The many faces of GESIS
Vita
Natascha Massing currently is a member of the national project management team for the Programme for the International Asssessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). Furthermore, she is a member of the international Consortium for PIAAC. Before that she worked for the PIAAC-Leibniz-Network (PIAAC-Leibniz-Netzwerk "Kompetenzerwerb und -nutzung im Erwachsenenalter – Netzwerk zur Analyse, Weiterentwicklung und Verbreitung von PIAAC"). Her main tasks were developing questionnaire items for adult education/further training. Her research in this project focused on the participation in adult education and training and on educational barriers.Natascha Massing studied Social Sciences at the University of Mannheim (2002-2007), with a stay at the University of Connecticut. After completion of her studies, she was a Carlo-Schmid Fellow at the International Organization for Migration in Geneva. She is a researcher at GESIS since 2008.
Research
Education and competencies, participation in adult education and educational barriers, migration.Publications
Journal article
Massing, Natascha, Britta Gauly, Silke Martin, Sanja Kapidzic, Beatrice Rammstedt, and Anouk Zabal. 2025. "A first look at low literates in PIAAC Germany 2023." International Journal of Lifelong Education online first: . doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2025.2520491.
Massing, Natascha, Silke L. Schneider, and Beatrice Rammstedt. 2025. "Elternhaus, Einwanderungsalter und Co: Zum Einfluss sozialer Faktoren auf die Lesekompetenzen in PIAAC in Deutschland ." weiter bilden - DIE Zeitschrift für Erwachsenenbildung 32 (3): 34-37. https://www.die-bonn.de/id/42354/.
Massing, Natascha, Martina Wasmer, Christof Wolf, and Cornelia Züll. 2019. "How Standardized is Occupational Coding? : A Comparison of Results from Different Coding Agencies in Germany." Journal of Official Statistics: . doi: https://doi.org/10.2478/jos-2019-0008.
Widany, Sarah, Johannes Christ, Britta Gauly, Natascha Massing, and Madlain Hoffmann. 2019. "The quality of data on participation in adult education and training: An analysis of varying participation rates and patterns under consideration of survey design and measurement effects." Frontiers in Sociology 4 (71): . https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2019.00071.
Massing, Natascha, and Britta Gauly. 2017. " Training Participation and Gender: Analyzing Individual Barriers Across Different Welfare State Regimes." Adult Education Quarterly 67 (4): 266–285. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0741713617715706.
Massing, Natascha, and Silke L. Schneider. 2017. "Degrees of competency: the relationship between educational qualifications and adult skills across countries." Large-scale Assessments in Education 5 (6): 1-34. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-017-0041-y.
Maehler, Débora B., Natascha Massing, Susanne Helmschrott, Beatrice Rammstedt, Ursula M. Staudinger, and Christof Wolf. 2014. "Erhebliche Kompetenzunterschiede im Erwachsenenalter nach Bildungsgruppen : Ergebnisse von PIAAC 2012." Informationsdienst Soziale Indikatoren : ISI (52): 1-5. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-396178.
Ackermann-Piek, Daniela, and Natascha Massing. 2014. "Interviewer Behavior and Interviewer Characteristics in PIAAC Germany." mda : methods, data, analyses 2014 (8, 2): 199 -222. doi: https://doi.org/10.12758/mda.2014.008.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, Silke Martin, and Natascha Massing. 2013. "PIAAC 2012: Grundkompetenzen Erwachsener in Deutschland." ifo Schnelldienst 66 (22): 3-5. https://www.cesifo-group.de/DocDL/ifosd_2013_22_1.pdf.
Chapter in an edited book
Jacobs, Babs, Tim Huijts, Roy Meijer, Matthias Bluemke, Clemens Lechner, Natascha Massing, Matthias Roth, Silke L. Schneider, and Ranjit K. Singh. 2025. "Derived variables and validation of background questionnaire data." In Survey of Adult Skills 2023 Technical Report, edited by OECD ., 297-329. Paris: OECD Publishing. doi: https://doi.org/10.1787/80d9f692-en.
Jacobs, Babs, Tim Huijts, Dorothée Behr, Matthias Bluemke, Fabienne Kraemer, Clemens Lechner, Natascha Massing, Verena Ortmanns, Silke L. Schneider, and Anouk Zabal. 2025. "The Development of the PIAAC Cycle 2 Background Questionnaires." In Survey of Adult Skills 2023 Technical Report, edited by OECD ., 133-187. Paris: OECD Publishing. doi: https://doi.org/10.1787/80d9f692-en.
Allen, Jim, Rolf Van der Velden, Susanne Helmschrott, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, Beatrice Rammstedt, Anouk Zabal, and Matthias Von Davier. 2016. "The Development of the PIAAC Background Questionnaire." 2. In Technical Report of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), 1-48, section I, Chapter 3.
Massing, Natascha, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, Silke Martin, Anouk Zabal, and Beatrice Rammstedt. 2013. "Controlling Interviewers’ Work in PIAAC: the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies." In Interviewers' Deviations in Surveys – Impact, Reasons, Detection and Prevention, edited by Peter Winker, Natalja Menold, and Rolf Porst, Series Studies in Empirical Economics, 117-130. https://www.peterlang.com/abstract/title/15675?rskey=KuvAIr&result=1.
Maehler, Débora B., Natascha Massing, Susanne Helmschrott, Beatrice Rammstedt, Ursula M. Staudinger, and Christof Wolf. 2013. "Grundlegende Kompetenzen in verschiedenen Bevölkerungsgruppen." In Grundlegende Kompetenzen Erwachsener im internationalen Vergleich – Ergebnisse von PIAAC 2012, edited by Beatrice Rammstedt, 77-124. Münster: Waxmann. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-360687.
Martin, Silke, Anouk Zabal, Susanne Helmschrott, Daniela Ackermann, Natascha Massing, Beatrice Rammstedt, and Sabine Häder. 2013. "Qualitätssicherung, Design und Datenqualität." In Grundlegende Kompetenzen Erwachsener im internationalen Vergleich - Ergebnisse von PIAAC 2012, edited by Beatrice Rammstedt, 167-183. Münster: Waxmann. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-360687.
Monograph
Massing, Natascha. 2024. Investment in Human Capital: Formal Education, Training and Skills – Analyses with PIAAC: Dissertation. Mannheim: Universität Mannheim.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, Débora B. Maehler, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, Silke L. Schneider, and Anouk Zabal. 2024. PIAAC 2023 - Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse im Überblick: Zusammenfassung. Münster: Waxmann. doi: https://doi.org/10.31244/9783830999652.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, Débora B. Maehler, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, Silke L. Schneider, and Anouk Zabal. 2024. PIAAC 2023 - Grundlegende Kompetenzen Erwachsener im internationalen Vergleich. Münster: Waxmann. doi: https://doi.org/10.31244/9783830999652.
Maehler, Débora B., Natascha Massing, and Beatrice Rammstedt. 2014. Grundlegende Kompetenzen Erwachsener mit Migrationshintergrund im internationalen Vergleich: PIAAC 2012: [Basic skills of adults with a migration background in international comparison: PIAAC 2012]. Münster: Waxmann. https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/39604.
Zabal, Anouk, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, Susanne Helmschrott, Ingo Barkow, and Beatrice Rammstedt. 2014. PIAAC Germany 2012: Technical Report. Münster: Waxmann. https://www.gesis.org/fileadmin/piaac/Downloadbereich/TechnicalReport-ebook.pdf.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, Susanne Helmschrott, Anja Klaukien, Débora B. Maehler, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, and Anouk Zabal. 2013. PIAAC 2012 - Overview of the main results. Münster: Waxmann. https://www.gesis.org/fileadmin/piaac/Downloadbereich/PIAAC_Zusammenfassung_engl.pdf.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, Susanne Helmschrott, Anja Klaukien, Débora B. Maehler, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, and Anouk Zabal. 2013. PIAAC 2012 – Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse im Überblick. Münster: Waxmann. https://www.gesis.org/fileadmin/piaac/Downloadbereich/PIAAC_Zusammenfassung.pdf.
Data/Software
Zabal, Anouk, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, and Beatrice Rammstedt. 2025. Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, Cycle 2: PIAAC Germany 2023 – Scientific Use File. (ZA9009; Version 1.0.0) [Data set]. doi: https://doi.org/10.4232/1.14530.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, Silke Martin, Anouk Zabal, Ingo Konradt, Débora B. Maehler, Anja Perry, Natascha Massing, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, and Susanne Helmschrott. 2016. Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), Germany - Extended version – Regional data: Data file version 1.0.0 [ZA5846]. Cologne: GESIS Data Archive. doi:10.4232/1.12560 . https://search.gesis.org/research_data/ZA5846.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, Silke Martin, Anouk Zabal, Ingo Konradt, Débora B. Maehler, Anja Perry, Natascha Massing, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, and Susanne Helmschrott. 2016. Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), Germany - Reduced version: Data file version 2.2.0 [ZA5845]. Cologne: GESIS Data Archive. doi:10.4232/1.12660. https://search.gesis.org/research_data/ZA5845.
Presentation at a conference
Massing, Natascha, Silke L. Schneider, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, Silke Martin, and Anouk Zabal. 2025. "Bildungserfolg und grundlegende Kompetenzen. Invited Symposium: Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC 2023): Aktuelle Ergebnisse in Deutschland und im internationalen Vergleich." ." 12. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für empirische Bildungsforschung - GEBF 2025, Universität Mannheim, Mannheim, 2025-01-28.
Martin, Silke, Anouk Zabal, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, Natascha Massing, and Beatrice Rammstedt. 2025. "Grundlegende Kompetenzen in Deutschland im internationalen Vergleich." 12. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für empirische Bildungsforschung - GEBF 2025, Universität Mannheim, Mannheim, 2025-01-28.
Gauly, Britta, Sanja Kapidzic, Silke Martin, Natascha Massing, and Anouk Zabal. 2025. "Grundlegende Kompetenzen in verschiedenen Bevölkerungsgruppen. Invited Symposium: Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC 2023): Aktuelle Ergebnisse in Deutschland und im internationalen Vergleich." 12. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für empirische Bildungsforschung - GEBF 2025, Universität Mannheim, Mannheim, 2015-01-28.
Massing, Natascha, and Britta Gauly. 2025. "Participation in Adult Education by Different (Socio-demographic) Groups in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland: Results from PIAAC Cycle 2 ." Conference of the European Survey Research Association (ESRA) , Utrecht University, 2025-07-17.
Massing, Natascha, and Britta Gauly. 2025. "Participation in Adult Education by Different (Socio-Demographic) Groups in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland: Results from PIAAC Cycle 2 ." International PIAAC Research Conference 2025, GESIS - Leibniz-Institute for the Social Sciences, Mannheim, 2025-09-30.
Zabal, Anouk, Silke Martin, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, and Natascha Massing. 2024. "Expected and Unexpected Challenges in Collecting F2F Data for PIAAC Cycle 2 in Germany." 2024 International Workshop on Comparative Survey Design and Implementation Program (CSDI), Berlin, 2024-03-20.
Zabal, Anouk, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, Silke Martin, and Natascha Massing. 2023. "Face-to-Face Data Collection in Times of COVID-19: The German PIAAC Field Study." 2023 International Workshop on Comparative Survey Design and Implementation Program (CSDI), Granada, 2023-04-20.
Zabal, Anouk, Silke Martin, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, and Natascha Massing. 2023. "Face-to-Face Fieldwork in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Approach of PIAAC Germany to Motivate Participation." ESRA 2023 : 10th Conference of the European Survey Research Association, Milan (Italy), 2023-07-20.
Zabal, Anouk, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, Silke Martin, and Natascha Massing. 2023. "Finding a Balance Between Survey Requirements and Mitigation of Risks in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic." ESRA 2023: 10th Conference of the European Survey Research Association, Milan (Italy), 2023-07-18.
Massing, Natascha, Anouk Zabal, Britta Gauly, Sanja Kapidzic, Silke Martin, and Désirée Nießen. 2023. "Pooling Different Data Sources: Quality Control of Interviewers' Work in PIAAC Germany." ESRA 2023: 10th Conference of the European Survey Research Association, Milan, University of Milano - Bicocca, Mailand, 2023-07-19.
Massing, Natascha. 2022. "Training Participation of Migrants and Barriers to Training – A Cross-Country Comparison." International PIAAC Research Conference 2022, 2022-03-25.
Gauly, Britta, Sarah Widany, Natascha Massing, Johannes Christ, and Madlain Hoffmann. 2019. "Wer sind sie - und wenn ja, wie viele?: zur Qualität der Messung von Weiterbildungsbeteiligung.." 7. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Empirische Bildungsforschung (GEBF), Universität zu Köln, Köln, 2019-02-26.
Massing, Natascha, and Silke L. Schneider. 2017. "Education & Training - What is being Measured and What Needs to be Improved." PIAAC Research Conference, 2017-04-05.
Gauly, Britta, and Natascha Massing. 2017. "Learning Beyond Schooling: Estimating Training Effects on Individual Skills." GEBF Tagung 2017, 13.-15. März 2017, 2017-03-15.
Massing, Natascha, and Britta Gauly. 2016. "Participation in Adult Education and Gender: Analyzing Individual Barriers across Different Welfare State Regimes." ECER 2016, Leading Education: The Distinct Contributions of Educational Research and Researchers, 2016-08-26.
Massing, Natascha, and Britta Gauly. 2016. "Participation in adult education and gender: Analyzing individual barriers across different welfare state regimes." JURE 2016 - Education in a dynamic world: Facing the Future, 2016-07-05.
Gauly, Britta, and Natascha Massing. 2016. "Participation in Adult Education and Gender: Analyzing Indivudal Barriers across Different Welfare State Regimes." ESREA: 8th Triennial European Research Conference, 2016-09-08.
Massing, Natascha, and Britta Gauly. 2016. "Participation in Lifelong Education : Analyzing Individual Barriers across Different Welfare State Regimes." 4. Tagung der Gesellschaft für Empirische Bildungsforschung, 2016-03-09.
Massing, Natascha. 2015. "Vocational vs. Academic Qualifications and Basic Literacy and Numeracy Skills." 16th Biennial EARLI Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, 2015-08-25.
Massing, Natascha, Débora B. Maehler, Christof Wolf, and Ursula M. Staudinger. 2014. "Bildung, soziale Herkunft und grundlegende Kompetenzen." Tagung der Gesellschaft für Empirische Bildungsforschung (GEBF).
Schneider, Silke L., and Natascha Massing. 2014. "Degrees of competency: the relationship between educational qualifications and adult competencies across countries." International conference: How do education systems shape educational inequalities?.
Massing, Natascha, and Silke L. Schneider. 2014. "Der Zusammenhang zwischen Bildungsqualifikationen und Grundkompetenzen in verschiedenen Ländern." Tagung der Gesellschaft für Empirische Bildungsforschung (GEBF).
Schneider, Silke L., and Natascha Massing. 2014. "Zum Verhältnis von Bildungsabschlüssen und Kompetenzen Erwachsener im internationalen Vergleich." PIAAC-Forschungskonferenz.
Blom, Annelies, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, Julie Korbmacher, Ulrich Krieger, and Natascha Massing. 2013. "Comparing interviewer characteristics and explaining interviewer effects on nonresponse across three German face-to-face surveys." Explaining Interviewer Effects in Interviewer-Mediated Surveys, 2013-04-04.
Massing, Natascha, Daniela Ackermann-Piek, and Annelies Blom. 2013. "Interviewer characteristics & interviewer effects in PIAAC Germany." 5th Conference of the European Survey Research Association, 2013-07-16.
Ackermann-Piek, Daniela, and Natascha Massing. 2012. "Interviewerkontrolle und Prävention von Interviewerfälschungen bei PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies)." 48. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie, 2012-09-28.
Massing, Natascha, and Daniela Ackermann-Piek. 2011. "Controlling interviewers' work in PIAAC ‐ the Programme for the International Assessment of Adults Competencies." Workshop: Interviewers' Deviant Behaviour – Reasons, Detection, Prevention, 2011-10-27.
Rammstedt, Beatrice, and Natascha Massing. 2011. "Vergleichstests zur Berufscodierung nach ISCO08 basierend auf PIAAC Daten." Expertenworkshop zur Berufscodierung nach ISCO.
Presentation not at a conference
Schneider, Silke L., and Natascha Massing. 2015. "What do we lose when analyzing skills using insufficient social background measures? Evidence from the German PIAAC sample." MZES AB-A Kolloquium, Universität Mannheim, Mannheim, 20.10.2015, 2015-10-20.
Event
Massing, Natascha, and Silke L. Schneider. 2017. "Symposium VII: The social context of skills: Improving the PIAAC Background Questionnaire." PIAAC Research Conference, 2017-04-05.