GrundbildungsPFADE in the EULE learning area
Interview with Dr Nicole Pöppel
In an interview with wb web, Dr Nicole Pöppel provides practical insights into the design and testing of the professional development programmes.
First impressions of the basic module
How has the learning programme been received?
05. November 2025
The professional development programmes offered by the GrundbildungsPFADE Competence Centre comprise self-study phases, as well as digital kick-off and reflection events. Each of the three modules (Basics, Basic Education Counselling and Network Coordination) concludes with a digital event that serves as a forum for joint reflection on and evaluation of the self-study course.
The first reflection event for the Basics module took place on 7 October 2025, with around 40 participants from funded projects in attendance. During the session, which was moderated by Lernende Region – Netzwerk Köln e. V. and the Bundesverband Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung e. V., the participants expressed their overall satisfaction with the training. Positive aspects included the high degree of relevance to their own work, and the fact that even those familiar with the module's content were able to learn new things. However, some found the time factor challenging, as it was not possible to cover the various topics as quickly as desired. This led to a suggestion for an additional filter function that would allow learning time to be tailored more individually. In terms of content, participants expressed a desire for greater inclusion of work-oriented basic education, among other things.
Initial results of the evaluation
Following the joint reflection, the German Institute for Adult Education – Leibniz Centre for Lifelong Learning conducted an online evaluation. The initial results provide insight into how the participants received the four individual learning paths of the basic module, as well as the module as a whole. The anonymous survey used closed questions to ask detailed questions about learning objectives, prior knowledge, the complexity and scope of the learning content, its structure, clarity and comprehensibility, and the didactic preparation of the learning content. It also asked about the processing time compared to the specified time required.
The initial results are very positive overall. According to the evaluation, most participants feel that they have achieved the various learning objectives and can reproduce the knowledge they have acquired. The majority also considered the complexity and scope to be appropriate (74.71% and 79.31% respectively) and found the didactic presentation of the learning content (e.g. visualisations and explanations) conducive to learning. It should also be noted that the majority considered the content to be relevant for working with people with basic learning needs. When asked whether the time they spent on the learning path corresponded to the specified time requirement, responses varied.
Initial results from the closed questions in the evaluation
In the open questions, the didactics, the introduction of various learning methods and the collection of materials were rated positively, among other things. The same applies to the experience reports and insights into the real world based on real examples and stories, as well as individual learning content, such as the learning step ‘change of perspective’, which invites participants in de module introduction to empathise with what it means to be unable to read and write or to have difficulties doing so, and to put themselves in the shoes of those affected.
Code cloud for the open answers to the question ‘What did you particularly like about this learning path?’
Opinions were divided on the open questions regarding the media presentation of the learning content in the form of videos. Some found these very pleasant and well done, while others perceived the AI voice in the videos as not very conducive to learning and artificial. There was also a desire for more repetition exercises and for supplementary and in-depth content, e.g. to learn how to effectively reach people with basic learning needs in precarious situations and how to motivate those who are (initially) resistant.
What happens next with the results?
The feedback from the digital reflection event and the results of the online evaluation provide important input for the revision of the basic module. The Competence Centre team is pleased to be able to adapt the content and format of the learning programme even more closely to the needs of the participants and to optimise it for future runs. These are planned for autumn 2026 and 2027, with the prospect of opening up the programme to a wider group of participants.
