Department of School and Teaching Development in Primary and Secondary Education

at the Faculty of Humanities

The members of the Department of School and Teaching Development conduct research and teach in the context of teacher professionalisation. At the same time, they focus on pupils’ learning needs as well as current developments in primary schools and across the various types of secondary school. Key areas of focus at present include managing heterogeneity, providing sustainable practical knowledge on inclusion, and the digitalisation of everyday school life.

Research

The Department of School and Teaching Development in Primary and Secondary Education conducts empirical and theoretical research into key topics in educational science, including:

the development of teaching quality,
school development processes at primary and secondary level,
the professional development of future teachers and educational staff,
Innovations in the education system,
heterogeneity, inclusion and diversity, and
Digital transformation of schools and teaching.

Projects

School absenteeism in the greater Karlsruhe area (SchuAb-KA)

A long-term study conducted in collaboration between the Karlsruhe Education Authority and the Karlsruhe University of Education

The project on school absenteeism investigates the factors that may lead individual pupils to be frequently absent from school, thereby preventing them from participating fully in school-based learning and development processes. Unfortunately, in the long term, these pupils are unable to develop the skills during their school career that contribute to a successful and fulfilling school experience.

The phenomenon of school absenteeism is currently being addressed as part of a state-level strategy (https://www.landtag-bw.de/resource/blob/579622/25b8a511936295c1aa221e78054f9529/17_8999_D.pdf) with a view to identifying ways to help reduce school absenteeism in general. Consequently, specific data is now to be compiled for the city and district of Karlsruhe. This involves collecting and analysing figures for the Karlsruhe region that are as accurate as possible, in order to estimate how many pupils are affected by the phenomenon of school absenteeism.

The analyses will subsequently be used to develop educational measures to counteract and prevent pupil absenteeism.

All types of school are to be included in the project so that reliable conclusions can be drawn. The researchers will be students at the Karlsruhe University of Education who, as part of their Bachelor’s or Master’s theses for their respective teacher training programmes, will explore specific areas within the overall research topic.

Key research aspects of the project are:

Reviews of specialist literature and summaries of content

Systematic recording of pupils classified as having school absenteeism throughout the 2026/2027 school year at selected schools

Quantitative component: Surveys of teachers and headteachers at different types of school

Qualitative components of the study: Surveys using interview techniques with teachers, headteachers, parent representatives, parents and pupils at different types of school

Presentations on school absenteeism in the individual final theses and in a summary interim report in autumn 2027

Key research areas
Research findings to date:

According to initial research, there have so far been only a few studies in Baden-Württemberg that systematically address this topic:

Research findings to date
Project Fair

The Freiburg Approach to Integration and Regular School Attendance
: Research findings on school absenteeism drawn from vocational school practice, for application in both vocational and general education settings.
Duration: March 2025 to August 2028 (3½ years)
Academic supervision: University of Stuttgart

Project Fair
School Absenteeism Project

from the University of Tübingen, published in 2022

Supplemented by a series of publications from the past 25 years or so in German-speaking countries.

School Absenteeism Project