Dissertations
Dissertations
The dissertations are colour-coded according to our research focus, whereby only the primary focus is marked here. In fact, most of the theses touch on several key areas.
Subject-specific didactic transfer research
Dr Nicolai ter Horst (2025)
digitalchemlab : conception, implementation and evaluation of digitally differentiated learning modules for the student laboratory
The great heterogeneity of pupils pushes traditional teaching concepts orientated towards the "average learner" to their limits. Individualisation and differentiation are therefore considered key strategies, but require teachers to have extensive diagnostic and conceptual skills. The use of digital media opens up new possibilities here, but also harbours structural and pedagogical challenges. Subject didactics has the task of developing suitable methods for digitally differentiated teaching and testing their effectiveness. Student labs play a special role in this, as they can test new approaches as extracurricular learning centres and convey enthusiasm for subject content to learners in open settings. The aim of this work is to design, implement and evaluate a method that combines the integrative use of digital media with differentiating measures: digitally differentiated learning modules. These were initially developed for use in student laboratories in order to promote motivation, self-direction and cooperative learning, and in the long term should also expand the methodological repertoire of teachers in regular lessons. The work sets out the theoretical foundations from learning psychology, research on student laboratories and digitalisation in science lessons, describes the development and implementation of the learning modules in the student laboratory and presents the results of an accompanying evaluation. Finally, the findings are critically discussed and perspectives for research and practice are outlined.
Digitalisation in extracurricular places of learning Advertisements in dbt Dr Nicolai ter Horst
Dr Antonia Wallbraun, née Fruntke (2025)
Didactic reconstruction of current research at the interface of nanotechnology and medicine
The dissertation is dedicated to the didactic reconstruction of current research at the interface of nanotechnology and medicine. The aim is to prepare applications of nanomedicine - in particular polymer-based nanoparticulate transport systems - for future-oriented chemistry teaching and teacher training. In close co-operation between specialised science and didactics, central concepts are identified, experiments and teaching materials are developed, tested, evaluated and made available as an educational offer.
Subject didactic transfer research Display in OOPS Dr Antonia Wallbraun
Dr Björn Bartram (2023)
From "Nano" to Green Chemistry: Didactic conceptualisation of current research topics for schools and student laboratories
People are facing many global challenges today and will continue to do so in the future, including climate change. Many different approaches are being researched to tackle these challenges and ultimately utilised in the form of new technologies and materials in the everyday lives of many people, so that processes ultimately become more sustainable, more efficient or simply more convenient. One important example is the field of nanotechnology and nanosciences - summarised as nano for short. Even if nano tends to be associated as an abstract topic of the future, it is already firmly established in the everyday lives of many people. Nanomaterials are already regularly used in technical applications or as an ingredient in sun cream. The actual potential of nano does not yet seem to be fully understood and is only just being increasingly developed, so that such materials are likely to gain in importance in the coming years.
However, the use of nano is not necessarily free of risks for humans and the environment, so that not all uses of this new technology are sensible or sustainable, as researchers are gradually realising. Rather, it seems necessary to take a differentiated view of the individual applications and to evaluate the respective use so that the important new potentials can be utilised with the lowest possible risk. This makes it all the more critical that an increase in the use of nano in everyday life can currently be assumed, while at the same time many users are unaware of its use. For a fact-based discussion on the sensible use of nano, consumers need to be educated. To this end, the opportunities and risks of the technology should be highlighted and weighed against each other so that consumers can judge for themselves which use they think is right.
The necessary skills for assessment could be taught at school in STEM lessons or in other educational programmes. The topic of nano does not yet appear in all curricula, but has been included as a topic in chemistry lessons as part of the general educational standards. However, it remains to be seen whether the teachers themselves have the necessary skills. This is because the subject is only gradually being included in the degree programmes for the teaching profession and the available formal and non-formal educational opportunities for active teachers are in some cases regionally limited. With the inclusion of nano in the general educational standards, it can therefore be assumed that there will be a sharp increase in demand for well-founded educational programmes in Germany. The teaching of nano is not only a challenge for the education sector, but also an opportunity to learn important skills based on a recent development or a current research topic.
Based on this, contributions to the further didactic development of nano for schools and student laboratories are developed and presented with the help of the model of didactic transfer research. Not only are the didactic perspectives of learners and teachers recorded, but the essential specialised didactic concepts of nano are also identified so that common guidelines or guiding concepts can be constructed from them. These form the basis for the development of nano in the form of new experiments, new working materials and also formats in which students or teachers can develop competences in this area.
Subject didactic transfer research Advertisements in TUBS Dr Björn Bartram
Dr Michael Peetz (2019)
Evaluation of students' ideas with the help of animations. The dissolving process of sugar and salt in water
In order to be able to teach well, teachers need to be aware of both the subject-specific basics of the topic to be taught and the (mis)conceptions of the pupils. In this study, student perceptions were surveyed, whereby, in contrast to previous practice, the perceptions were not collected with pen and paper via drawings, texts or interviews, but with the help of animation software. The pupils were asked to visualise and reflect on their ideas using this software. A total of 44 pupils from years 7 and 10 took part in the study and visualised the dissolving process of sugar and table salt. In particular, the study has further ideas with regard to the temporal sequence of the dissolving process.
Digitalisation in extracurricular learning spaces Displays in OOPS Dr Michael Peetz
Prof Dr Timm Wilke (2017)
Conceptualisation of the topic "Nano" for chemistry lessons
Both today and in the future, humanity is facing a variety of social challenges against the backdrop of a rapidly growing world population and climate change. Nanosciences and nanotechnology represent a current and important field of research that is considered to make a significant contribution to overcoming these problems. Despite their great importance in business, science and society, however, content from this subject area has so far only been implemented hesitantly in formal and non-formal educational contexts. This raises a number of questions, first and foremost whether this topic is suitable for teaching outside the university and how it can be addressed didactically. Following on from this, the present work will first analyse the potential of nanotechnology for teaching in schools, school laboratories and universities from various perspectives. It is emphasised that nanosciences offer a wide range of opportunities for chemistry lessons. Building on this foundation, contributions to the didactic conceptualisation of this subject area will then be presented. As part of a didactic reconstruction, which provides the methodological framework for conceptualisation, the subject structure is clarified in order to highlight the elementary concepts for teaching. Equally important are the perspectives and pre-concepts of learners and teachers, which, along with intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to instructional treatment, are to be empirically analysed and identified. Finally, the identified subject-specific concepts and the perspectives of learners and teachers are linked with each other so that guidelines for didactic structuring can be derived from them. On this basis, concepts, teaching units, materials and courses for schools, student laboratories and teacher (further) training are developed, practically implemented, evaluated and further optimised in a cyclical design in the main part of this work. The research and development work will be carried out systematically and in line with the basic concepts of chemistry in order to ensure an optimal connection to the educational standards of German core curricula.
Subject didactic transfer research Advertisements in SUB Prof Timm Wilke