Anna Urbancóva, a doctoral student in psychology from Slovakia, spent three months at the University of Jyväskylä on a research visit that significantly influenced the direction of her dissertation research. During her visit, she received expert guidance on research into children’s play, discovered new perspectives for her research, and initiated a collaboration that continues to this day.
Anna completed her research visit with support from the Slovak National Scholarship Program. Her doctoral dissertation examines the nature of traditional imaginative play among children who play digital games and those who do not.
Already during the research planning phase, Anna familiarized herself with the RALLA observation tool, which she planned to use as part of her research. At the same time, she familiarized herself with research on child development and learning being conducted at the University of Jyväskylä.
During her research visit, Anna found the research support and guidance she was looking for in Jyväskylä. Her collaboration with Tiina Lämsäproved particularly important, as she helped Anna both with using the RALLA tool and with developing her research.
“I received valuable feedback on my research plan and gained a realistic understanding of how to conduct research with children and what kinds of data can be collected. During the visit, I refined the objectives of my research and adjusted several aspects of my research design.”
In Jyväskylä, Anna worked with researchers from the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä and the Finnish Institute for Educational Research. She found the expertise related to child-participatory research, research methods, and research ethics issues to be particularly valuable.
The collaboration did not end after the research visit. Anna has also participated in international research projects, such as the INTRACOMP project, and the collaboration continues through joint publications. The work that began during the visit has led, among other things, to the preparation of a joint research article.
Describe the research visit as a meaningful experience, both professionally and personally.
“I had long dreamed of doing a research stay abroad, but I hadn’t dared to go before. Looking back, I’m very glad I seized the opportunity. The experience was extremely rewarding, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a career in research.”
At its best, international mobility can offer much more than just a new research environment. It can open doors to new research perspectives, meaningful collaborative relationships, and long-term international cooperation.
Anna earned her Ph.D. in psychology in August 2026 (Slovak Academy of Sciences, Center for Social and Psychological Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences).
RALL is delighted that the connections formed during the research visit continue to bear fruit. Anna’s example serves as a reminder of how important mentoring, support from the research community, and international collaboration can be at different stages of a researcher’s career. ❤️
🔗This text is based on Anna’s travelogue. Read the full story: https://www.saia.sk/sk/main/studium-a-vyskum/blog/vo-finsku-nasla-mentorku-aj-nove-smerovanie-vyskumu
Anna’s dissertation: Children’s Play in the Age of Digital Technology: Analog Play Among Preschool Children in the Context of Time Spent Playing Digital Games (2026)
