Lena O Magnusson holds a PhD in Arts Education from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. She is a former preschool teacher and works as a senior lecturer in visual art education and curriculum studies. Magnusson leads the research group ECE (Early Childhood Education); she is also engaged in the research group ROLE (Research On Learning Environments). Her main research area concerns young children and preschool education, focusing on digital technology, STEAM education, literacy, learning environment, visual art pedagogy and visual culture. Another area of interest is research on aesthetic [learning] processes, aesthetic forms of expression, and their capacity in teacher education. Magnusson has also researched and written about teachers' role in higher education from various aspects.
Magnusson has two ongoing research projects. One is a Swedish Research Council-funded project, STEAM teaching in preschool, running between 2023–2026 and conducted in collaboration between the University of Gävle, Stockholm University, and Umeå University. Read more about the STEAM project. External link. The other project focuses on the use of analogue and digital games in after-school centres, a study funded within the ULF (Education, Learning, Research) initiative. More information about the project Games as a meeting place and a tool for competence development.