Since 2024: Representation of the professorship for Educational Sciences with a focus on upper secondary education at the University of Kassel

Since 2023: Lecturer for School Development and Practical School Professionalisation at FB12 at the University of Bremen

Since 2020: Research assistant in the Department of School Pedagogy and General Didactics at the University of Oldenburg

2015-2020: Research assistant in the field of school theory and empirical school research in the PRIMUS accompanying school research project at the University of Bremen

2010-2017: Teacher at the Prinzhöfte School in Bassum

2006-2014: Teacher training in the degree programme for grammar schools and comprehensive schools at the Universities of Bremen and Babes-Bolyai (Cluj-Napoca, Romania) with German studies and history as main subjects

Democratisation as School Reform (DAS, together with Selma Haupt from RWTH Aachen University and Angela Bauer from the University of Regensburg)

Negotiating school quality (ASQ, together with Pia Grimpo, Anna Moldenhauer and Matthias Olk, University of Bremen)

The research project "Negotiating School Quality (ASQ)" accompanies the testing of the Bremen 'Orientation Framework for School Quality' over a period of one year. From a practice-theoretical perspective, the project focuses on the translations of an educational policy-initiated steering instrument that is being piloted in a participatory process. The aim of the accompanying research project is to reconstruct how 'school quality' is interpreted and authorised by those involved. To this end, team discussions relating to school development in various constellations will be observed, audiographed and interpreted in terms of address analysis at different schools in Bremen that are taking part in the trial phase. In addition, group discussions with teachers will be analysed with regard to their experiences of working with the School Quality Framework.

Dissertation project on the professionalisation of teachers in the school development of the PRIMUS school experiment [completed, summa cum laude].

The work currently in publication responds to the desideratum of the low technologisability of school development on the one hand (Maag Merki 2021) and the need for studies at the interface of professional and school development research on the other (van Ackeren et al. 2021). Based on a social-theoretical approach via the interpretation pattern approach (Bögelein & Vetter 2019) and an object-theoretical approach via structural and school culture theory (Helsper 2002; Kramer et al. 2015), a qualitative analysis heuristic is designed in conjunction with grounded theory methodology (Breuer et al. 2019). 24 partially standardised interviews were evaluated. Empirically, three central reference problems and corresponding interpretation patterns of teachers in the PRIMUS school trial are developed for each of the two fields of action of pedagogical and school development action. The GT is then interpreted with regard to the two phenomena of uncertainty and convergence and discussed with the current state of research. Uncertainty is conceptualised in the three dimensions of overlapping, transgression and relation and it is argued that in school development there is an increase in uncertainty compared to regular pedagogical action. Convergence occurs as the relationship between the two fields of action of pedagogical and school development action, the patterns of interpretation of the school experiment programme and the patterns of interpretation of a reference problem. In essence, the work refers to the possibility of dealing with uncertainty in the collegial community.

The dissertation project is part of the accompanying scientific research of the PRIMUS school experiment.

Graduates of independent alternative schools study (AbFAt; together with Ingrid Bähr, University of Hamburg)

The starting point of the study is the question posed both outside and within the field of independent alternative schools as to whether and how their former students manage in "real life" after graduation. The AbFAt study uses a recognition-theoretical and qualitative-reconstructive perspective to ask how graduatesof independentalternative schoolsinterpret their school years ex post and, on a descriptive-exemplary level, which biographical paths they take afterwards. Within the framework of weakly standardised interviews, former pupils of an independent alternative school are interviewed and the data analysed using the Grounded Theory Methodology. Initial findings indicate, on the one hand, that the school years at the independent alternative school are highly relevant in the biographical narratives of their students. On the other hand, the former students also show a strong sense of identification. However, they also report an unusually strong sense of responsibility that they assumed for the school as an institution during their school years, as well as the importance of trust in the arrangements of open lessons.

König, H. L., Pauling, S. (forthcoming). Difference. Contingency. Persistence. Demokratische Schulentwicklung
als Diskursperspektive für die Demokratiepädagogik?, In Achenbach-Carret, C., Bichler, J., Gloe, M., Reick, R. (eds.) 20 Jahre Magdeburger Manifesto

Pauling, S. (ed.). Uncertainty in school development. In: Pauling, S., Wester, F. (eds.). Professionalising school development. Berlin: Cornelsen.

Pauling, S., Wester, F. (eds.) (forthcoming). Professionalising school development. Berlin: Cornelsen.

Leßner, T., Pauling, S. (ed.). Free alternative schools. In: Idel, T.-S., Junghans, C., Pauling, S. (ed.): Bildung_Zukunft. Berlin: Cornelsen.

Idel, T.-S., Junghans, C., Pauling, S. (in prep.). Bildung_Zukunft. Berlin: Cornelsen.

Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (ed.). The narrative of civil society-public criticism of schools - and the
question of disproportionality from a school pedagogical perspective. In: Wicke, L., Merl, T., Rabenstein, K. (eds.): Criticising school. Norms and reference problems of (school) pedagogical debates. Issue ZfPäd.

Moldenhauer, A., Olk, M., Pauling, S. (ed.): Translations of school quality (AT). In: Kuhlmann, N., Lischka-Schmidt, R., Thiersch, S., Wolf, E. (eds.): (Re-)focussing. What was, is and will be with theories of school and teaching?

Pauling, S., Lill, A. (submitted). School development counselling as a place for teacher training? In: Journal for School Development.

Lischka-Schmidt, R., Pauling, S. (2025). Everyone theorises for themselves? Theorising as a challenge for educational scientists in qualification phases. In: Educational Science, Issue 71 (2/2025). Online at https://www.dgfe.de/fileadmin/OrdnerRedakteure/Zeitschrift_Erziehungswissenschaft/EW_71.pdf.

Pauling, S. (2025). Performance and well-being as a collegial professionalisation requirement in the inclusive long-form school. In: Idel, T.-S., Huf, C. (Eds.): Schule inklusive Langform. Contributions from the scientific research accompanying the PRIMUS school trial. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.

Pauling, S. (2025). Paradoxes of school development - a systemic approach. In. School Administration Special.

Langer, A., Moldenhauer, Olk, M., A., Dogmus, A, Hinrichsen, M. Lill, A., Pauling, S. (eds.) (2025): Development as expectation. On a paradigm of school and the professional culture of teachers. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.

Olk, M., Langer, A., Moldenhauer, A., Dogmus, A, Hinrichsen, M. Lill, A., Pauling, S. (2025): Development as expectation. Introductory systematisation of school pedagogical perspectives. In: This. : Development as expectation. On a paradigm of school and the professional culture of teachers. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, pp. 9-25.

Pauling, S. (2025). Journalistic school criticism as a discourse of expectation genesis and its criticism by school research, in: Olk, M., Langer, A., Moldenhauer, A., Dogmus, A, Hinrichsen, M. Lill, A., Pauling, S. (eds.): Development as expectation, Wiesbaden: Springer VS.

Merl, T., Rabenstein, K., Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S., Wagener-Böck, N. (2024). The new as a value? In: Budde, J., Meier, M., Rissler, G., Wischmann, A. (eds.): What's New? New Perspectives in Ethnographic Educational Science, Opladen et al: Verlag Barbara Budrich, pp. 115-136.

Pauling, S. (2024). Uncertainty and convergence in school development. An interpretation pattern analysis at PRIMUS schools, Wiesbaden: Springer VS, online in: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-43604-9.

Pauling, S. (2024). Review of: Burow, Olaf-Axel: Appreciative school leadership. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz 2022. in: EWR 23, No. 1 (Published on 01.02.2024), URL: http://klinkhardt.de/ewr/978340725570.html.

Pauling, S., Idel, T.-S. (2023). Uncertainty in school development. Theoretical explorations of teacher professionalism in the PRIMUS school trial. In: Hinske, J.-H., Keller-Schneider, M. (eds.): Professionalität und Professionalisierung von Lehrpersonen: Perspectives, theoretical frameworks and empirical approaches. Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt, online in: https://www.klinkhardt.de/verlagsprogramm/2600.html.

Behrens, D., Forell, M., Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (eds.) (2023). Teacher training in the demand crisis. Programmes - positioning - empiricism. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt.

Behrens, D., Forell, M., Idel, T.-S. & Pauling, S. (2023). Editorial. In: Behrens, D., Forell, M., Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (Eds.). Teacher training in the demand crisis. Programmes - Positioning - Empiricism. Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt.

Pauling, S. (2023). The mainstream school system as a socio-spatial context for inclusive school development. Explorations using the example of the PRIMUS school trial. In: Forell, M., Bellenberg, G., Gerhards, L., Peukert, L. (eds.). Schule als Sozialraum im Sozialraum: Theoretische und empirische Erkundungen sozial-räumlicher Dimensionen von Schule. Münster, New York: Waxmann. http://www.waxmann.com/buch4712.

Pauling, S. (2023). Review of: Zala-Mesö, E., Häbig, J., Bremm, N. (eds.). Documentary method in school development research. Münster, New York: Waxmann (2021). In: EWR (2023), No. 3. https://klinkhardt.de/ewr/978383094423.html.

Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (2023). Resistance as normality. On the articulation of resistance in school development. In: DDS 1/2023, pp. 37-48.

Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S., Hinrichsen, M., Hummrich, M., Moldenhauer, A., Asbrand, B., Martens, M. (2022). Reflection and reflexivity in school development processes. Methodological approaches in reconstructive research. In: Reintjes, C.; Kunze, I. (eds.): Reflexion und Reflexivität in Unterricht, Schule und Lehrer:innenbildung. Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt (Studien zur Professionsforschung und Lehrerbildung), pp. 226-241.

Huf, C, Idel, T.-S., Doğmuş, A., Pauling, S. (2021). Report on the second phase of the scientific monitoring of the PRIMUS 2017-2020 school trial, Oldenburg and Münster, online in: www.landtag.nrw.de/portal/WWW/dokumentenarchiv/Dokument/MMV17-5617.pdf.

Pauling, S. (2021). Interpretation patterns as a heuristic for determining the relationship between school development and professionalisation theory. In Moldenhauer, A., Asbrand, B., Hummrich, M., Idel, T.-S. (Eds.). School development as a theoretical project, Wiesbaden: Springer VS, pp.113-138.

Idel, T.-S., Ulrich, H., Pauling, S. (2021). Reform and alternative schools, in: Hascher, T., Idel, T.-S., Helsper, W. (eds.): Handbuch Schulforschung, Wiesbaden: Springer VS.

Doğmuş, A., Huf, C., Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (2020). The PRIMUS school trial in North Rhine-Westphalia - Years 1-10. in: SchulVerwaltung NRW. NRW 4/2020, PP. 107-110.

Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (2018). School development and addressing. Cultural-theoretical-praxeological perspectives on school development work, in: DDS, Vol. 110 (2018), H. 4.

Carle, U., Huf, C., Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (2018). Primus - School trial for longer joint learning in primary and secondary schools. Report on the first phase of the accompanying scientific research 2014-2017, Bremen and Münster, online in: www.landtag.nrw.de/Dokumentenservice/portal/WWW/dokumentenarchiv/Dokument/MMV17-930.pdf.

Huf, C., Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (2017). School development research as qualitative process analysis. The example of the scientific monitoring of the Primus school experiment, in: Burger, T., Miceli, N. (eds.): Empirische Forschung im Kontext Schule. Introduction to theoretical aspects and methodological approaches, Wiesbaden: Springer VS, pp. 49-65.

Pauling, S. (2017). Review of: Randoll, D., Graudenz, I., Peters, J.: Bildungserfahrungen an Freien Alternativschulen, Eine Studie über Schüleraussagen zu Lernerfahrungen und Schulqualität. Wiesbaden: Springer VS 2017. in: EWR 16 (2017), no. 6, URL: www.klinkhardt.de/ewr/978365814636.html.

Immanent Critique and Critical Analytics as Postcritical Methodologies? Reflexive Explorations in Democracy Education (together with Angela Bauer, University of Regensburg) on 20 February 2026 at the conference "Postcritical Perspectives on School Theory, School Criticism and School Practice" at the University of Kassel.

Die Dynamik von Partizipation und Verantwortung als organisationale Beziehungsgestaltung von Absolvent:innen einer Freien Alternativschule (together with Ingrid Bähr, University of Hamburg) on 17.9.2025 at the conference "Pädagogische Beziehungen" of the Commission on Professionalisation and Teacher Education of the DGfE at the University of Kassel.

School development theory. workshop at the research and network meeting of academics in qualification phases (together with Katharina Nesseler) on 19 February 2025 at the University of Erfurt.

Teachers in school development. Interpretation pattern analysis and grounded theory. Lecture as part of the series of lectures Introduction to Empirical Educational Research: Addressees, Research Fields and Methods on 26 November 2024 at the University of Kassel.

Technology and reflexivity. Interferences of science transfer and reconstructive school development research. Lecture as part of the series Knowledge transfer in education of the AK Uni im Kontext of the MLU Halle-Wittenberg on 30 October 2024, online in: https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxnTTAl2740 .

School development counsellors as actors in teacher training? (together with Anne Lill). Presentation at the conference "Das Personal der Lehrer:innenbildung im Fokus der Professionsforschung" of the Commission for Professions Research and Teacher Education" at the University of Trier on 26 September 2024.

Interferences in the Negotiation of School and Quality (together with Anna Moldenhauer and Matthias Olk). Lecture at the conference "(Re-)focussing. What was, is and will be with theories of school and teaching?" of the Commission for School Research and Didactics at the University of Osnabrück on 12 September 2024.

Development Expectations and Uncertainty in the Perspective of Reflective University Reform Pedagogy. Lecture at the Reckahn Education Talks on 29 June 2024.

Exposing gestures and matters of concern in qualitative school research. Lecture at the Context Working Group at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg on 27 June 2024.

Uncertainty in school development. Theoretical-empirical explorations. Lecture at the series of lectures at the School of Education at the University of Hamburg on 17 April 2024.

School development theory. workshop at the research and network meeting of scientists in qualification phases on 21 February 2024 at the University of Kassel.

Educational activism as "commissioning discourse". Perspectives on the journalistic formulation of development expectations through school criticism (together with Till-Sebastian Idel) Presentation at the conference "Entwicklung als Erwartung. Zu einem Paradigma von Schule und der Berufskultur von Lehrer:innen" of the commissions Teacher Training and Professionalisation as well as School Research and Didactics on 21.9.23 at the University of Bremen.

Development expectation meets uncertainty. Theoretische Erkundungen im Schulversuch PRIMUS, lecture at the conference "Entwicklung als Erwartung. Zu einem Paradigma von Schule und der Berufskultur von Lehrer:innen" of the commissions Teacher Training and Professionalisation and School Research and Didactics on 22.9.23 at the University of Bremen.

Schulentwicklung als Differenzierungs- und Valorisierungspraxis (together with Till-Sebastian Idel), lecture at the conference "Innovation und Organisation" of the DGfE section Organisational Pedagogy on 16.2.2023 at the University of Linz.

Theoretische Erkundung des Regelschulsystems als Kontext inklusiver Schulentwicklung, lecture at the annual conference of the Graduiertenkolleg "Inklusion - Bildung - Schule : Analysen von Prozessen gesellschaftlicher Teilhabe" on 07.10.2022 at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Individualising mixed grades from 1 to 10: Ethnographic observations on dealing with developmental expectations in a state school experiment (together with Till-Sebastian Idel) in the symposium "Relational Perspectives on the Change of School & Teaching" on 17.6.2022 at the 7th Educational Ethnography Conference "What's new?!" at the European University of Flensburg.

Uncertainty as a moment of reform pedagogical school development, lecture given in the context of the Alternative School Worlds research forum at the DGfE congress "Ent|genz|ungen" on 16 March 2022 at the University of Bremen

The regular school system as a socio-spatial context of inclusive school development, guest lecture at the network conference of the Research Training Group Inclusion - Education - School: "School as a social space in the social space in the context of inclusive school development" on 13 January 2022 at the Ruhr University Bochum

Where are we going, what have we achieved in 100 years: Alexander S. Neill and Célestin Freinet walking side by side?, panellist (together with Franz Steinberger and Henry Redhead) on 5 October 2021 at the Summerhill festival, online in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF5Q3uPyv_k.

Epistemic Practices of Theorising and Reflecting in School Development. Observations from the accompanying research on the PRIMUS school trial (together with Till-Sebastian Idel), held on 24 September 2021 at the section conference "Reflection and reflexivity in teaching, school and teacher education" of the DGfE School Pedagogy Section

PRIMUS schools as an inclusive reform initiative. Findings from the accompanying scientific research, held on 16 October 2020 at the symposium on inclusion in education, higher education and the world of work at Heidelberg University of Teacher Education

The PRIMUS ^1-10 school trial in NRW. A school development and professional theory discussion of selected research results (lecture together with Aysun Doğmuş), held on 28 January 2020 in Kassel as part of the lecture "Not for school we learn"

Professional patterns of interpretation of school development in the PRIMUS school trial (lecture), held on 9 July 2020 at the digital workshop discussion "Alternative Schulwelten. Research on and about reform schools"

Interpretation patterns as a way of determining the relationship between school development and professionalisation (lecture), held in Frankfurt on 28 March 2019 at the workshop "Schultheorie und Schulentwicklung - Theoretische Perspektiven auf Veränderungsprozesse von Schule"

Shaping schools yourself? Insights into the PRIMUS school trial (workshop), held in Oldenburg on 7 June 2018 as part of the "Schools of the future" lecture series organised by the Kreidestaub Initiative Oldenburg

Local school reform as a complex addressing process. Recognition and difference construction in the PRIMUS school trial (lecture together with Till-Sebastian Idel), held in Essen on 20 March 2018 at the DGfE congress

PRIMUS WB - Wissenschaftliche Begleitung des Schulversuchs PRIMUS in Nordrhein-Westfalen (presentation together with Isabel Neto Carvalho), held in Kassel on 16 March 2016 at the DGfE congress

Bremen expert: school choice recommendations "are almost like guesswork" Interview on 18.10.2025 at buten un binnen. Online in: https://www.butenunbinnen.de/nachrichten/bremen-bildung-gymnasium-schulwahlempfehlung-experte-100.html .

Workshop 'Attitude and school development' at the Freinet pedagogical further education 'train the trainer' together with Ulrike Watermann on 3-5 October 2025 in Issum.

Conference report: Strengthening democracy: Why it depends on the schools. In: Questions and experiments 49, H. 191 (2019), p. 15-17.

Pauling, S.: How do schools improve? In conversation with Anna Grabosch and Max Frederic Remmert. In Espresso - the educational science podcast about school and society from 22 November 2024. online in: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2mnzWTAVYKsuB4ObYTebr6?si=2b494ba0dbbf490c&nd=1&dlsi=80ae97f79c7845cf.

Technology and reflexivity. Interferences of science transfer and reconstructive school development research. Lecture as part of the series Knowledge transfer in education of the AK Uni im Kontext of MLU Halle-Wittenberg on 30 October 2024, online in: https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxnTTAl2740.

Pauling, S. (2023): Jahrgangsübergreifendes Lernen - revisited, in: PaedOL 2023 (110), pp. 12-15, online in https://oldenburg.gewweserems.de/2023/09/die-neue-ausgabe-der-paedol-ist-erschienen/.

What the hell is school pedagogy. Systematic and systematic conditions of teachers' work. Lecture as part of the lecture series Kreativ & organisiert. Impulses for sustainable cultural projects at schools, organised by the Museum Sinclair-Haus (Art and Nature) and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, held on 18.11.2023.

Independent schools targeted by the extreme right. Film screening and panel discussion together with André Aden, Sarah Guddat, Matthias Olk at the University of Bremen on 8/11/2023.

Paradoxes and systemic work in school development. Guest contribution to the working group Systemic Work in Schools of the Systemic Society & the German Society for Systemic Therapy on 27 September 2023, online in: https://systemische-gesellschaft.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/S.Pauling-Paradoxien-und-systemisches-Arbeiten-in-der-Schulentwicklung.pdf .

Pauling, S. (2023): Podcast #11 'Operating on the open heart': Uncertainty and overcoming it in inclusive school development in the ZfIB's Inclusion Issues podcast series, online in: https://inklusionsfragen.podigee.io/11-pauling.

Where are we going, what have we achieved in 100 years: Alexander S. Neill and Célestin Freinet walking side by side?, panellist (together with Franz Steinberger and Henry Redhead) on 5 October 2021 at the Summerhill festival, online in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF5Q3uPyv_k.

Pauling, S. (2021): "Independent schools have a lot of potential". Interview on buten un binnen, Radio Bremen.

Schäfer, J. (2020): More equal opportunities in education. How the PRIMUS school works. Interview with Sven Pauling, in: up2date. The online magazine of the University of Bremen, online at: https://up2date.uni-bremen.de/forschung/mehr-chancengleichheit-in-der-bildung.

Doğmuş, A., Huf, C., Idel, T.-S., Pauling, S. (2019): The PRIMUS school trial in North Rhine-Westphalia - Years ^1-10 In: School Administration NRW 4/2020, pp. 107-110.

Pauling, S., Idel, T.-S. (2019). Mixed year groups in the long form. Experiences from the PRIMUS school trial. In: Pedagogy 3/2019, pp. 38-41.

Summary of the final report of the scientific accompanying research of the PRIMUS school trial, event of the Bündnis länger gemeinsam lernen, Münster on 5 April 2019 together with Till-Sebastian Idel (University of Bremen).

Pauling, S., Idel, T.-S. (2019): Mixed year groups in the long form. Experiences from the PRIMUS school trial. In: Pedagogy 3/2019, pp. 38-41.

Pauling, S. (2019): The PRIMUS school trial in North Rhine-Westphalia, in: FuV 43, H. 170 (2019), pp. 9-12.

Pauling, S. (2019): Reform pedagogy as a Janus head?, in: FuV 42, H.166 (2018), pp. 17-21.

Pauling, S. (2019): Freinet and structure, in: FuV 41, H. 163 (2018), pp. 36-38.

Pauling, S. (2018): Designing school yourself? Insights into the PRIMUS school trial, workshop for students of the Kreidestaub Initiative at the University of Oldenburg.