Lourdes Mata

Associate Professor

Orcid Researchgate

Biographical Note

Lourdes Mata has an initial training in childhood education, having later obtained a master’s degree in Educational Psychology and a PhD in Child Studies. She is currently Associate Professor at ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Director of the School of Education, and is also in charge of the Masters in Preschool Education. She has collaborated with the Ministry of Education as an author, trainer and consultant about the curriculum for pre-school education. She has several publications, in books, book chapters and national and international journals, both within the scope of research and of pedagogical documents in early childhood education contexts.

Research Interests

Lourdes Mata main research interests are directed towards the understanding of development and learning processes in childhood, namely towards the understanding of individual and contextual variables that are central to improve the quality of education.

Relevant Publications

  • Pacheco, P., & Mata, L. (2022). Family Literacy: Perspectives and Challenges for the Preschool-Family Relation. In Almeida, A. P. & Esteves, S. (Eds) Modern Reading Practices and Collaboration Between Schools, Family, and Community (pp. 174-201). IGI Global. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-9750-7.ch008
  • Mata, L., Monteiro., Peixoto, F., Santos, N., Sanches, C., & Gomes, M. (2021). Emotional profiles towards math among elementary school children – A two-year longitudinal research. European Journal of Psychology of Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-020-00527-9 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10212-020-00527-9.pdf
  • Koehler, S. E., & Mata, L. (2021). Analisando a autoeficácia e o engajamento no trabalho de psicólogos escolares (Analyzing the self-efficacy and work engagement of school psychologists). Revista Psicologia: Organizações e Trabalho, 21(2), 1494-1501. https://doi.org/10.5935/rpot/2021.2.21236
  • Aguiar, C., & Mata, L. (2021). Literacia emergente no jardim de infância (Emergent literacy in kindergarten). In R. Alves & I. Leite (Eds). Alfabetização baseada na Ciência. Manual do curso ABC (pp. 173-193). Brasília: Ministério da Educação (MEC), CAPES. Recuperado de http://alfabetizacao.mec.gov.br/images/pdf/manual_do_curso_abc.PDF
  • Mata, L. (2021). Literacia emergente: Intencionalidade educativa e qualidade dos contextos de educação de infância (Emergent Literacy: Educational Intentionality and Quality of Early Childhood Education Contexts). In M. Oliveira, M. Rodrigues, & S. Milhano (Eds.), Diálogos sobre educação de infância: Cruzar olhares entre a formação e o chão de escola. APEI & ESECS IPL.
  • Mata, L., Mackaaij, M. J., & Calado, M. (2020). Emotional Responses to Reading in the First Grade – The “L.E.R. Cãofiante” Project. Psico-USF, 25(2), 321-330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1413-82712020250210

Current PhD students

Ana Rita Ligeiro Fernandes

(Bolsa FCT-SFRH/BD/148283/2019). PhD in Psychology, Specialization in Educational Psychology, ISPA – Instituto Universitário.

Carla Fernandes

PhD in Psychology, Specialization in Educational Psychology, ISPA – Instituto Universitário.

Sónia Cabral

(Bolsa FCT, 2020.06737.BD). PhD in Educational Sciences, ISPA-Instituto Universitário/Universidade Nova de Lisboa. (Em coorientação).

External collaborations

  • Patrícia Pacheco (ISEC, Lisboa)
  • Isaura Pedro (Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, Escola Superior de Educação)
  • Isabel Lopes da Silva (Ministério da Educação)
  • Liliana Marques (DGE, Ministério da Educação)
  • Manuela Rosa (Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Escola Superior de Educação)

Alumni