Pixel International Conferences

Since 2020, professional learning communities [1] have been established as part of the Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, in which digital learning concepts with a theory-practice connection [2] are developed (Digital Learning Communities for Coherent Learning Support, DiLe). The goal is to improve the cooperation between the accompanying teachers in the practical semester (mentors) and teachers at the university.From the perspective of subject education, current subject education topics are prepared as digital learning modules, for instance educational reconstruction, misconceptions or language-sensitive teaching. Furthermore this kind of a professional teacher training aims to support students’ learning during their practical studies.

The entire project includes pedagogical, psychological and subject educational components. For chemistry learning, the development process took place jointly between subject education experts and students. Each module consists of a creative introduction (films, picture galleries, comics, etc.), a screencast with all main contents and an exercice phase. The total processing time for each module is approx. 45 to 60 min. After that, all modules were piloted by teachers. [3]

The piloting was evaluated according to three criteria: exemplary evaluation of individual module modules by practice partners, use of a mixed-methods design (questionnaire and interviews), piloting of evaluation instruments. The developed questionnaire focuses on the areas: design of the modules, content satisfaction as well as benefits for the teachers. These were evaluated by a polarity profile and additionally by 4-level Likert scales. Moreover, wishes for further structural elements were surveyed. The interviews focused on the added value of the modules, the handling of the questionnaire and general hints and recommendations of the teachers. [4]

The poster presents the results of the development process, the results of the piloting and further revision of the modules. Finally, recommendations for the main phase of the project will be discussed.

Keywords: digital learning communities, teacher training, chemistry education

References:

[1] M. Bonsen, H.-G. Rolff, ZfPäd, 2006, 2, 167-184.

[2] K. A. Hellmann, et al. (Ed.). (2019). Kohärenz in der Lehrerbildung: Theorien, Modelle und empirische Befunde, Springer VS, 2019.

[3] P. Engelmann, T. Jünger, V. Woest, heiEdUCATION Journal, in peer review.

[4] P. Engelmann, V. Woest, in: Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, Jahrestagung 2020. S. Habig (Ed.), 2021, Duisburg-Essen, 322-325.