Research in the department and current projects
Research profile
We understand continuing education research as
- Searching for new questions and answers
- Critical assessment of current social and continuing education trends
- Systematic analysis and further development of continuing education
- Essential contribution to social development
Our research focuses and methodological orientations are largely shaped by the specializations of our individual employees. This enables us to cover a broad field of continuing education research.
You can do something!": Alternative route to an apprenticeship qualification for adults is being researched
Qualifying semi-skilled workers to become skilled workers is a highly relevant socio-political issue. A sound scientific basis can lend weight to this concern. The Upper Austrian Chamber of Labour has therefore commissioned Philipp Assinger from the Adult and Continuing Education Department to carry out an evaluation of the Du kannst was! Du kannst was! is a procedure for the validation of non-formally and informally developed skills, with which semi-skilled workers are led to a final apprenticeship examination. The aim of the research is to assess the quality of Du kannst was! and to support the quality development of the validation process.
The focus is on three questions:
- What factors and conditions have a positive or negative effect on the implementation of Du kannst was!
- What roles are played by job providers, advisors, assessors and stakeholders and how does validation affect participants?
- How does the quality of the validation process show in these contexts and how can it be further developed?
The project started in July 2023. Philipp Assinger is supported in carrying out the research by project team member Julia Riedel. Julia Riedel is a student in the Master's degree program in Adult and Continuing Education and is working on questions of equality in career and educational guidance in her Master's thesis.
Project title: DKW-Eval: Evaluation of Du kannst was! Upper Austria. Assessments regarding quality and quality development.
Project team: Philipp Assinger, Julia Riedel