The Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi) in Bamberg studies educational processes from birth to old age. In order to promote longitudinal research in educational science in Germany, LIfBi provides a fundamental, supraregional and internationally significant, research-based infrastructure for empirical educational research. The core of the institute is the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), which is based at LIfBi and combines the expertise of a Germany-wide, interdisciplinary network of excellence.

7/27/2021

DFG-Focus-Funding "Education and Corona": LIfBi successful with two project proposals

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved two proposals from the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi) under the focus funding COVID-19 "Education and Corona: Impact of the Corona Virus Pandemic on Educational Processes in the Life Course". The focus funding makes it possible to work on particularly urgent scientific questions. The projects at LIfBi are based on longitudinal data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), which was collected until spring 2021.

The two new LIfBi projects will contribute to closing knowledge gaps on the manifold effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational processes over the life course. To this end, the projects will rely on the rich dataset of the National Education Panel (NEPS), but with very different foci:

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vocational learning in adulthood

Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Corinna Kleinert, a project team will examine the impact of the pandemic on learning in adulthood, particularly on adult vocational education and training (VET). The Corona pandemic has changed the offer of and demand for adult education in a short period of time as profoundly as the design of the corresponding courses has changed. Therefore the project examines how the pandemic has affected participation in different forms of VET, what barriers and opportunities to learning the crisis has brought, and how patterns of social inequality in VET have changed as a result.

Students' self-regulated learning at home during pandemic-related school closures

What factors determine whether students successfully engage in self-regulated learning at home? Dr. Ilka Wolter's project team will address this question. Given the long period of learning at home during pandemic-related school closures in Germany, it is important to know what individual prerequisites or supports and structures in the learning environment are necessary for the self-regulated learning process. The project will investigate under which conditions students in different types of schools cope well or which types of support they need, with the aim to be able to discuss appropriate pedagogical implications for teachers and parents.

Exploiting the potential of longitudinal data

The DFG's "Education and Corona" focus funding aims to analyze pandemic influences on people's educational trajectories and to consider the long-term implications for societal developments (e.g., social inequality). The approved projects therefore focus on the longitudinal section. The funding period of the two projects is one year each and can also be used as preparation for longer projects. "The fact that two LIfBi projects are being funded at once is a great success on which I congratulate both project leaders! Here, the NEPS data, which have been collected for more than a decade, can unfold its full potential by contributing to scientific knowledge and at the same time being used by educational policy, administration and practice," said Prof. Dr. Cordula Artelt, Director of LIfBi and head of NEPS.

DFG-Focus-Funding "Education and Corona": LIfBi successful with two project proposals
Unsplash / CDC

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NEPS | National Educational Panel Study

The National Educational Panel Study is the largest long-term educational study in Germany. By continuously interviewing and testing more than 70,000 people, an internationally significant treasure trove of data is being created and is growing, which can be used to research educational processes from birth to high adulthood. 

The NEPS combines the expertise of more than 200 scientists at more than 13 locations throughout Germany and is based at LIfBi in Bamberg.

 

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