The annual Eucor Doctoral Colloquium in Educational Sciences (EDC) aims to provide a platform for Eucor doctoral students to present their ongoing research, engage in constructive discussions, and receive valuable feedback from peers, scholars, and experts in the field. The colloquium is intended to foster intellectual exchange and to promote scientific development. EDC will contribute significantly to advancing educational research, enhance the scholarly development and research skills of doctoral students, and create opportunities for participants to network with other doctoral students and established scholars in the Eucor region.

The colloquium will take place in spring 2024 at the three participating Eucor universities (Universität Basel, Université de Haute-Alsace, INSA Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg): On each day, an expert in a subdiscipline of educational sciences will give a lecture, in order to give the doctoral students the opportunity to exchange, discuss, and develop their knowledge. This approach allows the doctoral students to have an educational experience across the border at another Eucor university, thus strengthening the Eucor region.

Topics and Keynote Speakers

SpeakerKeynoteVenue
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stephanie Fleck, Université de LorraineMaking the intangible tangible: Research-based design of hybrid human-computer interaction for empowering learning experienceMulhouse
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Carsten Wilhelm, Université de Haute-AlsaceGenerative AI : A view from the social sciences Mulhouse
Prof. Dr. Seth Schwartz, University of TexasResearch EthicsBasel

Colloquium Organization

The EDC is organized by the Universities of Basel, Haute-Alsace, and Strasbourg in collaboration with Eucor - The European Campus.

Colloquium Committee

  • Prof. Dr. Jacques Audran (INSA Strasbourg)
  • Prof. Dr. Dominique Kern (UHA)
  • Prof. Dr. Elena Makarova (unibas)

Dates

  • 31 May 2024 in Mulhouse
  • 21 June 2024 in Basel

Contact and Registration

Tomas Kaqinari
Scientific Coordinator
Tel: +41 61 207 53 12
E-Mail

Presenting Doctoral Students

Abstract
Developing collaborative work stands as a significant concern both regarding the improvement of higher education in Europe and adult learning, in which group work is ubiquitous. Echoing that issue, computer-supported collaborative learning studies (CSCL) have underscored important dimensions of collaborative learning process at play in academic contexts (school and university). In this PhD research, collaborative interactions between university students are studied from a process-oriented perspective, aiming to precisely understand which socio-cognitive processes reflect key dimensions of collaborative learning. The literature review conducted so far explores the processes studied by current research and the measurement tools and frameworks used to assess them, following the tasks assigned to students. Although a substantial body of literature demonstrates that many conditions, processes and their consequences have been investigated for different academic tasks, most of this research have been conducted in experimental design and within CSCL settings, with tasks which diverge significantly from university group works. Furthermore, this review reveals that collaborative processes receive relatively less attention compared to their antecedents and effects. Thus, we hold that socio-cognitive processes need to be studied more: theoretically, perhaps through a systematic review; experimentally, preferably employing quasi-experimental or descriptive designs. Such directions for research on collaborative processes seem essential for a better implementation and assessment of collaborative learning in higher education courses.
Keywords: Collaborative learning, socio-cognitive processes, higher education, literature review

Developing schools together? An analysis of leadership processes in the Canton of Aargau

School leadership plays a key role in navigating increasing autonomy, and accountability at the school level, as well as the complexities of ever-evolving social and political circumstances (Hangartner & Svaton, 2013), resulting in a continuous process of adaptation to meet changing demands from within and outside the school. International findings indicate that the distribution of responsibilities and shared understandings between principals and school staff are important factors in schools' ability to foster and drive innovation (Harris, 2009). Yet, there is a lack of research from German-speaking contexts that explores leadership as an interaction in practice and «looks at other people in addition to school leaders [..] to understand school leadership in its entirety» (Strauss & Anderegg, 2020, p. 9). In this research project, a distributed leadership lens is employed in which leadership is understood as a process of interactions and mutual influences, formal or informal, that shape the organization and development of schools (Diamond & Spillane, 2016). Based on data from shadowing-type observations, interviews, and document analysis, the following questions will be addressed:

  • What patterns and structures of decision-making can be identified?
  • How are innovation processes initiated and coordinated?
  • What challenges and supporting factors characterize the collective shaping of schools?

Abstract
This study examines the teaching of French as a Foreign Language (FFL) through the use of social media, with a particular focus on short videos shared on TikTok. The primary aim is to analyze how this non-educational tool influences FFL learning in a random manner, deviating from established standards set by the national education systems or global language competency frameworks like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Additionally, this research investigates the effects of such learning on international students at the University of Haute-Alsace-Mulhouse and the University of Strasbourg, as well as on refugees and asylum seekers in FFL training programs. The study explores the impact of abundant and random information in the FFL domain and the consequences of a lack of hierarchy in language levels and the presence of multiple simultaneous teachers for learners. Initially, a global overview of the current state of FFL teaching will be provided. This will be followed by a theoretical reflection drawing on fields such as foreign language education, language learning psychology, sociolinguistics, and educational technology. This reflection will interrelate interdisciplinary concepts such as interactivity from language learning psychology and sociolinguistics, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from the field of language didactics. Various pedagogical approaches will also be considered. By integrating these interdisciplinary concepts, this thesis aims to offer a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of FFL teaching and learning via social media, considering the cognitive, social, and technological dimensions involved in the process.

School Adjustment of Primary Students with an Immigrant Background in Switzerland – A Quantitative Study of Family and School-related Acculturation Conditions


My dissertation aims to contribute scientifically to the ongoing discourse surrounding schools, migration-related diversity, and educational inequalities. The dissertation draws upon research insights derived from the field of acculturation research. In accordance with the acculturation model proposed by Haenni Hoti and Bano (2021), which is rooted in the IRR model by Suárez-Orozco, Motti-Stefanidi, Marks, and Katsiaficas (2018), various factors within family, school, and peer group environments, alongside demographic variables, shape acculturation orientations and outcomes, including the school adjustment of children from immigrant backgrounds. However, this model lacks empirical validation. Thus, this cumulative dissertation project aims to explore how family and school-related acculturation factors influence the academic adaptation of migrant children in primary schools in Switzerland. The primary research question is:
To what extent do structural and processual family and school-related acculturation conditions influence the school adjustment of primary students with an immigrant background in Switzerland?
In my dissertation, school satisfaction, academic self-concept, and sense of belonging to school are considered to be important determinants of school adjustment. The dissertation is being conducted as part of the SNSF-funded ICHIS project at the University of Teacher Education Lucerne, Switzerland. This research adopts a cross-sectional approach. The quantitative data is analyzed utilizing multilevel and multiple regression analyses.


Literature:
Haenni Hoti A., & Bano S. (work in progress). Acculturation model.
Suárez-Orozco, C., Motti-Stefanidi, F., Marks, A., & Katsiaficas, D. (2018). An integrative risk and resilience model for understanding the adaptation of immigrant-origin children and youth. American Psychologist, 73(6), 781–796. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000265