To make learning truly sustainable, it’s not enough to simply deliver new knowledge—sometimes, existing ideas must first be challenged. In educational research, this process is known as Conceptual Change: the replacement of prior assumptions with scientifically grounded concepts.

Both teachers and students often hold preconceived notions about how learning works—such as the belief that rote memorization is the most effective method. These ideas can hinder the development of self-regulated learning and effective teaching practices.

That’s why our projects use explanatory learning videos designed to directly address participants’ existing preconceptions. By engaging with these beliefs, critically examining them, and connecting them to current scientific insights, we enable a more enduring learning process—one in which outdated knowledge is not just added to, but actively replaced by more effective concepts.

In this way, we support teachers and students in evolving their understanding of learning—toward a perspective that is scientifically informed, reflective, and impactful.

At SelfiLab, we are part of the scientific support for the Startchancen (Equal Opportunities) program within the CHANCEN research consortium. As part of the interdisciplinary Center for Cross-Curricular Learning and Career Orientation, we are investigating a key question:
How can self-regulated learning be effectively promoted—for all children, and especially for those at risk of educational disadvantage?

To address this, we systematically analyze existing support programs in education research. Using scientific reviews and meta-analyses, we examine

• which approaches have been shown to be effective,
• for which groups they work best,
• and under what conditions they succeed in educational practice.

A particular focus is placed on concepts that demonstrate impact even under challenging learning conditions. In close collaboration with stakeholders from Germany’s federal states, we aim to build a strong link between research and educational practice.

To make our findings directly applicable in schools and teacher training, we are developing practice sheets that summarize key results in a clear and accessible way for practitioners.

Based on this foundation, we are creating evidence-based materials and professional development concepts that can be flexibly adapted to the needs of each federal state. An app designed to support teaching practice is also currently in development.

In addition to leading the SeLFI Lab, Charlotte Dignath also serves as the scientific director of the Center for School Psychology (Kompetenzzentrum Schulpsychologie, KSH), together with Dr Stephan Jeck from HMKB, who is responsible for the operational management of KSH. This dual role ensures that key questions and insights from school psychology practice directly inform our research activities.

The KSH is jointly funded as a cooperation project by Goethe University and the Hessian Ministry of Culture, Education and Opportunities (HMKB) and was made permanent in January 2025.

The KSH aims to strengthen the dialogue between school psychology and educational science by addressing practice-relevant areas such as:

• The transfer of current scientific findings into school practice – and vice versa
  
• The development and implementation of qualification and professionalization measures for school psychologists
  
• The design, evaluation, and quality assurance of school psychology projects, methods, and both prevention and intervention programs
  

A particular focus lies in promoting students’ mental health and fostering their self-regulation skills. Emotional self-regulation – or emotion regulation – plays a key role in mental well-being. It involves consciously managing the intensity, frequency, and duration of emotional responses in order to support one’s experience and behavior during learning. Effective emotional regulation is a vital factor for academic success and overall student well-being.

A core principle of our work is to actively involve teachers and school psychologists as multipliers. They play a crucial role in transferring research-based strategies into classroom and school practice – thereby enabling sustainable improvements in learning, emotional development, and mental health among students.

In order to gain reliable insights into the effectiveness of various interventions for the promotion of self-regulation and mental health, we are conducting several meta-analyses at the SeLFI Lab.

Effectiveness of self-regulation training for schoolchildren

One of these meta-analyses is part of the Startchancen project and examines the effectiveness of self-regulation interventions for schoolchildren in general. Based on around 70 individual studies, it analyzes which characteristics have contributed most to the effectiveness of these interventions. 

Effectiveness of self-regulation training for students with learning difficulties

In order to specifically determine the effect of self-regulation training on students with learning difficulties, we are analyzing an additional 70 individual studies. With this in-depth look at this particularly vulnerable group, we hope to contribute to the development of effective and tailored support measures. 

Self-regulation training for students with difficulties regarding attention

Difficulties regarding attention also pose a major challenge in the school context. With the help of a meta-analysis that focuses specifically on students with such difficulties, we aim to enable well-founded statements about the effectiveness of various interventions and their components. 

Another strand of research is located in the INCLASS project at the DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education. It deals with the professional competencies of teachers in dealing with children on the autism spectrum. To this end, we are conducting a systematic review that provides a comprehensive overview of existing diagnostic and evaluative instruments.