May Liss Olsen Tobiassen is an Assistant Professor at the Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioral Research in Education, Faculty of Arts and Education, University of South-Eastern Norway. She is based at the Porsgrunn campus and actively contributes to research in early childhood education and care (ECEC), with a focus on children's behavior, learning environments, and institutional quality development. Her research interests lie at the intersection of child development and pedagogical practice, particularly examining non-play behaviors during free play in ECEC settings. She investigates how indoor and outdoor environments influence children’s engagement and how systematic observation tools can enhance process quality. Her work promotes reflective practices among ECEC teachers and supports evidence-based improvements in early childhood institutions. The recent publications and presentations indicate a strong trend in quality assessment in ECEC , participatory research (e.g., the KUMBA project), and the usability of observational tools like BLIKK-R. Her interdisciplinary approach spans educational psychology, environmental design, and teacher training. Scientific Contributions: Extensive research on non-play behavior in Norwegian kindergartens Development and evaluation of pedagogical assessment tools Active dissemination through conferences, podcasts, and webinars Dr. Tobiassen collaborates with leading researchers in the field, including Rune Storli and Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter. She is involved in advising and guiding research teams within projects focused on ECEC quality, though no formal PhD or Master’s students are listed. Her work is supported through institutional research projects rather than individual grants mentioned in the text. Labs and Research Teams: She is affiliated with the Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioral Research in Education and contributes to the KUMBA research project, which emphasizes participatory quality development in ECEC institutions.






