The aim of the project is to contribute to the development of theory on the role of the teacher in digital and inclusive religious education at elementary school. Particular attention is paid to the changes in the organizational, support and promotion culture that can arise in the course of digitally inclusive teaching and learning processes.

Primary school teachers who take part in the research workshop can become part of the research project by testing the independently designed digital learning environments in their classroom.

Theoretical background

In the school context, "digital media" and "inclusion" are two mega-topics that are brought together in the term "diclusion". This is based on a broad concept of inclusion that takes into account all learners with their individual requirements and abilities. In primary and special education, there is already a large selection of contributions and practical school implementations (Kürzinger / Böttinger / Schulz, 2024; Schulz, 2023; Oetjen et al., 2023; Pannullo / Böttinger / Winkelmann, 2025) as well as interdisciplinary research (Baumert / Rau / Bauermeister, 2023), which are fundamental to understanding the topic.

In the current religious education discourse, the concept of inclusion is increasingly understood in a broad sense (Witten, 2023). Reflective-theoretical contributions (Witten 2021, Schweiker, 2024) as well as qualitative-empirical studies (Grasser, 2021; Theurer-Vogt, 2023; Möller, 2018) can be found.

The religious education discourse on the multifaceted topic of basic digital education of digitality also presents both theoretical and fundamental contributions (Pirner, 2023; Schlag / Nord, 2021) as well as empirical contributions (Nord / Petzke / Adam / Luthe, 2024) and contributions that combine both theoretical and empirical findings (Dietzsch / Pfister, 2022).

Religious education considerations in the context of digitally inclusive settings have been largely absent to date. It is therefore an explorative field of research that has become significantly more relevant in recent years, but has not yet developed a clearly defined profile. A relevant doctoral project (Küthe, 2024) is particularly relevant for the didactic perspective of potentials and challenges.

Research design and methodology

The strategic research approach of Design-Based-Research (DBR) is chosen to methodically map the interlocking of theory and practice. Through iterative cycles, the development, testing and optimization of digitally inclusive learning environments are to be driven forward and both practical solutions for the associated real educational challenges and theoretical findings are to be generated. The DBR approach is characterized by the continuous exchange with the actors in the context. A research group consisting of representatives of the three phases of teacher education will be formed for the project: Teachers, academics from didactics and pedagogy, heads of study seminars and heads of church-based educational institutions contribute different perspectives and horizons of experience to the research.

The research design takes into account the specific context and research objectives. The Grounded Theory Methodology (Strauss & Corbin) is therefore used for theory-building data analysis. The material collection takes place during the implementation of digitally inclusive learning environments in the classes. Observation protocols are drawn up both during the research workshops and during the teaching units. In addition, interviews are conducted with the teachers before and after the teaching units. The sampling strategy follows the principle of theoretical sampling and a criteria-driven, purposeful and iterative selection (primary school teachers with religion as a subject). The evaluation is carried out using open and axial coding according to grounded theory.

The research project is in an early phase, so the considerations developed so far are preliminary. It goes without saying that further findings and adjustments may emerge in the course of the study.