History, Theories and Methods of Educational Media Research
Profile
This year the GEI has begun to establish this research area with the aim of investigating the historical development of textbooks and other school-relevant educational media. HTM also aims to systematically compile and extend the vast repertoire of theories and methods employed within the field. As a centre of international educational media research, the GEI is an ideal location for this research area. Using its competence in the field of cultural studies and its extensive networks, the GEI will contribute towards gaining new insights via interdisciplinary and international dialogue, thus lending further structure to the field. The research area seeks to formulate and define the theoretical and methodological foundations of educational media research, inspired by the field of cultural studies.
With its new research area HTM the Georg Eckert Institute is widening its research focus and adapting it to the demands of modern academia, strengthening its theoretical base, reflecting on its methodological apparatus and enriching its historical perspectives. The unique historical collection of the GEI library will be made systematically accessible for the first time and analysed for the HTM research projects. The project GEI-Digital, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), not only provides a solid source base for historical analysis, but at the same time opens up new perspectives for innovative future topics. This new research area will contribute significantly towards widening competence in empirical research on reception, impact and evaluation, in the long term becoming established as a key research area of the GEI.
In many ways, HTM ties into research already underway at the Institute. This applies to a range of historical projects (such as History Beyond Borders, History of the German-Polish Textbook Commission, EurViews) as well as to projects that are already employing methods from the social sciences (Patterns of Cultural Interpretations).
Focus
The research area HTM investigates the historical, theoretical and methodological foundations of educational media research, and the history of educational media. It aims to produce a standard reference work on the theoretical and methodological foundations of the field, and contributes significantly to establishing a basis for historical and contemporary research on school-relevant educational media.
HTM provides academics both within and external to the Institute with important research infrastructure and services, primarily in matters of theory and methodology (Edudata). The research area also offers important transfer services for those working in education and education policy. These include guidelines for mediation in textbook conflicts and evaluation methods for textbook and education projects in transformation societies.
Working Areas
