CONFERENCE TiDE 2026

Distance learning programs are becoming increasingly popular worldwide: while there were 11 million distance learners in 2017, projections for 2028 estimate around 47 million (Statista Market Insights, 2024). This growth trend is also evident in Germany, where the penetration rate increased from 0,5% in 2017 to 1,1% in 2024 and is expected to reach 1,4% in 2028 (Statista Market Insights, 2024).

The transition into higher education represents a critical phase for students (Coertjens et al., 2017) characterized by a wide range of challenges (Trautwein & Bosse, 2017; Schweighart et al., 2024). These challenges contribute to high dropout rates (Heublein et al., 2017), particularly in the first or second semester (Neugebauer et al., 2019). Distance learners are more likely to drop out compared to on-campus students, with rated reported as high as 99% (Dahm, 2022; Simpson, 2013; Bağrıacık Yılmaz & Karataş, 2022). Additionally, academic performance of distance learners is often lower, with only 39% passing after the first semester compared to 64% of on-campus students in the same course (Fojtik, 2018).

The research project TiDE – Transition into Distance Education examines the transition to distance learning and explores how student experiences are shaped at a public and a private higher education institution. Launched in mid-2023, it is funded by the Federal Ministry of Finance and Tourism (BMFTR) within the research line on non-state higher education institutions and will run until mid – 2026. The project focuses on the initial phase of studies, which is considered crucial for determining subsequent study progress and success. In this phase, students are challenged to develop the necessary study skills to successfully meet the demands of (digital) distance learning. This is particularly relevant for so-called non-traditional students – who are characterized by diverse biographical backgrounds and face unique challenges. A central research aim of TiDE is therefore to better understand how students navigate the initial phase of their studies, the critical demands that arise speficially from distance learning and digital formats, and how these challenges are navigated.

The conference will focus, among other things, on the following questions and topics:

• What constitutes a successful transition into distance learning  – and for whom?

• What objective and subjective criteria exist for successful studying?

• How do students with different backgrounds (heterogeneity, non-traditional pathways) experience the transition into distance learning?

• What role do media didactics and digital teaching/learning formats play in the initial phase of studies?

• What practical implications arise for the design of the entry phase of studies and for supporting diverse students?

• How can empirically based as well as participatory approaches help to improve the transition into distance learning?

• Prof. Dr. Caroline Trautwein, Professor of Business Psychology

• Prof. Dr. Michael Hast, Professor of Psychology

• Dr. Stefanie Habermann