Heterogeneity of student competencies
To obtain information on starting points for improving competency development in schools, we need to define the factors that determine teaching and learning processes at different levels. These range from the level of the school system and how it is managed, to the characteristics of individual lessons and teacher-student interactions. Families and their circumstances also play a major role in competency development in children and young people. A great deal of our work therefore looks at the differences in educational success that are linked to students’ social or immigration-related backgrounds. We aim to find out how these differences arise and how we can reduce them.
One question we investigate at the school/class level asks how the composition of the class as a whole affects competency development in individual students. We research whether and to what extent a student’s competency development depends on the socioeconomic or linguistic background of his or her classmates, and what other characteristics of the class or the school strengthen or weaken the connection. We also ask which processes underpin the relationship between the composition of the class and competency development in individuals. In doing so, we pay particular attention to the characteristics of the lesson, such as cognitive activation and classroom management. The findings of these analyses can benefit schools and classes with a diverse mix of students by indicating how teaching and learning can be improved to ensure that every student gets the best support possible.
Social disparities within the school system mean that some students are at increased risk of being unable to achieve their full potential in the classroom. Another area of our research therefore explores how some students from disadvantaged backgrounds successfully cope with the demands that school places on them. Our analyses aim to identify the factors that enable young people to overcome family-related hurdles during their school career.