Practice, Professionalism and Policy in Educational Research (PUF)

Research on practice, professionalism and policy in education is a dynamic research field involving proficiency in many academic disciplines and is included in a number of multidisciplinary contexts. Research into teacher education for pre-school and primary/lower secondary levels and the interaction between the field of practice and society in general form a key field for this programme.

The research activity as part of this programme particularly focuses on reinforcing research into and development of applied professional and education research. Research into teacher education for pre-school and primary/lower secondary levels and the interaction between the field of practice and society in general thus form a key field for this programme, but the programme also paves the way for research into other, closely related educational and professional fields.

This professional and applied research in education focuses on the pedagogue as an active practitioner and a manager of teaching and upbringing, and on the development of professional education as part of a wider ecological context.

The programme has an interdisciplinary approach across the entire field of teacher education, and will encounter academic, pedagogic and didactical challenges within specialist fields from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Topics such as the relationship between theory and practice, between fields of practice and campus, between subjects, subject-specific didactics and general didactics, and the relationship between participants in communities of practice are central. The transition between pre-school and school, student dropout in upper secondary education and organisation and management are other relevant topics.

To carry out research in these fields, the programme paves the way for a variety of scientific approaches, methods and analytical strategies. This research may be related to i) systematic analyses and development of professional practice, ii) case studies of teacher education programmes, iii) surveys of didactic practice, iv) research into multidisciplinary and multi-methodological approaches to education, and v) research into training courses from a social perspective.

The programme transcends the boundaries of the faculty's institutes and deals with research and development work within the following three main areas:

Relevant research and development areas may be linked to fields such as
i) visions, coherence and education,
ii) relevant field theory, didactics, history and basic scientific questions
iii) didactic practice, the teacher role, assessment,
iv) learning, and
v) various media.

Examples of relevant areas here will include context, coherence, structure and arrangement of programmes and studies, cooperation with the field of practice and development of PhD programmes.

Relevant research areas will be linked to social and economic factors, to ethics and criticism and to the position of teacher education in society.