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Prof. Dr. Elena Makarova

Institute for Educational Sciences
Profiles & Affiliations

Research Profile

My research revolves around the dynamics of development, learning, and teaching within the diverse landscape of school environments. I have a particular focus on understanding inclusion and exclusion processes stemming from factors like origin and gender, examining how these dynamics shape educational settings and influence developmental trajectories.

In the realm of interdisciplinary research, my work integrates insights from educational psychology, cross-cultural psychology, empirical research in education, and studies on instructional design in teaching and learning. This multidisciplinary approach allows me to explore the nuanced interplay of various factors impacting educational experiences.

In my teaching endeavors, my goal is to expose students to key empirical research in education and psychology. I aim to empower them to cultivate their own research agendas and equip them with the tools to address heterogeneity in school settings through the application of inclusive and equitable teaching practices. By fostering a deep understanding of the complexities within educational contexts, I aspire to nurture a generation of educators who are not only informed by current research but also capable of contributing meaningfully to the ongoing discourse in the field.


Selected Publications

Makarova, Elena, Döring, Anna K., Daniel, Ella, & Benish-Weisman, Maya. (2025). Editorial: Research on value development in the school context: new directions and approaches from an international perspective. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 40(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-01003-y

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Makarova, Elena, & Sidler, Petra. (2023). Migration and acculturation: Supporting migrant students’ school adjustment in multicultural schools. In Research Handbook on Migration and Education (pp. 54–67). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839106361.00009

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Makarova, Elena. (2019). Gendersensible Berufsorientierung und Berufswahl: Beiträge aus Forschung und Praxis. hep.

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Makarova, Elena, Aeschlimann, Belinda, & Herzog, Walter. (2019). The gender gap in STEM fields: The impact of the gender stereotype of math and science on secondary students’ career aspirations. Frontiers in Educational Psychology, 4, 60. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00060

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Makarova, Elena, & Birman, Dina. (2015). Cultural transition and academic achievement of students from ethnic minority backgrounds: A content analysis of empirical research on acculturation. Educational Research, 57(3), 305–330. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2015.1058099

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Selected Projects & Collaborations

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Werte in Aktion

Research Project  | 3 Project Members

The Agora project, titled “VALUES in Action: Empowering Swiss Teachers Through Evidence-Based Values Education,” builds on findings from the SNSF-funded research project VALISE (2020-2024). The VALISE research project explored the development of values among primary school children in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The AGORA project “VALUES in Action” aims to communicate the most important findings from research on value development in primary schools to practitioners, and in doing so promote values education in Swiss primary schools. Led by the Institute for Educational Sciences at the University of Basel, the project addresses a crucial gap between abstract research on values and their practical application in classrooms. It recognizes values as guiding principles, which relate to perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors.

Despite international recognition of the importance of values education, many teachers face challenges in implementing it effectively. The project aims to empower educators by developing an interactive, research-driven digital platform with three key objectives:

  1. Self-Reflection: Tools that help teachers examine their values and how they relate to classroom interactions.
  2. Knowledge Enhancement: Comprehensive resources, including expert videos, to deepen understanding of values and their role in education.
  3. Practical Solutions: A toolkit of age-appropriate activities, which encourage meaningful dialogue between students and teachers.

A distinctive feature of the project is its collaborative approach, involving primary school teachers from the outset to ensure the platform meets their needs. The co-creation process fosters practical relevance and usability.

The project is supported by an interdisciplinary team, including value education specialists and communication experts. Partners such as éducation21 help disseminate the platform and align it with national educational goals. The platform also incorporates inclusive practices to promote diversity and equity, equipping teachers with tools to foster respectful, empathetic, and culturally competent learning environments.

The project aims to make a meaningful impact by boosting teachers' skills, fostering greater pupil engagement with democratic principles, and building stronger, more cohesive school communities. By integrating values education into Swiss primary schools, it seeks to nurture future generations to be empathetic, inclusive, and socially responsible.

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Wer ist dein Vorbild? Gendersensible MINT-Vorbilder für Kinder

Research Project  | 5 Project Members

Das vorliegende Projekt verfolgt das übergeordnete Ziel, durch eine differenzierte Darstellung der MINT-Berufe und durch die Vermittlung von weiblichen Vorbildern im MINT-Bereich die gendersensible Berufsorientierung bereits unter jungen Kindern alters- und gendergerecht zu fördern. Dafür werden Unterrichtsmaterialien und eine Handreichung für Kindergartenlehrpersonen entwickelt und in drei Sprachen (de, fr, it) online auf der Plattform des IBW zur Verfügung gestellt. Die entwickelten Materialien werden über relevante Kanäle und Stakeholder beworben und nachhaltig sowie institutionenübergreifend durch die Kooperation des IBW, Universität Basel, und des Instituts für Fachdidaktik MINT und Nachhaltigkeit (IMN) der PH Luzern verankert. Diese Massnahmen ermöglichen eine langfristige Wirkung entlang aller Bildungsstufen (Zyklus 1 bis 3) und tragen zum Abbau von Geschlechterstereotypen in MINT-Berufen bei.

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Gendersensible Berufsorientierung und Erweiterung des Berufswahlhorizonts mit dem Serious Game like2be

Research Project  | 2 Project Members

Mit dem vorliegenden Projekt wird das Ziel verfolgt, die gendersensible Berufsorientierung für Jugendliche effektiv und altersgerecht zu fördern. Dafür wird das etablierte Serious Game like2be technisch (1) und inhaltlich (2) optimiert. Weiter wird ein methodisch-didaktisches Unterrichtskonzept (3) (für analogen & digitalen Schulunterricht) sowie ein Weiterbildungsangebot für Lehr- und Fachpersonen (4) entwickelt. Spiel und Unterrichtskonzept werden in drei Sprachen (d, f, i) zur Verfügung gestellt. Alle drei Produkte werden über relevante Kanäle und Stakeholder beworben (5) und nachhaltig verankert, um eine langfristige Wirkung zu ermöglichen.

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The Formation of Children's Values in School: A Study on Value Development Among Primary School Children in Switzerland and the United Kingdom

Research Project  | 3 Project Members

This project will illuminate how primary schools shape children's personal value development, by employing a longitudinal design in Switzerland along with a comparative cross-sectional study in the UK. The project builds on our experience and successful joint projects in classroom research and human value development. The project will set the foundations for theory building on formation of values in the school context. This knowledge is essential for providing evidence-based guidance for values education in schools. The formation of children's values in primary school is at the core of school curricula and educational frameworks in Europe, and more specifically in Switzerland (Lehrplan 21) and the UK (Department of Education, 2014). Values express broad goals (kindness, curiosity) that are important to a person in life, and they are linked to behaviour. Primary schools are expected to develop children's understanding of their own and others' values, children's ability to express their own values and pursue behaviours that help achieving them. In most recent years there has been a steep increase of publications, including the first special section on value development from childhood to early adulthood and research which highlights the impact of the family context and value-based educational goals on children's value development. However, the field is still surprisingly under-researched, and there is a lack of evidence of how children's values develop and how they are formed in primary school. The proposed four-year collaborative project (Switzerland and UK) will help fill this research gap. The findings from this project will be published in leading international journals with a focus on open science. The findings will be publicised worldwide through networks and values research centres, and disseminated widely to teachers, school principals, politicians, and the wider public.