Linear and non-linear educational trajectories of student teachers (LiNoBiL)

The project "Linear and non-linear educational trajectories of student teachers" (LiNoBiL) is a sub-project of the LSE's research focus on educational biographies. The core team of the LiNoBiL project consists of Prof Dr Katharina Müller, Dr Șeyma Gülen and Nadine Twele (IEW). There are also collaborations with researchers from other universities.

The aim of the project is to focus on the educational trajectories of teachers and to analyse these empirically from the perspective of life course research using quantitative social research methods.

The National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) primarily serves as the data basis. The NEPS is a longitudinal study that collects nationwide data on skills development as well as educational processes and decisions over the entire lifespan and is available to researchers for analysis purposes.

This makes it possible to analyse different stages of teachers' educational careers. The LiNoBiL project focuses on all educational stages (school, university professionalisation phase, career entry) for the analysis of the conditions under which teachers enter and succeed in higher education. The analytical focus of the project is on identifying and analysing linear and non-linear educational trajectories. The aim is to uncover the extent to which the passage through certain educational stages and their constellations influence the study entry, progression and success of prospective teachers as well as their career path.

By "linear educational trajectories", we mean "educational trajectories without detours", i.e. the straightforward progression through the educational stages from primary school to university and beyond. By "non-linear educational trajectories", on the other hand, we mean an educational pathway that is characterised by detours. These can be, for example, specific ascents and descents in the education system, repeating grades, or obtaining a higher education entrance qualification via a vocational qualification as opposed to a school-based general higher education entrance qualification.