Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wilfried Smidt

Research

9/2024 – 8/2026: Research project „Frühe sprachliche Bildung und Förderung – Ausbildung und Praxis gemeinsam erforschen und gestalten“ (Early language education and support - researching and developing education and practice together), (funded by the States of Tyrol, Lower Austria, ad Vienna, with Prof. Dr. Lena Cataldo-Schwarzl und Prof. Dr. Niku Dorostkar, Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule Wien/Niederösterreich)

8/2023 – 8/2024: Research project “Education for sustainable development in early childhood and social education institutions” (SENSE) (funded by the Euregio Mobility Fund; with Prof. Dr. Iris Nentwig-Gesemann, University of Bolzano and Prof. Dr. Simona De Falco, University of Trento, Italy)

6/2023 – 5/2025: Research project “The quality of preschool teachers’ training in Austria and Ukraine: A comparative analysis” (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research; with Univ.-Prof. Dr. Oresta Karpenko, Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University, Ukraine)

9/2022 – 8/2023: Research project “Assistenzkräfte in Kindergärten – eine bedeutende, aber kaum beachtete Berufsgruppe“ (Assistant teachers in preschools - an important, but hardly noticed vocational group) (funded by the Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Tirol; with Prof. Dr. Bernhard Koch, University College of Teacher Education Tyrol)

3/2021 – 4/2022: Research project “COVID-19 Pandemie und elterliche Förderung von Early Literacy” (COVID-19 pandemic and parental support for early literacy) (funded by the State of Tirol)

7/2020 – 12/2020: Research project on home learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic (with Junior Prof. Dr Melanie Jester, University of Koblenz-Landau, internal University funds)

10/2018 – 3/2022: Research project InKi “Interaktionsqualität von Kindern im Kindergarten” (Quality of Children´s Interactions in Preschool) (funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF)

9/2018 – 8/2021: Research project LeiKi Leitungsqualität in Kindertageseinrichtungen” (Quality of Leadership in Preschools) (funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research, Germany; with Dr Thilo Schmidt, University of Koblenz-Landau)

10/2017 – 6/2018: Research project “Qualitätsindikatoren von Waldkinderbetreuungseinrichtungen in Tirol” (Quality Indicators of Forest Day Care Centers in Tyrol) (funded by the State of Tyrol and the Vice-Rectorate for Research of the University of Innsbruck)

2013 – 2015: Participating scientist of the project „Teaching and Learning Processes” (funded by the German Research Foundation, DFG, Information at: http://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/person/230656202)

Selected publications

Journal Articles (Peer Review, *Web of Science)

• *Eckstein-Madry, T., Piskernik, B., Schmidt, Th. & Smidt, W. (2025). Latent leadership profiles of German preschool leaders and its prediction by characteristics of leaders and preschools. European Early Childhood Education ResearchJournal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2024.2443651
• *Scharnagl, V. & Smidt, W. (2024). Parental support of emergent literacy in the final preschool year in Austria during COVID-19-induced lockdowns. International Journal of Early Years Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2024.2322935
• *Smidt, W., Karpenko, O., Czepil, M. & Embacher, E.-M. (2024). Predictors of burnout of preschool teachers working in the warzone Ukraine. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.05.002
• *Embacher, E.-M. & Smidt, W. (2023). Associations between teachers’ professional competencies and the quality of interactions and relationships in preschool. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1222369. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1222369
• *Embacher, E.-M., Zöggeler-Burkhardt, L. & Smidt, W. (2023). Closeness and conflict in teacher-child relationships in preschool: The role of child personality types. Early Child Development and Care, 193(11-12), 1240-1256. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2023.2236318
• *Smidt, W. & Embacher, E.-M. (2023). The importance of structural characteristics for interaction quality in Austrian preschools. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(5), 752-771. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2023.2195675
• *Smidt, W. & Embacher, E-M. (2023). Does personality matter? The relationship between child personality and interaction quality in preschools. Research Papers in Education, 38(1), 45-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2021.1941217
• *Smidt, W. & Embacher, E.-M. (2023). Examining the factorial validity of the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System in preschools in Austria. International Journal of Early Years Education, 31(3), 675-687. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2021.1893158
• *Smidt, W. & Embacher, E.-M. (2020). How do activity settings, preschool teachers’ activities, and children’s activities relate to the quality of children’s interactions in preschool? Findings from Austria. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 28(6), 864-883. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1836586
• *Lehrl, S. & Smidt, W. (2018). Differential effects of preschool quality on children’s emergent literacy skills during preschool in Germany. Research Papers in Education, 33(4), 492-514. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2017.1362718
• *Schmidt, Th., Smidt, W. & Roux, S. (2018). What do pedagogues in daycare do? Empirical analyses of the occupational activities of pedagogues in children’s daycare centres in Germany. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 26(3), 446-460. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2018.1463910
• *Smidt, W., Kammermeyer, G., Roux, S., Theisen, Ch. & Weber, Ch. (2018). Career success of preschool teachers – The significance of the Big Five personality traits, locus of control, and occupational self-efficacy. Early Child Development and Care, 188(10), 1340-1353. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2017.1314275
• *Smidt, W. (2018). Early Childhood Education and Care in Austria: Challenges and Education Policies. Early Child Development and Care, 188(5), 624-633. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2017.1403431
• *Hachfeld, A., Anders, Y., Kuger, S. & Smidt, W. (2016). Triggering parental involvement for parents of different language backgrounds: the role of types of partnership activities and preschool characteristics. Early Child Development and Care, 186(1), 190-211. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1007370
• *Smidt, W. (2016). Occupational activities of nonacademic and academic pedagogues working in the field of childhood education - an Investigation of differences and predictor variables. Early Child Development and Care, 186(1), 2-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1005613
• *Smidt, W. & Rossbach, H.-G. (2016). Educational process quality in preschools at the individual child level: Findings from a German study. Early Child Development and Care, 186(1), 78-95. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2014.913585
• *Smidt, W. (2015). Big Five personality traits as predictors of the academic success of university and college students in early childhood education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 41(4), 385-403. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2015.1080419
• *Smidt, W., Kammermeyer, G. & Roux, S. (2015). Relations between the Big Five personality traits of prospective early childhood pedagogues and their beliefs about the education of preschool children: Evidence from a German study. Learning and Individual Differences, 37(1), 96-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.11.002
• *Smidt, W. & Roux, S. (2015). How extraverted, open, agreeable, conscientious, and neurotic are prospective early childhood pedagogues? A comparison with the German Socio-Economic Panel. Early Child Development and Care, 185(5), 766-778. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2014.957691
• *Lehrl, S., Smidt, W., Grosse, Ch. & Richter, D. (2014). Patterns of literacy and numeracy activities in preschool and their relation to structural characteristics and children’s home activities. Research Papers in Education, 29(5), 577-597. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2013.792865
• *Smidt, W., Lehrl, S., Anders, Y., Pohlmann-Rother, S. & Kluczniok, K. (2012). Emergent literacy activities in the final preschool year in the German federal states of Bavaria and Hesse. Early Years - An International Journal of Research and Development, 32(3), 301-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2011.642851

Editorships

• Karpenko, O., Smidt, W., Ziv, Y. & Resnick, G. (Eds.). (in preparation). Preschool Education in War and Conflict Zones [Special Issue]. Early Childhood Research Quarterly.
• Zöggeler-Burkhardt, L., Embacher, E.-M. & Smidt, W. (Eds.) (2023). Social relationships, interactions and learning in early childhood - theoretical approaches, empirical findings and challenges [Special Issue]. Early Child Development and Care. 193(11-12) [Guest Editor, Special Issue].
• Spannring, R., Smidt, W. & Unterrainer, Ch. (Eds.) (2022). Institutions and Organizations as Learning Environments for Participation and Democracy? Opportunities, Challenges, Obstacles. Springer Nature.
• Bloch, B., Kuhn, M., Schulz, M., Smidt, W. & Stenger, U. (Eds.) (2021). Early Childhood Education in Germany – Exploring Historical Developments and Theoretical Issues. Routledge.
• Smidt, W. & Lehrl, S. (Eds.) (2020). Teacher–child interactions in Early Childhood Education and Care classrooms: characteristics, predictivity, dependency and methodological issues. Routledge.
• Smidt, W. & Lehrl, S. (Eds.) (2018). Teacher–child interactions in Early Childhood Education and Care classrooms: characteristics, predictivity, dependency and methodological issues. Research Papers in Education, 33(4) [Guest Editor, Special Issue].
• Smidt, W. (Ed.) (2017). Contemporary issues in early childhood education in Germany. Routledge.
• Smidt, W. (Ed.) (2016). Contemporary issues in early childhood education in Germany. Early Child Development and Care, 186(1) [Guest Editor, Special Issue].

Book chapters

• Smidt, W. & Embacher, E.-M. (in press). Critical review of research and policy on transi-tions to school from 2000-2024 in Austria. In S. Dockett & B. Perry (Hrsg.), Research and practice in transition to school. Springer.
• Embacher, E.-M. & Smidt, W. (2024). Associations between teachers’ professional competencies and the quality of interactions and relationships in preschool. In A. E. E. Baumeister, H. Li & L. J. Harrison (Eds.), Stakeholders’ perspectives on assessment and improvement of quality in early childhood education and care: A world-wide kaleidoscope (pp. 173-188). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi:10.3389/978-2-8325-4930-8
• Rossbach, H.-G., Blaurock, S. Große, Ch., Kluczniok, K., Kuger, S., Lehrl, S. & Smidt, W. (2024). Quality of Learning Environments in Early Childhood. In S. Weinert, H.-G. Rossbach, J. von Maurice, H.-P. Blossfeld & C. Artelt (Eds.), Educational Processes, Decisions, and the Development of Competencies from Early Preschool Age to Adolescence: Findings from the BiKS Cohort Panel Studies (pp. 55-90). Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-43414-4_3
• Drieschner, E. & Smidt, W. (2022). Agency and participation: A critique of the epistemological, psychological, pedagogical and ethical premises. In R. Spannring, W. Smidt & C. Unterrainer (Eds.), Institutions and Organizations as Learning Environments for Participation and Democracy? Opportunities, Challenges, Obstacles (pp. 17-37). Springer Nature.
• Spannring, R., Unterrainer, C. & Smidt, W. (2022). Participation in organizations and institutions across the life course. In R. Spannring, W. Smidt & C. Unterrainer (Eds.), Institutions and Organizations as Learning Environments for Participation and Democracy? Opportunities, Challenges, Obstacles (pp. 1-13). Springer Nature.
• Schulz, M., Kuhn, M., Bloch, B., Smidt, W., Stenger, U. (2021). Historical Development and Current Frameworks. In B. Bloch, M. Kuhn, M. Schulz, W. Smidt & U. Stenger (Eds.), Early Childhood Education in Germany – Exploring Historical Developments and Theoretical Issues (pp. 23-34). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429275593-3
• Stenger, U., Kuhn, M., Schulz, M., Bloch, B. & Smidt, W. (2021). The Matrix of the Academic ECEC Discourse. In B. Bloch, M. Kuhn, M. Schulz, W. Smidt & U. Stenger (Eds.), Early Childhood Education in Germany – Exploring Historical Developments and Theoretical Issues (pp. 11-22). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429275593-2Lehrl, S. & Smidt, W. (2020). Differential effects of preschool quality on children’s emergent literacy skills during preschool in Germany. In W. Smidt & S. Lehrl, S. (Eds.), Teacher–child interactions in Early Childhood Education and Care classrooms: characteristics, predictivity, dependency and methodological issues (pp. 82-104). Routledge.
• Smidt, W. & Kraft, S. (2019). Fostering children’s intrinsic motivation in preschool. In O. N. Saracho (Ed.), Contemporary perspectives on research on motivation in early childhood education (pp. 153-173). Information Age Publishing.
• Smidt, W. (2019). Early Childhood Education and Care in Austria: Challenges and Edu-cation Policies. In K. Rentzou & R. Slutsky (Eds.), Early Childhood Education and Care Quality in Europe and the USA. Issues of Conceptualization, Measurement and Policy (pp. 141-150). Routledge.
• Hachfeld, A., Anders, Y., Kuger, S. & Smidt, W. (2017). Triggering parental involvement for parents of different language backgrounds: the role of types of partnership activities and preschool characteristics. In W. Smidt (Ed.), Contemporary issues in early childhood education in Germany (pp. 190-211). Routledge.
• Smidt, W. (2017). Occupational activities of nonacademic and academic pedagogues working in the field of childhood education - an Investigation of differences and predictor variables. In W. Smidt (Ed.), Contemporary issues in early childhood education in Germany (pp. 2-22). London: Routledge.
• Smidt, W. & Rossbach, H.-G. (2017). Educational process quality in preschools at the individual child level: Findings from a German study. In W. Smidt (Ed.), Contemporary issues in early childhood education in Germany (pp. 78-95). Routledge.
• Smidt, W. (2015). Educational processes in early childhood education: activities of target children in preschools. In W. Schnotz, A. Kauertz, H. Ludwig, A. Müller & J. Pretsch (Eds.), Multidisciplinary research on teaching and learning (pp. 3-18). Palgrave Macmillan.

Talks and presentations (selection)

Smidt, W. & Karpenko, O. (2024). Predictors of burnout of preschool teachers working in the warzone Ukraine. SiG-5- und SiG-28-Conference der European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) in Warsaw, Poland, 10. July.

Smidt, W. (2024). Chair of the Paper-Session D2. SiG-5- und SiG-28-Conference der European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) in Warsaw, Poland, 11. July.

Smidt, W. (2024). Discussant of the Symposium ECEC staff working conditions and wellbeing: insights from three countries. SiG-5- und SiG-28-Conference der European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) in Warsaw, Poland, 10. July.

Smidt, W. (2024). Discussant of the Symposium Investigating a framework for quality ECEC in diverse systems. SiG-5- und SiG-28-Conference der European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) in Warsaw, Poland, 11. July.

Smidt, W., Embacher, E.-M. & Zöggeler-Burkhardt, L. (2022). The role of children's personality in relationships between preschool teachers and children. SiG-5-Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Utrecht, Netherlands.

Embacher E.-M. & Smidt W. (2021). Does Personality Matter? Relations Between Child Personality and Interaction Quality in Preschools. ECER 2021, “Education and Society: expectations, prescriptions, reconciliation”, Geneva, Swiss Confederation.

Embacher, E. & Smidt, W. (2019). Examining the Factor Structure of the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System (inCLASS). 18. Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Aachen, Germany.

Burkhardt, L., Kraft, S., Mittischek, L. & Smidt, W. (2018). Educational Quality in Forest Day Care Centers in Tyrol/Austria – Benefits and Challenges for the Education of Young Children. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Bolzano, Italy.

Smidt, W. (2018). Career Success of (Early) Childhood Pedagogues in Germany. International Conference in Early Childhood Education Research (ECER), Weingarten, Germany.

Schmidt, Th., W. & Smidt, W. (2016). The Promotion of Children in Preschool - Educational Beliefs of Early Childhood Pedagogues Concerning Self-Education and Instruction. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Dublin, Ireland.

Smidt, W. & Roux, S. (2016). Career Success of Preschool Teachers – The Significance of the Big Five Personality Traits, Internal Locus of Control, and Occupational Self-Efficacy. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Dublin, Ireland.

Lehrl, S. & Smidt, W. (2016). Differential effects of preschool quality on children’s emergent literacy skills during preschool in Germany. SIG-5 Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Porto, Portugal. (poster)

Smidt, W. (2015). Big Five as Predictors of Grade Point Average and Study Satisfaction of University and College Students in Early Childhood Education. Conference of the European Educational Research Association (EERA), Budapest, Hungary.

Smidt, W. (2014). Big Five personality traits of prospective early childhood pedagogues in Germany: A comparison with the German Socio-Economic-Panel. Sig-5-Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Jyväskylä, Finland.

Hachfeld, A., Kuger, S., Anders, Y. & Smidt, W. (2014). Family-preschool-partnerships: Influences of family characteristics and preschool quality on parents' involvement in early education. Annual Meeting of theAmerican Educational Research Association (AERA), Philadelphia, USA. (poster)

Schmidt, Th. & Smidt, W. (2013). Compensatory education of disadvantaged children - sig­nificance for early childhood education. 23rd Conference of the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA), Tallinn, Estonia.

Smidt, W., Schmidt, Th. & Roux, S. (2013). Educational goals of prospective teachers in early childhood education: The role of personality traits. 23rd Conference of the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA), Tallinn, Estonia.

Kuger, S., Smidt, W. & Rossbach, H.-G. (2012). Process quality in preschool – comparing assessment at individual child level with classroom level. SIG-5 Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Utrecht, Netherlands.

Smidt, W. (2011). Educational process quality in preschools on target-child-level. 14th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Exeter, United Kingdom.

Smidt, W., Kuger, S. & Große, Ch. (2010). Patterns between group-related educational quality and target child related activities in German preschools. SIG-5 Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Luzern, Swiss Confederation.

Conferences

• 4th Innsbruck Conference on Elementary Education: "Learning in Early Childhood Education: Conditions - Expectations - Challenges", 26-27.9.25 in Innsbruck
• 3rd Innsbruck Conference on Early Childhood Education: "Interaction - Relationship - Bonding", 22-23.9.23 in Innsbruck
• 2nd Innsbruck Conference on Early Childhood Education: "Perspectives on Educational Pathways in Kindergarten and Primary School", 24.9.21 in Innsbruck
• 1st Innsbruck Conference on Early Childhood Education: "Professionalisation of Elementary Education Staff - National and International Perspectives", 13.7.18 in Innsbruck
• Empirical Working Group of the Commission for Early Childhood Education of the German Society for Educational Science (DGfE), 7.-8.7.17 in Hünfeld
• Annual Conference of the Commission for Early Childhood Education in the German Society for Educational Science (DGfE), 9.-11.3.17 in Hildesheim
• Conference of the Section for Elementary Education in the Austrian Society for Research and Development in Education (ÖFEB), 12.-13.9.16 in Innsbruck
• Empirical Working Group of the Commission for Early Childhood Education in the German Society for Educational Science (DGfE), 8.-9.7.16 in Fulda

• Federal Working Group on Childhood Education (BAG-BEK)
• German Society for Educational Science (DGfE), Section 4: Empirical Educational Research, Section 8: Social Pedagogy and Early Childhood Education
• Empirical Working Group of the Commission for Early Childhood Education in the DGfE
• European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
• Austrian Society for Research and Development in Education (ÖFEB), Section Elementary Education, Section Empirical Pedagogical Research