At this year's annual conference of the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF) in Mannheim, Elisabeth Maué (University of Konstanz), Michael Goller (University of Kassel), Tobias Kärner and Hakan Peker (both University of Hohenheim) presented a newly developed survey instrument for recording antinomies - i.e. fundamental contradictions - in teaching. Such antinomies, such as the conflict between the pressure to make decisions and the obligation to give reasons or between theoretical demands and practical experience, characterize everyday school life. So far, these areas of tension have mainly been discussed theoretically. There are hardly any empirical studies with quantitative approaches.

As part of a cross-university collaboration, the above-mentioned authors have now developed a questionnaire for the first time that can be used to quantitatively record the eleven antinomies identified by Helsper. The questionnaire was successfully validated in two independent studies with a total of over 700 teachers. The results show that a reliable and robust instrument is now available for research purposes. The corresponding publication is currently in the review process.

The new instrument offers practitioners a reflective tool to identify their own areas of tension and provides researchers with approaches to investigate the existence of antinomies in connection with school development issues or differential differences between teachers.