My aim is to contribute to knowledge that not only describes practice, but can also be used by educators, teachers, pedagogues and other professionals to develop it.

Competences

– Qualitative and quantitative research methods
– Mixed methods, evaluation and intervention research
– Study design, project management and practice-oriented knowledge development
– Cognition, movement, play and pedagogical learning environments
– Curriculum development, study regulations and professional development
– Research communication for students, professionals and the wider public

Research interests

I am interested in how people learn through the interaction between body, senses, relationships and surroundings. My approach is interdisciplinary, bridging pedagogical, didactic, humanistic and neuroscientific perspectives.

I work with both qualitative and quantitative methods because I am committed to producing knowledge that is both methodologically sound and useful in practice. To me, research is most valuable when it contributes to new possibilities for action and strengthens professionals’ ability to develop learning environments where children and young people can participate, thrive and learn.

Teaching

I teach and supervise within movement and learning, cognition, didactics, playful approaches, pedagogical learning environments, professional practice and interdisciplinary collaboration. I have experience teaching at bachelor’s, master’s and postgraduate level, as well as in continuing professional education.

Work areas

I work with research, teaching, supervision, curriculum development and professional development. My work focuses on developing research-informed learning activities, assessment forms, study programmes and practice-oriented materials that support professionals in working with quality in pedagogical and educational practice.