Research at the University School
The University School is set up as an educational experiment with the aim of developing modern teaching and learning methods. Scientific monitoring will help to demonstrate and ensure that the methods will be efficient and goal-orientated. Research at the University School is based on three pillars: school and classroom research, competence and development research as well as professionalisation and attitude research.
Which questions does the research aim to answer?
Key research questions in the context of school and classroom research:
- How can the content structure of subject didactics, and subject didactic questions in particular, be improved?
- How does large-scale digitalisation of school processes influence both the design of teaching-learning processes and of school management?
- In which way and to what effect can digitalisation be actively used for inclusive teaching?
Key research questions in competence and development research:
- How are competences developed in differentiated and individualised teaching-learning arrangements?
- What are the characteristics of successful co-operation processes between male and female pupils?
- Which forms of performance assessment are proving to be effective in differentiated and individualised teaching-learning arrangements?
- How can the transition between the different educational institutions be successful?
Key research questions in attitude and professionalisation research:
- How do pedagogues‘ self-efficacy and role expectations change in the design process of a teaching setting that is aligned with the concept of the University School?
- Which conditions are essential to succeed in an active adoption of changes within everyday school life?
- What are the interactions between individual pupils’ conditions, the design of the learning environment, and the adaptive reaction of the learner?
- Which challenges arise from the new requirements that teachers are facing?
What data is collected?
We are differentiating between three main areas of data collection: digital data, observation data, and survey data.
Digital Data: A specially developed software will be the basis for the organisation and management of learning. It will show each step of the learning progress, exercises completed, etc. Additionally, learning diaries or ePortfolios are electronic data that provide information about the children’s learning progress. Other data will be saved in log files, e.g. time spent on particular websites or time spent working on a task.
Observation data: Observation is carried out either directly on-site (so-called participating or direct observation) or via video recording. Its aim is to observe the children both in their natural environment and interacting naturally. The main topics addressed by observation are interaction patterns and finding solution patterns within groups.
Survey data: Surveys can be carried out in different ways. We are e.g. planning to do interviews and questionnaires, but also group discussions. Classic questionnaires are for instance competence tests, giving the opportunity to compare the learning development of pupils at the University School to that of children at regular schools.
How is data collected?
Digital data will be collected using dedicated applications for ePortfolios or in log files. Surveys will be mainly recorded using an audio device, but data will also be collected through questionnaires. For observations, we are using videography or manual recording. The researchers are members of Technische Universität Dresden, which according to a co-operation agreement will conduct research at the University School and which gave the decisive impetus for the establishment of the University School.
Who has access to the data? How is data protection guaranteed?
Given the diverse research projects at the University School, it is necessary to obtain comprehensive consent from both teachers and parents.
Two comprehensive data protection concepts have been and are being developed. The School Data Protection Concept (Datenschutzkonzept Schule) guarantees protection of the children’s data especially for digital data that will come up, and has already been developed. The Research Data Protection Concept (Datenschutzkonzept Forschung) handles issues of data storage, data transfer and especially anonymisation, and is currently under development. The University School is receiving advice from the Dresden Institute for Data Protection (Dresdner Institut für Datenschutz) and will provide a data protection officer.
Existing research projects in the context of the University School
"Shaping an inclusive school" (SING) – alliance project with Fraunhofer Institute Leipzig and Universität Wuppertal supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)