Projects

Competencies for university teachers for more learning success in heterogeneous student groups through the use of eAssessments and eExams

• Duration: 01/2021 until 06/2022
• Third party funding: ESF / ILB
• Project Management: Boguslaw Malys
• wiss. Collaborators: Marlen Dubrau, Andreas Brandt, Sabine Seidel, Mathias Schulze

Brief description

Within the framework of the project, a certified training measure will be developed, carried out and accompanied during a subsequent practical phase. The training aims at qualifying teachers of all Brandenburg universities for a competent use of eAssessments in times of an increasingly diverse student body. The focus is on the individualized, fair and equal opportunity assessment of knowledge, performance and competencies before, during and after courses. It is also about the recording and evaluation of performance and learning curves as well as quick and personalized feedback.

>> All information can be found on the project homepage.

• Duration: 03/2012 until 12/2016
• Third party funding: BMBF
• Project Management: Prof. Dr. Annemarie Jost
• Project coordination: Tobias Falke
• Project collaboration: Tobias Kutzner, Christian Steinert
• List of publications

Brief description

In view of the highly heterogeneous structure of first-year students, the project places a special emphasis on overcoming deficiencies in mathematics skills. Within the framework of subject-specific pre-tests, which are offered via an information platform, prospective students should be enabled in sub-project 1 to assess whether they lack important prior knowledge in the field of mathematics (self-assessment).

At the same time, potentials and obstacles in the area of independent knowledge acquisition and self-management are to be identified and those willing to study are to be encouraged to attend preliminary courses if necessary. The existing pre-course offerings will be expanded from one to three weeks prior to the start of the semester. The modular pre-courses will be curricularly further developed in such a way that lacking knowledge of mathematical basics (upper level) can also be compensated for in the first and second semester in study-accompanying refresher courses.Publication list: in progress

• Duration: 2014 - ongoing
• Sponsor: GIZ - German Society for International Cooperation
• Project Management: Prof. Dr. Michael Schmidt, Department of Environmental Planning
• Project coordination: Eva Leptien
• Project Collaboration:Christian Steinert

Brief description

The aim of the project is the establishment of a university science and education network, which is supported by GIZ and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU CS). Selected partner universities from Ukraine, Cameroon, Vietnam, Lebanon and Peru will be among the founding members of the network.

The ECO-Campus pursues the goal of anchoring the concept of sustainable resource management in the learning objectives and curricula of universities and educational institutions across disciplines as a cross-cutting topic in the sense of a Green Curriculum. In addition to basic instruments such as project-based environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment for plans and programs, which are now part of the standard environmental repertoire in many countries, concepts and methodological approaches such as Liefe Cycle Assessment, private sustainability standards (Voluntary Sustainability Standards) or Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR) are becoming increasingly important building blocks of sustainable development.

ECO-Campus provides the technical platform for the association and cooperation with universities that want to integrate the topic of sustainability more strongly into their curricula as a common goal. Based on an internationally used open source software solution (Moodle), the contents of the e-learning platform are made available server-supported at any time. ECO-Campus thus functions as a central communication and learning platform through which the various contents are made available. In addition, Eco-Campus thus lays the foundation for a Green Curriculum in which other disciplines that pursue ecologically and socially sustainable thinking, planning, acting and decision-making can be integrated into the curriculum.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports the improvement of study conditions and teaching quality at German universities with the federal-state program Quality Pact for Teaching. The BTU project "Excellence in Studies and Teaching: Individualized Entry into Studies, Innovative Study Models, Research-Based Learning," headed by Vice President for Teaching and Studies Prof. Matthias Koziol, will receive more than five million euros in funding during the second funding period (2017 to 2020). In view of the BTU's increasingly heterogeneous student body, the project aims to provide students with more individualized support: In three packages of measures, the mathematical/scientific competencies of students are promoted, innovative study models are further developed, and teaching and learning processes are supported by digital teaching concepts and formats.

Project flyer

Package of Measures II - Digital Teaching: Support, Advice and Qualification

• Duration: 01/2017 until 12/2020
• Third party funding: BMBF
• Subproject management: Boguslaw Malys
• Scientific supervision: Dr. Claudia Börner (IKMZ director)
• Subproject coordination: Tobias Falke
• Collaborators in the subproject: Marie Theres Augsten, Andreas Brandt, Andreas Engel, Tobias Falke, Tobias Kutzner, Mathias Schulze, Steffen Schulze, Marie Troike

Brief description

The digitization of teaching at the BTU is supported by a comprehensive range of consulting, support and qualification services for teachers and students, with the aim of securing and further developing high-quality university teaching.

The range of support includes media-didactic consulting and qualification, practical e-learning and e-examination support, further development of technical platforms and tools, in particular the development of a personal learning environment (PLE), and support for lecturers in the development of digital learning materials.

The basis of the activities is the examination of scientific questions in the areas of media didactics as well as educational technology. The developed innovative concepts and scenarios for digital teaching are tested and evaluated in practice. Special emphasis will be placed on cooperation with the other two packages of measures in the project.

The package of measures II: Digital teaching - support, consulting and qualification is located in the IKMZ/ Multimedia Center.

• Duration: 03/2012 until 12/2016
• Third party funding: BMBF
• Project Management: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Koziol
• Project coordination: Dr. Friederike Schulz
• Project collaboration: Mathias Schulze

Brief description

The aim of the project is to secure and expand the achieved quality of education in the face of increasing student numbers. The project is divided into three packages of measures. The first focuses on ensuring a good supervision and training situation in subjects that are in high demand. The study situation here is characterized by high numbers of participants in lectures and the need to ensure a sufficient number of exercise groups and tutorials, especially in the introductory phase of studies.

Further efforts are being made to further improve the quality of teaching by expanding integrative, project-oriented forms of teaching. These play an important role in many study programs in different ways. They contribute to increasing the practical relevance and the success of the studies. Successfully tested models of project-oriented teaching and learning are to be consolidated, further developed and transferred to other study programs.

The third package of measures will provide the necessary support and advice for teachers in the use of innovative teaching methods and forms of examination as well as in the use of IT-based teaching and learning scenarios. An example of this is the supplementation of exercise groups and tutorials, such as those used in package 1, with online-based offerings.