The two new LIfBi projects will contribute to closing knowledge gaps on the manifold effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational processes over the life course. To this end, the projects will rely on the rich dataset of the National Education Panel (NEPS), but with very different foci:

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vocational learning in adulthood

Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Corinna Kleinert, a project team will examine the impact of the pandemic on learning in adulthood, particularly on adult vocational education and training (VET). The Corona pandemic has changed the offer of and demand for adult education in a short period of time as profoundly as the design of the corresponding courses has changed. Therefore the project examines how the pandemic has affected participation in different forms of VET, what barriers and opportunities to learning the crisis has brought, and how patterns of social inequality in VET have changed as a result.

Students' self-regulated learning at home during pandemic-related school closures

What factors determine whether students successfully engage in self-regulated learning at home? Dr. Ilka Wolter's project team will address this question. Given the long period of learning at home during pandemic-related school closures in Germany, it is important to know what individual prerequisites or supports and structures in the learning environment are necessary for the self-regulated learning process. The project will investigate under which conditions students in different types of schools cope well or which types of support they need, with the aim to be able to discuss appropriate pedagogical implications for teachers and parents.

Exploiting the potential of longitudinal data

The DFG's "Education and Corona" focus funding aims to analyze pandemic influences on people's educational trajectories and to consider the long-term implications for societal developments (e.g., social inequality). The approved projects therefore focus on the longitudinal section. The funding period of the two projects is one year each and can also be used as preparation for longer projects. "The fact that two LIfBi projects are being funded at once is a great success on which I congratulate both project leaders! Here, the NEPS data, which have been collected for more than a decade, can unfold its full potential by contributing to scientific knowledge and at the same time being used by educational policy, administration and practice," said Prof. Dr. Cordula Artelt, Director of LIfBi and head of NEPS.