Research

We are interested in the interplay between assessment and support in the school context and in the competencies teachers need for this purpose.

In our research, we examine, how teachers can objectively, reliably, and validly assess students’ learning prerequisites and progress while also ensuring that the methods are practical. By doing so, we aim to adapt instruction to meet the needs of individual learners. We are particularly interested in the competencies required for assessment-based differentiated instruction, how these competencies develop, and how they can be effectively fostered. Additionally, we investigate how teachers can be supported in their assessment processes and differentiated instruction. We also evaluate the effects when teachers use more or less systematic monitoring of students’ learning progress.

To address these questions, we primarily conduct longitudinal (intervention) studies. We employ a variety of assessment methods, such as tests, questionnaires, observations, interviews, and log files. We focus on cognitive and motivational variables at the student, classroom, and teacher levels, utilizing advanced statistical methods to analyze these complex data.

Current projects focus specifically on the professional development of teachers during the first phase of teacher education, on differences in learning trajectories, on the adaptivity of instruction, and on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s learning development.