"Moment of appreciation and reflection"

Focus on good teaching: The first Day of Teaching and Learning will take place at the University of Oldenburg on Wednesday, 29 November. In this interview, Prof Dr Sabine Kyora, Vice President for Studies, Teaching and Gender equality, explains why good teaching is so important to her. Ms Kyora, you are the patron of the 1st Day of Teaching and Learning. What was the impetus for you? As a lecturer, but of course also as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Teaching and Gender equality, I realise that there are many colleagues at our university who are particularly concerned about good teaching. On the one hand, we see this as "day-to-day business" - just as it is for the students in their daily work - but we also put a lot of preparation into the individual events. The "Day of Teaching and Learning" is intended to provide a moment of appreciation and reflection on these routines. And it made sense to me to combine the 1st Day of Teaching and Learning with the award ceremony for the Teaching Prize. Who do you want to reach with this day? Teaching and learning always encompasses the perspective of both teachers and students. Both sides bear responsibility for successful learning processes. That's why we consider both groups to be equally part of the target group, as well as all other employees who support teaching and learning. There is a varied programme - which elements are particularly important to you? I am very pleased that the Schools are organising events full of ideas that get everyone involved in the topic of teaching and learning talking. In the afternoon programme, the workshops are particularly important to me because they focus on concrete suggestions for students and lecturers. You yourself are taking part in a panel discussion on the topic of teaching - what are the challenges facing today's teachers? The conditions under which teaching and learning take place have changed a lot in recent years. The heterogeneity of students is a buzzword, for example, and digitalisation is also leading to different learning and teaching conditions. When I gave my first lecture in Oldenburg, a PowerPoint presentation was still a challenge; now there are completely different options to choose from. Nevertheless - I'm a literary scholar - a seminar is sometimes particularly good when you get to analyse a text together in a very "old-fashioned" way. On this day, the university also awards the Teaching Prize - a format that is particularly close to your heart? It is important to me that the commitment of lecturers who organise their courses with a great deal of professionalism, creativity and passion is recognised accordingly. The prize has a long tradition here at the university. A special feature is that only students are entitled to nominate candidates. This means that the nomination itself is a particularly motivating sign of appreciation for the teaching staff. In addition, a particularly good result in the course evaluation can win you a prize. Teachers must apply for this themselves with their results.