HyBi

Project Background

Educational programs tailored to the needs and requirements of statutory employee representation bodies are a key component for successfully shaping the world of work in Germany. However, trade union education providers have so far made only limited use of hybrid teaching and learning formats such as blended learning, despite a growing demand. One of the main reasons is the still limited empirical evidence regarding the conditions and effectiveness of hybrid learning arrangements.

This research project therefore investigates whether, and under which conditions, hybrid learning formats are more advantageous than purely face-to-face or fully digital educational offerings. To this end, an action research–based, scientifically monitored comparison of these three learning formats is conducted in real-world settings, i.e., within regular continuing education programs.

The project adopts a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data collected from participants (e.g., cognitive load, emotional experience, and competence development) are complemented by qualitative data from the course process, including observations and interviews with trainers. This approach enables the generation of holistic empirical evidence on the potentials and limitations of the examined learning formats. Particular attention is given to participants’ individual learning experiences and the diverse educational needs associated with training for statutory employee representation.

Beyond contributing to closing an important research gap in empirical educational science, the project also aims to achieve a transformative impact. By providing good-practice examples of hybrid educational programs in the field of digitalization and data protection, education providers and their trainers will gain not only scientific evidence on the benefits and limitations of hybrid learning formats but also practical blueprints for implementation that can be transferred to other training contexts. This transformative character is supported through workshops, a final conference, and the publication of a practical guideline for education providers. Overall, the project seeks to stimulate the hybrid adaptation of existing educational offerings for statutory employee representation in order to provide empirically validated and optimized training support for the increasingly complex challenges of co-determination work.

Key Research Questions

How do participants experience and use blended learning compared to face-to-face learning and e-learning in order to exchange experiences and connect knowledge in line with the principles of connectivism, and what differences emerge in competence development (subject-specific, methodological, and social)?

What implications can be derived regarding demographic diversity factors and the future design of trade union educational programs to ensure sustainable learning outcomes on a broad scale?

Research Objective

The project aims to close the described research gap by conducting a field experiment using mixed methods of data collection and analysis to provide a comparative perspective on trade union educational programs across different learning formats. Particular attention is paid to both participants’ learning processes and the perspectives of trainers.

By directly comparing hybrid instructional formats in the form of blended learning with traditional face-to-face seminars and fully online e-learning formats, the project identifies the opportunities that blended learning offers for trade union education as well as the requirements and limitations that need to be considered.