General Studies



Physics

Monika Reimer
Energy: (Not) a topic for primary school? A study on pupils’ conceptions of energy

Eva-Maria Pahl
Your teacher, the unknown entity: How do general studies and physics teachers understand and teach the topic of ‘energy’?

For sustainable teaching and learning, it is essential that lecturers and learners understand one another not only linguistically but also in terms of their conceptual frameworks, and thus ‘speak the same language’.
This requires a fundamental understanding of both pupils’ and teachers’ conceptions of the topic of energy, which are surveyed and analysed in the two doctoral theses presented here. The aim of this co-operation project between the fields of general studies and physics education is to develop pupil- and teacher-oriented guidance for classroom teaching and for teacher training.

Marie-Ann Mowka & Anja Kizil
Who recognises and who wins? Tracing the acquisition of knowledge through experimentation
Traditionally, the use of experiments has been highly valued in science teaching. In this context, one important function of experimentation is, amongst other things, to foster a scientific way of thinking and working. Based on the findings of our research, these two presentations aim to provide biology and chemistry teachers with practical teaching suggestions, which can then be discussed.

Mathematics

German

Alexander Meyer
A practical diagnostic approach in algebra? Opportunities for a pupil-centred assessment based on algebraic thought patterns
Pupils’ individual ways of thinking form a central starting point for designing pupil-centred maths lessons. The presentation will analyse diagnostic tasks that help teachers better understand the thought processes at work in pupils’ minds when studying algebra. It will then present typical patterns of thinking exhibited by pupils, which can guide teachers in analysing pupils’ thinking in algebra.

Frederike Schmidt
Assessing reading competence – a challenge for German teachers
The assessmentofreading skills is regarded as the basis for providing targeted support to pupils. At the same time, however, this presents German teachers with the challenge of deciding independently how they can (best) observe and assess individual abilities, learning processes and learning difficulties in the area of reading. Against this background, this paper examines (1) the experience-based (knowledge) foundations on which German teachers base their diagnostic judgements in everyday teaching practice and presents (2) ideas on how subject-specific pedagogy can support them in this diagnostic process. The presentation will outline research findings from a study involving secondary school teachers.

General Studies

Biology

Iris Lüschen
“Polar bears will only be found in zoos then” – pupils’ perceptions of the consequences of global climate change
It is now almost impossible to imagine everyday adult life without the issue of global climate change. A constant stream of news reports either unsettles or reassures us. But to what extent are primary school children also confronted with this issue? Do they perceive climate change as an environmental problem? And if so, what ideas do they have, for example, about its possible consequences? These and other questions are the focus of a research project that will be presented in a talk by Iris Lüschen.

Kerstin Heusinger von Waldegge
Teachers’ concepts regarding the assessment of pupils’ ‘evaluation’ competence
Fostering evaluation competence is an important teaching objective (not only) in today’s biology lessons. But how can teachers assess this pupil competence during the learning process, or even evaluate it after the lesson? The presentation aims to offer suggestions and introduce diagnostic tools that provide teachers with guidance for their (mostly unconscious) assessment processes. The recommendations stem from a research project in which the approaches of experienced teachers to assessing pupils’ ‘evaluation’ skills were documented and discussed.

General Studies

Computing Science

Stine Albers
Unemployment – a topic for primary school!?
This question will be explored, on the one hand, from a theoretical perspective based on subject didactics and, on the other hand, the findings of an interview study will be presented in which general studies teachers expressed their views on ‘unemployment’ as a topic in primary school general studies. The findings from both lines of inquiry will then be compared and contrasted, and conclusions drawn with regard to the question “Unemployment – a topic for primary school!?”

Ana-Maria Mesaros
What professional development for which computer science teachers?
To be effective, professional development should take into account computer science teachers’ subjective theories regarding the didactic structuring of computer science lessons. To this end, computer science teachers were interviewed using a semi-standardised guided interview to ask about the design of a lesson unit on the topic of networks/the internet. Guidelines for incorporating computer science teachers’ ideas into professional development programmes are then developed.

Stefan Schmidt
Learning materials and their significance for the learning of pupils and teachers – case studies on the topic of ‘describing motion’
Although learning materials could play a central role in ensuring long-term quality assurance in the education system, they have so far received little attention in current discussions on the further development of schools and teaching. The presentation emphasises that learning materials can be equally relevant to the learning of both pupils and teachers. Using the topic of ‘motion description’ as an example, an outline of the issues will be developed, and the potential for the further development of learning materials will be explored on the basis of studies that have been carried out.

Teaching and Learning Research

German

Sandra Middeldorf
The epistemic beliefs of primary school teachers and their connection to planning behaviour
Epistemic beliefs are ideas and convictions about knowledge, e.g. regarding the objectivity, accuracy or validity of information or learning content. Research has shown that these beliefs influence information processing, learning behaviour, motivation to learn and even learning outcomes in individuals. How, then, do teachers’ epistemic beliefs influence their teaching?
As part of this course, we will design and discuss scenarios that examine teachers’ epistemic beliefs and their relationship to teaching. After all, who hasn’t always wanted to know: what do teachers think about knowledge?

Annika Zylka
Promoting writing skills using the ‘report’ text type as an example
The main aim of this study is to investigate teachers’ conceptions of the ‘report’ text type and the teaching of report-writing skills. In addition to conducting problem-centred, guided interviews and a subsequent video-recorded classroom observation, this three-phase study also involves a case-study-style stimulated recall using relevant video clips. Potential interim findings to be presented in the planned lecture include insights into lesson structuring, the use of methods and materials, knowledge of and consideration for pupils’ conceptions, as well as teachers’ experiences and associated attitudes.

Manuela Hillje
Subject-specific pedagogical knowledge + mathematical subject knowledge = good teaching?
For several years now, research into teachers’ knowledge has emphasised the influence of subject-specific pedagogical knowledge and mathematical subjectknowledge. Using a case study involving five completely different lecturers, the presentation demonstrates how subject-specific pedagogical knowledge and mathematical subject knowledge are utilised in lesson planning and how they relate to the quality of teaching.

Stephanie Schlump
Teaching mathematical problem-solving is a skill that can be learnt!
Problem-solving is one of the key process-based competences that pupils are expected to acquire in maths lessons. Lecturers face the challenge of structuring their lessons to foster their pupils’ problem-solving skills. Drawing on the expertise of experienced teachers, this session aims to highlight ways in which teachers can master this task, from both a theoretical and a practical perspective.

Indre Döpke
Teaching environmental history: relevance or a marginal existence?
Environmental education has played a role in schools since the 1980s. However, the concept of historical environmental education has not managed to establish itself within the subject of history; nevertheless, the sub-discipline persists in the context of school policy. It is likely that the ‘marginalised status’ of environmental history is also due to the fact that lecturers do not classify it as a distinct discipline within history; consequently, they are unaware of its topics and questions and find it difficult to structure their lessons accordingly. The aim of this study is to develop new guidelines for the environmental history dimension of history teaching, drawing on subject-specific and pedagogical perspectives on the topic of ‘teaching environmental history’ as well as the ideas and approaches of practising lecturers.

Georg Götz
Do teachers from other subjects teach differently? Perceptions and teaching practice of history teachers

Sonja Borski
The Facebook revolution in the classroom. Lecturers’ views on the ‘internet’ in politics lessons

Chemistry

Physics

Mika Nashan-Mönich
Didactic reconstruction of the topic ‘Colour of substances’
The mostly implicit ubiquity of very different meanings of ‘colour’ is not uncontroversial, neither for experts nor for laypeople. The school subjects of biology and physics treat colour as a characteristic of light or as a perception, though usually in a fragmentary manner and with little cross-curricular integration. The significance and origin of colour as a characteristic property of matter is rarely addressed explicitly even in chemistry lessons; the teaching of fundamental, basic and universally applicable concepts to explain the colour of substances is not provided for in many curricula.
This presentation will outline the findings of surveys documenting the resulting lack of interconnection among school pupils and university students. Building on these learners’ understandings, the presentation will propose learning pathways for the curricular exploration of the topic ‘colour of substances’, incorporating contributions from other subjects for discussion.
‘Colour of substances’ can be used as a gateway to and a means of linking basic concepts in chemistry as early as lower secondary level, as has already been proposed, for example, for the structure-property concept. Furthermore, it will be demonstrated that the topic ‘Colour of Substances’ can provide a gateway to a model-based understanding of energy, both at the macroscopic level and at the abstract submicroscopic or symbolic level. The presentation will offer brief insights into a collection of interactive teaching materials.

Chris Richter
Old wine in new bottles? Task-based competence in physics departments at Haupt- and Realschulen
Teacher training is becoming an increasingly important element of lifelong professional development for teachers. As the demands placed on school education in our knowledge-based society are changing rapidly, professional development can help teachers keep up, both in terms of subject knowledge and, above all, subject-specific teaching methods. But how must professional development be organised to be effective? How do teachers respond to professional development opportunities, for example in the much-discussed area of learning tasks? This presentation reports on a study in which a group of teachers developed learning tasks, tested them themselves and were systematically encouraged to reflect on the processes taking place.