The Interdisciplinary Competence Center (IKOM) for Data-Supported Quality Development is located at RPTU in Landau as part of the scientific support for the Startchancen program.

The aim of the competence center is to promote the targeted use of data at all system levels as part of the Startchancen program and to turn schools in the Startchancen program into model schools for data-supported quality development.

In doing so, the Competence Center deliberately uses a broad definition of data that goes beyond external, quantitative data sources. The basis for quality development processes can be any information that is collected systematically and purposefully - from comparative tests to short surveys of the teaching staff to interviews.

The use of these different sources of information takes place in a sequence of steps that are repeated in a data use cycle: In reception, the central results are identified and described before causes for these results are sought in reflection. Based on these causes, concrete action steps are then defined, which in turn are checked for success on the basis of new data.

Material development:

The competence center supports the schools in the Startchancen program with materials for the systematic and continuous handling of data in their school and lesson development. To this end, existing concepts and materials are to be further developed on the basis of research, taking into account scientific findings and country-specific objectives. If necessary, the Competence Center will also develop and adapt new materials for data-based quality development.

Qualification offers:

The Competence Centre offers training courses for those involved in the school support system who accompany the schools in the Startchancen program. In blended learning formats, participants receive information on topics such as the process of formulating goals in school development processes, the use of different data sources for data-supported quality development and anchoring a culture of data use at schools.

quality development and on anchoring a culture of data use in schools. In cooperation with the Language Education and Mathematics Competence Centers, training impulses for data-supported lesson development are also offered. These include curriculum-related materials for diagnosis-based support and the use of comparative tests (VERA) for lesson development.

Systemic anchoring of data-based quality development:

At the level of the school system, the Competence Center aims to anchor data-driven quality development at all levels and to dovetail measures between the different system levels. To this end, the Competence Center works together with the Governance Center to create targeted spaces for reflection.