Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Berlin Institute for Empirical Integration and Migration Research (BIM)

We determine how teaching and learning in the immigration society can succeed and look for approaches to improve educational integration.
 

Opportunities and challenges of migration-related diversity in the German education system

About one third of learners in the German education system come from families with a migration history. Many of these children and adolescents are well integrated in the education system. They acquire the skills that are required for qualified degrees, are motivated learners, feel comfortable in school and are well-liked by their peers. However, children and adolescents from immigrant families are on average still less successful in the German education system than their peers from majority families. This applies particularly to first generation immigrants. Under what conditions do immigrants and their descendants succeed in their educational integration? What factors hinder this process? And how can we effectively support this process?

Conditions for successful educational integration

The department “Education and Integration” investigates individual, family-related and institutional conditions that influence the success but also the emotional and social adjustment of children and adolescents with a migration history within the German education system. We also determine factors that support their emotional and social adaptation. For instance, at the individual and family level, we study the role of language competencies in the first and second language, of students’ social origin, and cultural identity. In addition, we examine how teachers, peers, and structural characteristics of the education system affect the educational development of children and adolescents with and without a migration history. Here, we explore teacher stereotypes and teacher expectations as well as discrimination processes and social relations in the classroom. Another key question are individual and institutional conditions of the educational integration of refugee children and adolescents. We also investigate approaches to promote educational integration, especially language support programs.

We take on a perspective that considers society as a whole. Therefore, our focus is not exclusively on learners from immigrant families. The overarching goal of our research is to contribute to an objective discussion on integration in the education system through well-founded research and to improve teaching and learning processes in ethnically and linguistically diverse contexts.
     

Multidisciplinary and multimethod approach

 
We combine psychological, sociological and educational perspectives. We exploit large-scale data and apply, when possible, longitudinal designs. We also conduct video and intervention studies to analyze educational processes more profoundly and to determine effects of interventions. To summarize the current state of research and to specify the conditions under which certain effects occur, we use meta-analytical approaches. Our quantitative-empirical focus is complemented by qualitative approaches.
 

Recent publications

• Boda, Z., Lorenz, G., Jansen, M., Stanat, P. & Edele, A. (2023). Ethnic diversity fosters the social integration of refugee students. Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01577-x
• Edele, A., Seuring, J., Schotte, K., Kristen, C., Stanat, P. (2023). Is the First Language a Resource, an Obstacle, or Irrelevant for Language Minority Students' Education?. In: Weinert, S., Blossfeld, G.J., Blossfeld, HP. (eds) Education, Competence Development and Career Trajectories. Methodology of Educational Measurement and Assessment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27007-9_16
• Schotte, K., Rjosk, C., Edele, A., Hachfeld, A. & Stanat, P. (2022). Do teachers’ cultural beliefs really matter for students’ school adaptation? A multilevel analysis of students’ academic achievement and psychological school adjustment. Social Psychology of Education, 25, 75–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-021-09669-0
• Winkler, O., Jansen, M. & Edele, A. (2022). Warum gibt es in Ostdeutschland weniger einwanderungsbezogene Bildungsungleichheit? Bedingungen der Bildungsbeteiligung und Lesekompetenz von Heranwachsenden mit Einwanderungsgeschichte in Ost- und Westdeutschland [Why is there less immigration-related educational inequality in East Germany? Conditions of educational participation and reading literacy of immigrant adolescents in East and West Germany]. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 51(2), 131-153. https://doi.org/10.1515/zfsoz-2022-0012
• Edele, A., & Stanat, P. (im Druck). Zuwanderung und soziale Ungleichheit [Immigration and social inequality]. In H. Reinders, D. Bergs-Winkels, A. Prochnow & I. Post. (Hrsg.), Lehrbuch Empirische Bildungsforschung: Eine elementare Einführung. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.

Current research projects
 
 

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