The Marsico Institute for Early Learning is a research and development institute dedicated to improving learning environments and outcomes for children, birth to age eight, with focus on early math, science, technology, and engineering.
Our faculty and staff develop and evaluate early learning curricula and professional development interventions, particularly in the field of early STEM. We conduct research to understand children’s thinking and the ways adults can provide environments and experiences to support their learning and development.
Research Projects
Led by Co-Executive Directors Drs. Douglas H. Clements and Julie Sarama, our team is dedicated to developing, researching, and disseminating knowledge about excellence in early education and care.
We equip educators, individual schools, school districts, and other organizations worldwide with impactful practices to support the early childhood education and care community.
We are proud to offer resources for early math education and research, including the learningtrajectories.org website, measures of early math teaching and learning, and articles written to strengthen early math education
We are grateful for partnerships with national centers and organizations, schools and districts, and colleagues at the University of Denver in our efforts to improve early childhood systems.
Our staff conduct educational research - observing teaching and learning of young children - and develop playful learning activities and engaging professional development based on research.
To push our research into practice, we publish widely and seek to partner with stakeholders who have the power to implement these practices and improve the lives of young children. Therefore, we strive to form partnerships with urban and rural school districts, academic institutions, practitioners, policymakers, and families to deliver this information locally, nationally, and abroad.
More than 93% of brain development occurs before the age of five, which is why the Marsico Institute focuses specifically on early childhood, or the period of learning and development that occurs before the age of eight. We believe that providing quality relationships and learning opportunities can set the stage for what children will be able to accomplish throughout the rest of their lives. We hope to help our partners make that difference for children, families, and teachers.
