Research
Methods und Materials for evaluation in basic skills courses
Basic skills professionals need to know methods to continuously evaluate their own work. Therefore we collected methods and materials in a desktop research and enriched this collection with own suggestions for new materials, focussing on learners without writing skills and with little German language competences. A collection of 34 methods and materials as well as a criteria catalogue are provided here: Report on materials
Selected materials and methods (especially for feedback by learners) were pilot-tested in 2017 in the following institutions: Danaida, Frauenservice Graz, VHS Linz, Frauen aus allen Ländern, SOMM, Sprache und Kultur, Weichenstellwerk, Caritas Akademie Graz.
Report on pilot-tests
Information: natalie.ziermann(at)frauenservice.at
Migrant learners and how they use ICT
It is vital to know how migrant learners are used to work with ICT (smartphones, tablets or laptops) in order to design basic skills-courses in an appropriate way.
Therefore an interview study with migrant learners in basic skills courses was run in six MIKA partner institutions in 2016. The objective was a stocktaking showing the current situation of ICT usage among migrant learners in Austria. Results show that smartphones are used most often. Most of the interviewees had a smartphone and were able to use it, while only a small percentage was using the smartphone for learning in a course context. Most interviewees were also very interested in learning more about special apps and tools, especially when some support and guidance was provided. For more details please read our Report on ICT usage by migrant learners (Women’s Service Graz)
The results of the study were used for designing professional development workshops.
Information: natalie.ziermann(at)frauenservice.at
Background information on basic education for migrants
by Project Integrationshaus together with Alfa Centre for Migrants
The range of courses offered for migrants is sometimes more strongly influenced by the classification of the target group according to residence status, labour market access and other formal criteria than by the different needs of learners. What was missing for a long time is the following information:
- Why do these people need basic education?
- In what areas do they need basic education?
- What needs do they have in terms of courses, content and learning objectives?
- What motivates them to attend a course?
- What motivates them to learn?
This research module systematically collected and processed information on individuals with a migration background who have basic educational needs. A qualitative research was carried out throughout Austria in order to support educational providers, funding agencies and teaching staff with concrete background knowledge for their work and to promote target group orientation in basic skills provision for migrants.
Contact:
Literacy trainers of migrants: Monitoring of labour situation and job satisfaction
The objective of this research module was to obtain more precise information on the professional situation of literacy and basic education trainers for migrants. To this end, an online questionnaire was sent to about 60 course instructors in two waves:
The first wave (2012) focused on work conditions, different aspects of job satisfaction, values and expectations, burdens, the understanding of quality and the continuing education needs of the course instructors. The second survey wave (2013) aimed at specific resources and examined the instructors' interest in supportive programmes. Selected variables were checked during the survey and work relations were examined more closely. The empirical results show: there is a high level of satisfaction with relationship variables in this field and at the same time a tendency to be dissatisfied with career prospects, job security and monetary recognition. We are dealing with a traditionally female field of activity, in which women work with a high level of commitment and idealism while accepting precarious situations. In future, the individual development of professionalism (in training and continuing education as well as through reflexive confrontation) must be supported by sufficient professional structures.
Download Interim Report (October 2012) - Download Final Report (April 2014)
Basic education and pedagogical reflexivity in the migration society
maiz – Autonomous Centre for and by Migrant Women
Educational work in the migration society is characterised by contradictions, for example those resulting from the principles of equality vs. difference or the desire for change vs. integration. These contradictions demand a higher level of pedagogical reflexivity, which is a prerequisite for professional work in this field. There is a range of scientifically founded concepts that better reach practical educational work and are more effective when they are “translated” into a practice-related language.
As part of this research module, the participants researched professional theories and models, supplemented them with their own questionnaires and processed the data for practical work in the classroom. An approach promoting pedagogical reflexivity was developed and tested in the course of several reflexivity workshops. New materials (short videos, pictures, texts etc.) were developed during the project and are available under “Material and New Developments” (-> German version)