Kumulative Dissertation, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg, 2022

This dissertation provides insight into the specialization of competence development in reading and mathematics in secondary education. The first research aim of this dissertation project was the identification of specialized and generalized groups of competence development in reading and mathematics in secondary education. Papers 1 and 2 did not identify multiple profiles among students in lower (paper 1) and upper (paper 2) secondary education to a relevant degree. However, the studies also indicated an increased specialization hroughout secondary education towards mathematical competences.
The second aim of this dissertation was the explanation of this specialization of competence development. Three main predictors were identified and ultimately tested in the third paper: Students’ gender, their interest specialization, and vocational and tertiary education specialization. To test the effect of these predictors, competence development after Grade 9 was analyzed focusing on differences between predictor effects on reading and mathematics. Concerning gender, we showed developmental advantages for boys in reading and mathematics, with a large difference in effect size between the two domains. Specialization of interest and education positively affected competence development in the specialized domain.
This summary introduces the theoretical and methodological background as well as results of all three papers in a common context. Several aspects go beyond the three papers: An overview of the educational system is provided to explain how specialization of competences might increase over time. A short note on educational decisions and factors affecting these decisions expands on interactions between education and other predictors. Ultimately, some ideas for future research on the topic of developmental competence specialization are described.