Our History

Children’s motivation in learning and exploring increase when they are given the chance of finding answers to the questions about which they are curious. We can contribute to their development by allowing them to undertake proper research which will inform our knowledge and understanding of children's lives and perspectives.

With similar thoughts, Dr. Mary Kellett founded Children’s Research Center in Open University in England in 2002. In her work, children from different age groups received education about doing research and then conducted their own under the supervision of the adults. During this process, it was observed that their motivation to explore and learn increased and their self confidence developed. Along with these, it was also observed that the adults who studied with the children had the chance to learn more about the children’s world and improve their own ways of living and working with children.

CARIPSIE (Children as Researchers in Primary Schools in Europe) was an EC funded comenius project in partnership of seven countries including Turkey in order to extend the studies conducted in Children’s Research Center in England. The aim of this unique project was to develop research skills of the children at pre-school and primary school levels. The project also aimed to develop a curricular program by exploring the best way to develop these skills and how this curricular program could be embedded in the school curriculum. The European Union Comenius Project CARIPSIE which was completed in 2009 creates the basis of the foundation of the Children's Research Center-Turkey.