Research-Informed Educational Practice in Germany: State of the Art

• In Event: Enablers and Barriers to Research-Informed Education: Exploring International Perspectives

Abstract

"Objectives: This contribution addresses the situation of research-informed educational practice (RIEP) in Germany at a glance. Special attention is paid to enablers and barriers of RIEP. Educational policy prerequisites are presented as well as the research-related infrastructure. Finally, the conditions of the actors, especially teachers and school administrators, are highlighted and the paper asks why RIEP has been observed rather hesitantly so far.

Perspectives: Efforts in RIEP are so far rather unstructured. This is due to the full responsibility of each of the 16 federal states for education, but also to a culture of high autonomy of individual schools, of school leaders and teachers (Groß Ophoff & Cramer, accepted). Educational governance partially refers to evidence, but institutions and actors are widely autonomous in their way of implementing RIEP in schools. Although teachers are most often civil servants and bound by instructions, they are professionals and are largely free in their pedagogical work. There are several reasons why they trust or distrust scientific evidence (Rosman et al., accepted). Accountability is ensured by standard-based monitoring.

Data sources: An overview of the German situation of RIEP in the school system as well as in teacher education is provided. Although research on RIEP has become more important, there is currently no nation-wide and consistent system that contributes systematically to RIEP. Teachers’ beliefs and attitudes towards RIEP are relevant to when considering how they use evidence to improve teaching and learning processes. Positive affective-motivational dispositions and research literacy are deemed important to support teacher’s RIEP. On school level, school culture and leadership clearly have impact.

Conclusions: Regarding the German situation of RIEP a more intense dialogue between different actors and professional groups in education is needed and initial and further education systems/processes should strive even more to impart a meta-reflective stance (Alexander, 2017) or enquiry habit of mind (Brown & Malin, 2017) to make (future) teachers aware of the power of research. It appears crucial that teachers are able (and willing) to contrast and relate their decisions and action to professional knowledge, reflective skills and to be open for a professional life-long continuing professional development."

Author

• Colin Cramer, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen