Digital Network Saxony

© Julchen Brieger

Project duration: September 2021 to February 2022

The project was funded by the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism (German abbreviation: SMWK) as part of the Digital Fellowship Program (for the further development of digitized higher education) of the Saxon E-Learning State Initiative.

The "DiNeS" project represents a cooperation project for connecting digital teaching at Dresden, Chemnitz and Leipzig, the three major Saxon locations of teacher training.

Initial situation

Mathematics and its didactics are compulsory for students of the elementary school teacher training program in Saxony. Mathematical basics are linked to repeating school subject matter, which is selectively examined from a 'higher point of view'.  Students are at very different levels when it comes to repeating mathematical basics and acquiring new didactic knowledge.

In addition, the content of teacher training programs is to a large degree regulated and laid down in the State Examination Regulations of Saxony (German abbreviation: LAPO). Therefore, the topics at the different locations (Chemnitz, Dresden and Leipzig) can be harmonized quite well, and learning opportunities can be coordinated accordingly.

During the period of digital teaching that became necessary as a result of the pandemic, these contents were digitally prepared in different ways. In doing so, each location naturally emphasized different features. So far, a host of digital teaching and learning materials have been created for the didactics of elementary school mathematics (podcasts, learning videos, task collections, reading texts, self-assessments, etc.), which have not yet been linked to each other.

This initial situation led to already existing materials being combined and to the development of new digital teaching and learning opportunities.

Aims of the project

During the duration of the project (September 2021 to February 2022), digital learning materials were brought together across locations to support self-learning phases of students, particularly for preparing and following up university courses. In addition, digital teaching materials for lecturers were (further) developed in order to strengthen the establishment of digitally supported and demand-oriented opportunities in university teaching in terms of blended learning or the flipped classroom.

It is intended to make the digital teaching and learning materials that are suitable for OER available to students and lecturers on a learning platform (OPAL), which will span modules and locations. Currently, approval of the OPAL course is still in the pipeline.

The overarching goal of the project is the creation of a network of the didactics of elementary school mathematics in Saxony and thus the long-term establishment of a lively culture of exchange between teachers of didactics.

Implementation during the funding period

• Project start in September 2021:
  • Aligning the module structures of the three locations
  • Identifying curricular analogies and differences resulting from different research fields at different locations
  • Sifting through evaluation data gathered so far
• September to November 2021:
  • Sifting through existing digital teaching and learning materials
  • Identifying gaps or needs and revising existing teaching and learning materials
• October to November 2021:
  • Creating a rough structure for the OPAL course based on previously identified analogies
  • Developing a fine structure for the OPAL course
• November 2021 to end of project in February 2022:
  • • Feeding teaching and learning materials that are suitable for OER into the OPAL course
    • Carrying out revision measures
    • Creating new digital teaching and learning materials that do not pose a data protection risk in order to fill gaps or meet needs

Perspectives beyond the duration of the project

In the future, the OPAL course will be continuously adapted to the needs of students and the expectations of lecturers. A future use by seminar instructors of the 2nd training phase as well as by educators in further education in Saxony is also quite possible. In addition, there will be follow-up opportunities created by a potential expansion of the project beyond the  federal state of Saxony. Furthermore, the OPAL course can be extended to other elementary school didactics (e.g. German, General Knowledge, etc.), which in turn can lead to strengthened connections within the degree program for elementary school teachers.

Publication regarding the project

The "DiNeS" project was introduced at the annual conference of the Society for Didactics of Mathematics (German abbreviation: GDM) in Frankfurt on September 1, 2022 as part of a poster presentation. The poster can be viewed here.  A corresponding publication is expected to appear in 2023.

If you would like to find out more, please do not hestitate to contact the project members.