Konstantina Dogani

Konstantina Dogani is an Associate Professor at the Department of Early Childhood Education and Education Sciences, School of Early Childhood Education, at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She specializes in Music Education in Preschool Age and has been actively contributing to the field through teaching, research, and publications. Her work focuses on integrating music into early childhood education, with particular emphasis on creative music making, musical improvisation, and the role of music in multicultural classrooms.

Educational Background:

• Bachelor's degree in Preschool Pedagogical Science, Department of Early Childhood Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Greece (1996)
• Piano Degree, Model Experimental Conservatory of Athens (1996)
• Master of Arts in Music Education, School of Education, University of Reading, Greece (1998)
• Doctorate in Music Pedagogy (DPhil, Doctor of Philosophy in Education), School of Education, University of Exeter, Greece (2003)

Konstantina Dogani's research interests center around music education in early childhood, with specific focus on musical improvisation, children's musical creativity, and the integration of music into multicultural preschool classrooms. Her work explores how children naturally engage with music through free play and spontaneous musical behaviors, and how educators can build upon these innate tendencies to develop more effective music pedagogy. She has conducted extensive research on the role of music in supporting social interaction, emotional development, and cognitive processes in young children. Her approach emphasizes experiential learning, where children's own experiences serve as the foundation for meaningful musical engagement.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on interdisciplinary approaches to music education, particularly the connections between music and mathematics, music and visual media, and music and movement. Her work consistently emphasizes child-centered approaches that prioritize children's natural musical behaviors and spontaneous creativity. A significant portion of her research addresses the integration of music into multicultural classrooms, especially in the context of Roma children's education in Greece.

Konstantina Dogani has supervised numerous undergraduate and graduate students, guiding research on topics such as group musical improvisation, children's spontaneous singing during free play, and the use of music in supporting children with behavioral challenges. Her administrative roles have included serving on various committees related to curriculum development, student practice, and strategic planning within the School of Early Childhood Education.

She has coordinated several research projects, including 'Investigation of the way of incorporating the spontaneous musical reactions of preschool children into creative musical activities in the classroom' and 'Integration and Education of Roma Children in Eastern Macedonia - Thrace.' Her work has been presented at numerous international conferences, and she has published extensively in the field of early childhood music education.