Multidimensional Heterogeneity in the Classroom: Measurement, Effects, Mechanisms (MuHiK)
Project description In April 2023, the interdisciplinary junior research group “Multidimensional Heterogeneity in the Classroom: Measurement, Effects, Mechanisms (MuHiK)” moved to the University of Potsdam. In this five-year project, we investigate how student heterogeneity can be measured based on more than one student characteristic and by considering the entanglement of multiple heterogeneity dimensions. Another aim is to examine relationships between multidimensional classroom heterogeneity and student achievement as well as psychosocial outcomes. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
Background How diversity or heterogeneity of the student body affects individual learning is of major interest for educational practice, politics and research. However, existing studies on heterogeneity effects within classrooms show inconsistent findings and most commonly rely on only one dimension of heterogeneity (e.g., achievement or ethnic background). This procedure disregards that heterogeneity in the classroom is (more) complex and multidimensional. Each person is characterized by a combination of characteristics (e.g., gender, multilingualism). Therefore, heterogeneity has to be viewed as multidimensional—even at the classroom level. In the project, we consider this multidimensionality to predict classroom-level processes. For instance, a classroom that is heterogeneous in terms of achievement, gender, and multilingualism might require different instructional behaviors by teachers or lead to different peer formation processes compared to a classroom that is heterogeneous only in terms of achievement and gender.
Project content and goals The work of the junior research group started with reviewing current research on effects of various diversity dimensions on student achievement and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., friendship, social behavior, or social well-being). Currently, the project strives to advance methodology to measure multidimensional heterogeneity as a construct at the classroom level. This includes transferring economic approaches on team diversity to the analysis of the classroom context. Based on analyses of existing datasets, the project investigates how multidimensional heterogeneity contributes to predicting student achievement and psychosocial outcomes. Furthermore, we analyze how process characteristics at the teacher level (e.g., instructional behavior, stress) as well as at the peer level (e.g., mutual support, classroom climate) can explain heterogeneity or influence effects on student outcomes. The overall goal is to describe how learning can succeed within a multidimensionally heterogeneous student body and to identify promising areas for future interventions by involving stakeholders in educational practice.
Cooperation with stakeholders in educational practice The project includes an ongoing cooperation with stakeholders in educational practice, especially from the fields of teacher training and teacher development as well as school organization. We will discuss the steps of the project and potential limitations, main project findings as well as their dissemination and utilization in educational practice on a regular basis. Towards the end of the project, a conference that involves educational stakeholders will be held to discuss the project findings and summarize them in a project synthesis related to educational practice. Our cooperation partners related to educational practice are: Dr. Martina Diedrich (IfBQ, Hamburg) |
Project news and events
2024
- Conference contribution: Neuendorf, C. (2024, Oktober). Systematic Review:Effects of Classroom Heterogeneity on Students‘ Psycho-Social Outcomes. Poster presented at Autumn LEAD Retreat 2024, Schwäbisch Gmünd.
- Research visit: Svenja Hascher visits Prof. Patricia Jennings at the University of Virginia for six weeks from mid October on.
- Conference contribution: Neuendorf, C., Hascher, S. & Rjosk, C. (2024, September). Scoping Review: The significance of heterogeneity in the classroom for the socio-emotional experience of students. Poster presented at the 53rd Congress of the German Psychological Society (DGPs), Vienna, Austria.
- Conference contribution:Hou, C., Lorenz, G, & Rjosk, C.(2024, September). Is Socioeconomic Diversity in Classrooms Associated with Reduced Socioeconomic Inequality? The Role of Inter-SES Help-seeking in Classroom Networks. Paper presented at the ECSR 2024, Barcelona, Spain.
- Conference contribution: Hascher, S., Neuendorf, C. & Rjosk, C. (2024, September). How do teachers teach heterogeneous classrooms? Multivariate analyses using large scale assessment primary school data. Paper presented at the Future Education Conference, Graz, Austria.
- Conference contribution: Hou, C., Lorenz, G, & Rjosk, C. (2024 August). Is Socioeconomic Diversity in Classrooms Associated with Reduced Socioeconomic Inequality? The Role of Inter-SES Help-seeking in Classroom Networks. Paper presented 16th European Sociology Association (ESA) Conference 2024, Porto, Portugal.
- Conference contribution: Lorenz, G, & Rjosk, C.(2024, August). Fragmentation or Integration? Ethnic Diversity and the Structural Cohesion of Social Networks in Schools. Paper presented at the 16th European Sociology Association (ESA) Conference 2024, Porto, Portugal.
- Colloquium contribution: Neuendorf, C. (2024, June). Effects of Classroom Heterogeneity on Students' Psycho-Social Outcomes - A Systematic Review. Presentation at the research colloquium at the Department of Educational Science at the University of Potsdam.
- Colloquium contribution: Rjosk, C. (2024, June). Heterogeneity in the classroom: A theoretical model of its effects. Presentation at the research colloquium at the Department of Educational Science at the University of Potsdam.
- Research stay of Lee Lebouf, University of Virginia, USA, at the University of Potsdam. Lee Lebouf was a guest of the MuHiK team and developed research ideas related to heterogeneity at the interface of MuHiK and the Chair of School Pedagogy (Prof. Rebecca Lazarides).
- Conference contribution: Hou, C., Lorenz, G. & Rjosk, C. (2024, May). Is Socioeconomic Diversity in Classrooms Associated with Reduced Socioeconomic Inequality? The Role of Inter-SES Help-seeking in Classroom Networks. Paper presented at the Spring Meeting of the Research Committee 28 on Social Stratification and Mobility (RC28), Shanghai, China.
- Conference contribution: Kroneberg, C. & Lorenz, G. (2024, May). Structural sources of segregation: How classroom composition shapes interethnic friendships. Paper presented at the annual Conference of the International Network of Analytical Sociology (INAS), Leipzig, Germany.
- Podcast: Lorenz, G. (2024, March). Diverse Schulklassen fördern die Integration geflüchteter Schulkinder (Diverse School Class Promote the Integration of refugee students). Listen.UP-The podcast on knowledge and technology transfer at the University of Potsdam. https://listenup.podigee.io/58-new-episode
- Conference contribution: Hascher, S., Neuendorf, C. & Rjosk, C. (2024, March). Learning conditions under the magnifying glass: Opportunities and challenges in teaching heterogeneous classes. Paper presented at the 11th Conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), Potsdam, Germany.
- Conference contribution: Lorenz, G., Sachse, K., Rjosk, C. Schumann, K. & Lüdtke, O. (2024, March). Conceptualizing and measuring multidimensional heterogeneity in schools. Presentation at the 11th Conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), Potsdam, Germany.
- Conference contribution: Rjosk, C. & Lorenz, G. (2024, March). Teaching and learning in heterogeneous school classes. Symposium at the 11th Conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), Potsdam, Germany.
- Colloquium contribution: Hascher, S., Neuendorf, C. & Rjosk, C. (2024, January). Opportunity and challenge for teachers and teaching: Learning conditions in heterogeneous primary school classes. Presentation at the research colloquium at the Department of Educational Science at the University of Potsdam.
- Colloquium contribution: Hou, C., Lorenz, G. & Rjosk, C. (2024, May). Is Socioeconomic Diversity in Classrooms Associated with Reduced Socioeconomic Inequality? The Role of Inter-SES Help-seeking in Classroom Networks. Presentation at the research colloquium at the Department of Educational Science at the University of Potsdam.
- Interview with Camilla Rjosk: Matthias Zimmermann (2024). Really heterogeneous instead of (only) inclusive - Camilla Rjosk wants to put school development on many feet. In PortalWissen. The research magazine of the University of Potsdam. (Issue 1/2024)
2023
- Project publication: Lorenz, G., Lenz, S. & Rjosk, C. (2023). Efficiency and social inequality in strictly achievement-differentiating education systems. A critical review of the Model of Ability Tracking (MoAbiT). Journal of Sociology, 52(4), 404-424. https://doi.org/10.1515/zfsoz-2023-2028
- Sounding Board Meeting (2023, December): At the second meeting with our cooperation partners related to educational practice, we mainly discussed current developments in the project, the first version of a theoretical framework of classroom heterogeneity effects developed in the project, and new results of subprojects.
- Invited talk: Rjosk, C. (2023, October). Heterogenität im Klassenzimmer: Chancen und Herausforderungen (Heterogeneity in the classroom: opportunities and challenges). Keynote lecture at the conference Uni meets School: Education | Network | Transfer, University of Potsdam.
- Conference contribution: Hou, C., Lorenz, G. & Rjosk, C. (2023, August). Multidimensional diversity within classrooms and educational inequality: Socioeconomic segregation in students’ helping networks. Presentation at the 4th Cultural Diversity, Migration, and Education Conference (CDME), Halle (Saale), Germany.
- Invited talk: Lorenz, G. (2023, June). Separation or integration? Ethnic diversity, consolidation, and social network cohesion. Workshop Causes and Consequences of Segregation. Evidence from Research on Intergroup Relations and Social Networks, MZES, Mannheim, Germany.
- Conference contribution: Hascher, S., Rjosk C. & Lorenz, G. (2023, March). Learning in heterogeneous classrooms. What role do teachers and teaching play? Presentation at the 10th Conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), Essen, Germany.
- Conference contribution: Hou, C., Rjosk, C. & Lorenz, G. (2023, March). Effects of (multidimensional) classroom diversity on students’ achievement: the possible role of student cohesion. Presentation at the 10th Conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), Essen, Germany.
- Conference contribution: Rjosk, C., Lorenz, G., Hascher, S., Hou, C. & Lüdtke, O. (2023, March). Meta-analytic review: Effects of performance heterogeneity in school classes and schools on student performance. Presentation at the 10th Conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), Essen, Germany.
- Colloquium contribution: Hascher, S. & Rjosk, C. (2023, January). Learning in heterogeneous classrooms. What role do teachers and lessons play? Presentation at the research colloquium of Institute for Quality Development in Education (IQB), Berlin, Germany.
2022
- Sounding Board Meeting (2022, November): At the first meeting with our cooperation partners related to educational practice, we mainly discussed the setup of the whole project and first results of subprojects.
- Conference contribution: Lorenz, G., & Rjosk, C. (2022, July). The benefits of diversity within diversity: Variety and separation effects on structural cohesion. Presentation at the European Consortium for Sociological Research annual conference (ECSR), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Conference contribution: Rjosk, C. & Lorenz, G., (2022, March). Relationships between multidimensional heterogeneity in school classes and social cohesion among adolescents. Presentation at the 9th Conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), Bamberg (digital event), Germany.
2021
- Colloquium contribution: Rjosk, C. & Lorenz, G. (2021, November). Multidimensional heterogeneity in the classroom: Measurement, effects, mechanisms (MuHiK). Project presentation at the research colloquium of the Institute for Quality Development in Education (IQB), Berlin, Germany.