Description:
Abstract: The author focuses on the educational and political context in early childhood and care institutions<br />(ECEC), a context which is dominated by an international learning discourse. A study of official educational documents<br />shows a shift towards learning in officially defined functions of the kindergarten. The author links her critique<br />and examination of possible consequences of this shift to international research findings. She also draws<br />upon Nordic research that can strengthen Nordic pre-school policy and pedagogy in its encounter with learning<br />discourse and instrumental policy and practice.<br />Keywords: Educational policy, learning discourse, life long learning, childhood