Educational Science with focus on Theory and Empirical Research on Educational Processes in Schools

Prof. Dr. Katharina Maag Merki
 

Towards good schools in a complex world

Theoretical and empirical analysis of students’ school education processes are at the center of our research interests. We place particular emphasis on students’ self-regulated learning, i.e. students’ ability to plan, monitor and change their own learning, should their learning goals not be achieved. We are interested in which conditions enable optimal education processes and what effects these have on students' learning and development. Of particular importance is the question of how the education system can be designed to provide all students with the opportunity to achieve education goals appropriate to their abilities

In order to answer these questions, we are investigating school education processes, while taking the empirical and theoretical state of research in school effectivity, school development research, educational governance research and self-regulation research into consideration. By means of varying methodological procedures, not only the actions of various actors like teachers, parents and students will be considered, but also their motivations, goals or strategies to plan, monitor and, if necessary, adjust their own actions to new challenges.

Our ongoing research projects