Martina Funk

Martina Funk is a Research Fellow (Habilitandin) at Pädagogische Hochschule Schwäbisch Gmünd (Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education) in the Department of Sociology as part of the FuN-Kolleg "Heterogenität gestalten – starke Grundschulen entwickeln" (Shaping Heterogeneity - Developing Strong Primary Schools). Her work focuses on social inequality in education systems, school development in disadvantaged areas, and the application of artificial intelligence in primary education contexts.

Dr. Funk's educational background includes:

• Master's in School Management (2014-2018) from Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau (completed part-time)
• Teacher training for secondary schools at Pädagogische Hochschule Schwäbisch Gmünd (2008-2011)
• Preparatory service for secondary school teaching (2012-2013)

Her primary research interests center around social-spatial educational inequality, heterogeneity in primary education, and quality characteristics of schools in disadvantaged areas. Dr. Funk employs both quantitative and qualitative educational research methods to examine how school environments impact student outcomes, with particular attention to reading comprehension and the implementation of artificial intelligence in elementary education settings. Her work bridges sociological perspectives with practical educational concerns, aiming to develop more equitable and effective primary schools through evidence-based approaches to school development.

Dr. Funk's recent publications reveal a strong focus on spatial educational inequality and the development of tools like the Grundschulsozialindex (Primary School Social Index) to identify and address disparities in school environments. Her research increasingly incorporates digital education and artificial intelligence applications in primary schools, examining how these technologies can be implemented equitably across diverse school settings. She frequently collaborates with colleagues like S. Immerfall and A. Kürzinger on projects related to school development in disadvantaged contexts, with publications spanning journal articles, book chapters, and conference presentations.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Waxmann Poster Prize (2021) for her work "Leistungsstarke und sozial gerechte Grundschulen. Eine indikatorengestützte Sozialraumbeschreibung am Beispiel baden-württembergischer Grundschulen"

Dr. Funk actively supervises thesis work on topics related to spatial educational inequalities and AI in schools, requiring students to submit proposals with clear sociological connections to her research interests. Her research is supported through the FuN-Kolleg framework at Pädagogische Hochschule Schwäbisch Gmünd, which focuses on developing strong primary schools that effectively manage heterogeneity. She has presented her work at numerous national conferences including those of the German Society for Educational Science (DGfE) and the German Sociological Association (DGS), demonstrating strong engagement with the academic community.

As a member of the FuN-Kolleg research team, Dr. Funk collaborates with colleagues across multiple institutions on projects examining school development in disadvantaged areas. Her current major project is "ZuG" (Zukunftsfähige Grundschulen), a mixed-methods study investigating the conditions for successful primary schools in socially disadvantaged locations. She also participates in research on AI understanding and inclusive digital education through projects like "SmartStart," which examines digital participation for primary school students across diverse school settings.