In June 2012 the funding initiative’s first method workshop took place in Berlin. About 50 KoKoHs researchers participated.
In order to support the projects, KoKoHs offers method workshops throughout the duration of the project in which research-methodical questions will be discussed. Thus an opportunity for further education and training in empirical research on competence assessment is given. Networking between the projects and support for planned dissertations is provided.
On the first day of the workshop, Prof Dr Nicola Döring (Technical University Illmenau) introduced the participants to the logics of socio-scientific research. Afterwards Eva Terzer (Humboldt-University Berlin) presented important factors and possible problems on the way from competence model to test and item construction at the example of her own dissertation project in the field of biology didactics. This already established the connection with the next method workshop in November in which the test and item construction as well as scaling will be discussed.
On the second day Dr Jana Seidel (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz) helped put the learned into practice by focusing on the individual dissertation plans of the young researchers. This phase and the joint dinner offered the participants an opportunity to get to know each other and the projects and to start networking. This effect was even boosted by the poster presentation that led to further discussions.
Marion Brüggemann (Institute for Information Management (ifib)), workshop participant:
“For the workshop held in the Humboldt University Berlin library, an architectural gem, the responsible coordination office invited a true expert in the field of empirical social research, Prof Dr Nicola Döring. Prof Döring succeeded in entertaining her audience despite the demanding and sometimes a little uninspiring matter. Even the happier was the realization for some participants that statistics can be fun. On Saturday, the focus was mainly laid on the dissertation projects of the young researchers. The brushed up and the newly gained knowledge were implemented in the individual research.”
(Corresponding to the German quotation, abridged, for full version click here)