Contribution
Description: The present research project is a current study at the Department of Education at the University of Cologne for a doctoral thesis. The advisor is Prof. Dr. Cristina Allemann-Ghionda.
Analysis focuses on the educational landscapes in Germany and Russia at the beginning of the new century. Both states take with them a recent history of transformational experiences: the collapse of the Soviet Union and its progression towards democracy, and also German Unification with the integration of the former East Germany. At the turn of the millennium, both German (firstly the East German) and Russian education systems executed a radical paradigmatic change from an authoritative pedagogy and centrally governed education strategy to a humanistic educational concept with the abolishment of the state run educational monopoly.
In this context, the research questions are: how are the changes in the concept of education reflected in learning behaviours and outcomes? And how does the socialisation in another pedagogical paradigm influence the learning processes?
These considerations provide a basis for the purpose of this present study, which aims at analysing comparatively the implementation of the constructivist civic education of Russian, and of German adults both East and West. It focuses on the learning processes and the effects put into practice by this approach, regarding the socio-culturally and politically determined diversities in the learning cultures of both learners and pedagogues.
Methodology: The data collection is based on qualitative methods. The main instruments are participatory observation during constructivist civic educational meetings with young Russian and German adults and the manual, theme-focused and narrative interview of experts, civic educationists, and learners.
The recorded interviews will be transcribed and evaluated with the method of qualitative content analysis based on Lamnek (2005).
Conclusions: In general, we can make the hypothesis that young Russian Eastern and Western German adults perceive the constructivist learning situation differently. The expectations and personally defined learning results by this three studied groups will not be the same.
In conclusion, the research project at hand may be regarded as a critical contribution to discourse on conceptual and strategic perspectives of civic education in transforming countries. The study findings may also contribute to the development of civic society in new democracies. This study also attempts to evaluate the approach already practiced in European pedagogy, and also establish potential strategic improvements.
The present study is supported by Heinrich Böll Foundation.
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