Eight lecturers from the University of Oldenburg received the Teaching Prize for the 2014/15 academic year at a ceremony open to the university under the patronage of Prof Dr Gunilla Budde, Vice President for Studies and Teaching.
For the first time, the jury awarded a special prize in the category "Best Major Event". The winners each receive 1,000 euros in prize money for teaching. With the Teaching Prize, the university recognises outstanding university teaching and at the same time encourages a debate about teaching and learning processes at the university. "The proposals submitted impressively convey how well the teaching staff who have now been honoured succeed in supporting students in their learning processes in a motivating and activating way. An attractive learning environment is crucial for the success of students and therefore a central pillar of our university," explained Prof Dr Gunilla Budde at the award ceremony.
In the 2014/15 academic year, students were once again invited to nominate particularly successful courses and modules for the Teaching Award. A jury selected this year's award winners from the nominations received. This year's prize in the "Best Module" category went to physicist Prof Dr Martin Holthaus for his successful teaching of complex fundamentals. In the "Best Event" category, the jury recognised the didactic concept on conflict management in schools by Olaf Meyer-Ahrens from the Institute of Educational Sciences. Prof Dr Jutta Kunz (Institute of Physics), Dr Thorsten Plaggenborg (Institute of Chemistry) and Prof Dr Björn Poppe, Thomas Albin and Andreas Schönfeld (Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics) taught students "In-depth Observation Techniques in Astrophysics" and thus impressed in the "Research-based Learning" category.
The students' vote counted in a different way for the "Best large-scale event" award: Lecturers were able to apply themselves with the results of their course evaluation. Computing Science Professor Dr Axel Hahn came out on top with his teaching of Business Informatics.
The University of Oldenburg has been honouring outstanding achievements by university lecturers since 1998. The jury is made up of lecturers, students and a representative of the Oldenburg University Society (UGO). The "Teaching Prize" is sponsored by the UGO.
The award winners at a glance
Category: Best module
Prof Dr Martin Holthaus (School V, Institute of Physics)
Module: Theoretical Physics I: Classical Particles and Fields I
From the jury's statement: Existing difficulties in understanding are taken seriously throughout, they are addressed in a didactically exemplary manner; special challenges are realistically assessed. Appropriate and student-orientated "portioning" and increasing of the demanding content and requirements, successful script as accompanying material
Category: Best event
Olaf Meyer-Ahrens (School I, Institute of Educational Sciences)
Course: Conflict management in secondary I and secondary II general education schools
From the jury's statement: successful contribution to teacher training in which school theory, practical, skills-orientated training and research orientation overlap and complement each other in a targeted manner
Category: Research-based learning
Prof Dr Jutta Kunz (Faculty V, Institute of Physics), Dr Thorsten Plaggenborg (Faculty V, Institute of Chemistry), Prof Dr Björn Poppe, Thomas Albin and Andreas Schönfeld (Faculty VI, Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics) in collaboration with the team from the C2PU observatory in Nice (France)
Event: Advanced observation techniques in astrophysics
From the jury statement: Students' methodological and research skills are significantly expanded in an exemplary, contemporary and international context. The students' largely independent planning and activity can be observed, with appropriate and target-orientated support from the teaching staff
Category: Best large event (more than 80 students)
Prof. Dr Axel Hahn, School II, Department of Computing Science
Course: Business Informatics 1
Lecturers were able to apply for the "Best large course" award with the results of their course evaluation. Prof Dr Axel Hahn scored best among the applicants with his overall assessment by the students in the course evaluation.
