Project Description

TiDE aims to gain insights into distance learning at non-state universities by conducting an organisational comparison with Germany's only state distance learning university. The central research question we addressed is the extent to which differences can be identified in the student experiences between state and non-state distance learning universities.

TiDE focuses on the orientation phase of entering university, which is considered critical for the overall course of studies and academic success (Coertjens et al., 2017; Egger & Hummel, 2020). Successful studying becomes possible when students develop the necessary study skills while navigating the challenges posed by this initial phase (Trautwein & Bosse, 2017). Additionally, TiDE operates under the assumption that digitalisation will significantly impact the academic education and professional training market in the future. However, research has yet to clarify how students navigate the space of experience of asynchronous and media-mediated distance learning, particularly at non-state universities (Schaper, 2022). Therefore, TiDE centres its research on distance learning students themselves, who are predominantly non-traditional due to their age and life circumstances, and investigates how they acclimatise to the orientation phase of their studies, including the critical challenges they face due to the specific conditions of their distance learning programmes.

With the involvement of Germany's two largest distance learning universities, TiDE offers access to a broad field of inquiry and aims to contribute to (inter-)national discourse on non-traditional students. Specifically, it seeks to expand the perspective on entry into distance learning in Germany, which is predominantly offered at non-state universities.

Project Duration

June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2026

Further Information

We warmly welcome Kanita Abazi as the new student trainee in TiDE!

Since June 2023, researchers from the IU Internationale Hochschule (IU) and the Fernuniversität in Hagen (FeU) have been working together as part of the TiDE (Transition into Distance Education) research project. The aim of the project is to examine the transition to distance learning at the two largest distance learning universities in Germany. The employees of the project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research met for the second joint meeting - Prof. Dr. Caroline Trautwein (IU), Prof. Dr. Michael Hast (IU), Dr. Roxana Schweighart (IU), Dr. Sabrina Schaper (FeU) and Jennifer Lange (FeU) - on June 3rd and 4th, 2024 at the Open University in Hagen to inform each other about the current status of the two sub-projects, discuss interim results and plan the next steps. Two literature reviews carried out in the respective sub-project are currently in the final phase. Based on these results, a total of eight focus groups will be held this year with distance learning students from both universities in close cooperation between those involved. They are intended to provide insights into student experiences of transitioning to distance learning at a private and public university. The second personal network meeting was also beneficial for the collaboration of the sub-projects involved and thus contributed to the success of the research project.

Upcoming Conference Presentations

The results of the “Transition into Distance Education” research project will be presented at the following upcoming conferences:

European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), August 27th-30th, 2024, in Nicosia
Annual Meeting of the Society for University Research (GfHf), September 23rd-25th, 2024, in Hagen
Conference of the Special Interest Group Higher Education (SIG 4) of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) from September 25th to 27th, 2024 in Utrecht

Members of the TiDE (Transition into Distance Education) Research Project Convene for First Network Meeting in Hamburg

As part of the TiDE (Transition into Distance Education) research project, the transition to distance learning at Germany’s two largest distance learning universities is being empirically examined. Researchers from IU Internationale Hochschule and Fernuniversität in Hagen have collaborated on this joint project, which aims to provide significant insights into the orientation phase of distance learning over the next three years. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under its priority for science and university research, specifically focusing on non-state universities.

Following a digital kick-off meeting in July, members of the respective sub-projects from both universities convened for their first in-person meeting on October 11-12, 2023, at the IU campus in Hamburg. The Fernuniversität in Hagen was represented by Dr. Sabrina Schaper, the sub-project manager, and Jennifer Lange, a research assistant. From IU, Prof. Dr. Caroline Trautwein served as the group leader, Prof. Dr. Michael Hast acted as the deputy sub-project manager, and Dr. Roxana Schweighart participated as a research assistant. The IU student assistants, Anna Maria Pampel and Julian Rebien, joined the meeting digitally.

The primary objectives of this initial meeting were to establish a foundation for future constructive and interdisciplinary collaboration and to coordinate the next steps. The initial plan includes conducting literature reviews within both sub-projects. In the following year, data collection will commence through group discussions with distance learning students. Effective implementation of the project plan will require collaboration among all members of the joint project. The network meeting successfully set the stage for ongoing cooperation.