Science communication in the project Dresden University School (USD)
Table of contents
Scientific findings and how they are obtained should not only be understood by experts. The general public must also be able to understand what research is being conducted, what methods are being used, and what the results mean. This helps to strengthen trust in science. That is why science communication plays a central role at TU Dresden and also in the University School pilot project.
With our partners we prepare topics for a wide range of target groups from all generations and use a variety of formats to do so: from videos on our social media channels to podcasts and traditional media relations. At events such as open houses and public discussions, representatives of the Dresden University School project and the public come together and engage in direct exchange.
This page provides an overview of our diverse offerings and activities related to science communication.
Events
Hands-on science for all generations and space for exchange and discussion – this is what the various event formats offered by TU Dresden on campus and in the city have to offer. Guests were able to get to know the Dresden University School, for example, at the TUD series “Meet the luminary under the conifer” in the Botanical Garden and at the Long Night of Science.
Scientific director Anke Langner and school principal Maxi Heß, as well as learning guides and, of course, students at the Dresden University School, regularly provide insights into the work of the school experiment at various events that take place in person or online. Current dates can be found in the and in the ForUS research center calendar and in the calendar on the school website.
Recordings of online events can be found on the YouTube playlist Discussions and Interviews and in the videos further down this page.
Videos
Lessons according to a timetable - not in Dresden! There, the pupils are allowed to decide for themselves how the school day runs. logo! reporter Simone checked it out. © logo! Nachrichten
Everyone is welcome to visit Dresden University School on its open day in January. Throughout the year, visitors can explore the “school of the future” with exciting films produced in collaboration with TU Dresden and other sponsors. The explanatory videos provide an introduction to the structure of the school experiment—an urban community school, research project, and training school for future teachers at TU Dresden—and to the didactic concept of the community school.
The pilot project consists of 3 parts: school for kids from Dresden, research project at the Chair of Education / Inclusive education, and a future training and continuing education school at TU Dresden. Please activate English subtitles. © Projekt Universitätsschule Dresden
The didactic concept of the Dresden University School enables individual development paths and co-operation. The explanatory video shows how learning takes place here under scientific supervision. Please activate English subtitles. © Universitätsschule Dresden
Two future teachers, now students at TUD take you to Dresden University School, meet the students, teachers, and, of course, researchers from TU Dresden. © Projekt Universitätsschule Dresden
Lessons according to a timetable - not in Dresden! There, the pupils are allowed to decide for themselves how the school day runs. logo! reporter Simone checked it out. © logo! Nachrichten
TU Dresden and Dresden University School were commended at the German Rectors' Conference award for social commitment. All awarded projects are presented in a portrait video. © www.hrk.de/preis
A model school run as a joint project between the state capital of Dresden and Dresden University of Technology is testing innovative forms of teaching and learning and training future and current teachers. For this, TU Dresden was honored with an “honorable mention” by the jury of the “Prize for Social Engagement” awarded jointly by the German Rectors' Conference, ZEIT Verlag, and the Robert Bosch Foundation. Further information on the Prize for Social Engagement can be found at www.hochschulen-mittendrin.de.
The anniversary film presents three projects supported by the TÜV SÜD Foundation: First, we visit the University School Dresden, where Prof. Dr. Anke Langner from TU Dresden explains the school trial for the “School of the Future.” © Projekt Universitätsschule Dresden
TU Dresden and Dresden University School were commended at the German Rectors' Conference award for social commitment. All awarded projects are presented in a portrait video. © TU Dresden
Wie sieht die Schule der Zukunft aus? | Gute Frage über Bildung © TUD
Reporter Jana visited Dresden University School to see how learning can work with less pressure and more participation. © nebenan | WDR
At USD, students learn without a timetable and arrange meetings with learning mentors to demonstrate their progress. Can school work without pressure? Do children and young people still learn enough? Frank Seibert went in search of answers for ARD Wissen. © ARD
In fall and winter 2023, a TV crew from SWR for ARD Wissen accompanied students Leefke and Justus at the University School Dresden (USD) and at the Alte Ziegelei, an extracurricular learning center, part of the Youth School concept of USD . The first part of “ARD Spurensuche Bildung” (ARD Search for Evidence Education) was broadcast in April 2024 on ARD's first channel under the title „Schule ohne Druck? Frank Seibert und Deutschlands spannendster Schulversuch“ (School without pressure? Frank Seibert and Germany's most exciting school experiment) and will be available in the media library until May 2029.
The logo! editorial team received well over 600 comments and emails - all on the subject of school stress! The children's news spoke to experts at Dresden University School about the topic: Here are a few tips. © logo! Nachrichten
Zwischen Homeschooling und Homeoffice – Die Sendung beleuchtet, wie die aktuelle Situation das Familienleben verändert: im Gespräch mit Expert*innen und mit Familien, die ihren neuen Alltag in Videotagebüchern festhalten. © ZDFneo | fabiola
Between homeschooling and working from home – In 2020, presenter Collien Ulmen-Fernandes highlighted how the coronavirus changed family life in a social factual program. Does working from home work? How are parents doing as teachers for their children? For the zdf neo program, Collien Ulmen-Fernandes spoke with Anke Langner, an expert in digitally supported and self-directed learning.
The concept of the Dresden University School pilot project – theory and practice
At the 2020 Nürtingen Education Conference, project manager Anke Langner and school principal Maxi Heß will present the concept behind the USD school trial. They will discuss the theoretical principles and practical implementation in everyday school life. © Projekt Universitätsschule Dresden
Learning in a full-day program – options at a school without an after-school care center
What makes Dresden University School stand out as a public community school with all day learning? This is one of the topics discussed by Maxi Heß (USD) and Sabine Grohmann (City of Dresden) in an interview for REAB Mitteldeutschland. © REAB Mitteldeutschland
All-day schooling is coming! From 2026, primary school children will have a legal right to all-day education and care locally. This poses challenges for many municipalities, including those in the new federal states. The team at REAB – Regional Development Agency for Municipal Education Management in Central Germany visited Saxony for its video podcast “Hauptsache Bildung” (The Main Thing is Education) to show, using a good practical example, how other school authorities can also implement learning in a structured all-day program with a tandem of teachers and educators.
In conversation, USD principal Maxi Heß and Sabine Grohmann, head of strategic management at Dresden's municipal daycare centers, discuss the joint approaches they have developed for this school trial, which is unique in Germany, and how the findings from the real-world laboratory are being transferred to other municipal project schools.
Im Gespräch zeigen Universitätsschulleiterin Maxi Heß und für die Stadt Dresden Sabine Grohmann auf, wie der Ganztag an der Universitätsschule Dresden umgesetzt wird und welche Strahlkraft das Beispiel bereits entwickeln konnte. © REAB Mitteldeutschland
Digital-supported learning – digitality as a tool
Wie gelingt Lernen in der Digitalität an der Universitätsschule Dresden? Diese Frage beantworteten Maxi Heß und Anke Langner im Juni mit einem Impulsvortrag über den Schulversuch der TU Dresden und Stadt Dresden auf der Bildungsmesse LEARNTEC. © Bildungsmesse LEARNTEC Xchange
At “LEARNTEC xChange – Europe's #1 in digital learning,” education experts, practitioners, and companies met virtually in June 2021 to discuss digital learning at school@learntec – jointly organized by the Alliance for Education and REDNET AG.
Prof. Anke Langner and Maxi Heß reported LIVE in the STUDIO on their experiences at the University School Dresden on “Learning in the digital world. How innovative teaching with digitally supported media succeeds.” They then discussed digitally supported learning with Jürgen Luga, Anne Dederer, and Dieter Umlauf from the Alemannenschule Wutöschingen.
Learning with a strong focus on real life and the world of work – The Youth School
Learning with a strong focus on real life and the world of work is part of the concept of Dresden University School. Katja Wiechmann explains how this is implemented in grades 7 and 8 at the extracurricular learning center known as the Youth School. © Projekt Universitätsschule Dresden
Learning independence, experiencing work, and gaining orientation: The Youth School at Dresden University School is expanding the learning environment and subjects for students in grades 7 and 8 to include nature-oriented and practical life experiences.
In this presentation, the director of the Youth School, Katja Wiechmann, explains how the concept works and reports on her initial experiences. A selection of comments from pupils and students about their experiences at the Youth School can be found in the comments section on the YouTube channel of the USD school trial.
Media relations
Maria Neuland Agüero communicates topics related to the school trial to the media and the general public on behalf of the Dresden University School project. She responds to media inquiries and arranges partners for interviews and background discussions. As a decentralized public relations officer, she works closely with the TUD press office in media relations and science communication.
Social Media
On our social media channels, we provide insights into the Dresden University School—with the latest information, a look behind the scenes, and exciting current research topics. We incorporate the perspectives of researchers, students, their learning guides, and parents.
Netiquette at TU Dresden
Podcasts
Whether on your way to work, while exercising, or at home on the sofa—with TUD podcasts, you can stay informed about current and diverse topics from research and university life wherever you are. Members of the school community participating in the School of the Future pilot project are also regular guests in various discussion formats. Have a listen!
Games und Apps
Gamification is a promising approach that also has great potential in science communication. Playful elements can increase motivation and enjoyment of learning, especially when it comes to difficult topics. The students learned this together with renowned game designer Philipp Stollenmayer as part of the media sponsorship for the “Katze Q” app, a collaboration between the ct.qmat Cluster of Excellence and the University School for the nomination for the “Goldener Spatz” media award.
The university students were also able to test the “Katze Q” escape room at the Technical Collections Dresden and find out whether Katze Q is dead or alive.
Roland Schwarz, Director of the Dresden Technical Collections, Professor Matthias Vojta, Dresden ct.qmat spokesperson, Professor Ralph Claessen, Würzburg ct.qmat spokesperson, Mayor Annekatrin Klepsch, Professor Ursula Staudinger, Rector of TUD and Michael Kretschmer, Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony and patron of the project, took the opportunity to look over the shoulders of the children from Dresden University School at the opening of the "Cat Q - A Quantum Adventure" escape room.
🧭 USD for beginners - A guide to the information online
The Dresden University School is a joint project of the City of Dresden and the Technische Universität Dresden. It is a public and free community school run by the city, where innovative forms of teaching and learning are tested under scientific supervision. In addition, it is a training school for future teachers and, in the future, a further education school for teachers. The school trial is being scientifically supported by the ForUS research center at TU Dresden.
1️⃣ Structure of the school trial
The YouTube channel @UnischuleTUD automatically starts an explanatory video on the structure of the University School Dresden trial - 3-in-1: school, research project and training center
📺 youtube.com/unischuleTUD
2️⃣ Didactic concept
📺 Video explaining the didactic concept on YouTube
📰 TUD website https://tud.de/gsw/unischule/konzept and school website https://universitaetsschule.org/konzept
👩🎓 Who is behind the concept and why would you found a school of the future?
Prof. Anke Langner explained in a radio interview with Deutschlandfunk: 🎧 "School must be thought of from the students' perspective"
3️⃣ Numerous insights into everyday learning life
📺 can be found in the YouTube playlist "All videos about Dresden University School".
📺 e.g: Everyday learning life in the upper school "At work with learning guide Pia Heyne"
📺 or the ARD-Spurensuche Wissen "School without pressure? Frank Seibert and Germany's most exciting school experiment"
4️⃣ Media review
🔊 TUD website https://tud.de/gsw/unischule/presse and
🔊 school website universitaetsschule.org/presse
5️⃣ News on the project website and school website
📰 tud.de/gsw/unischule/news
📰 universitaetsschule.org/news
6️⃣ Subscription recommendations
Get regular news from the University School Dresden project
📝 with the LinkedIn newsletter UnischuleTUD.
📩 You can also subscribe to the TU Dresden GSW newsletter with reports from the school trial directly to your email inbox.
7️⃣ Social media channels of the school trial
👉 facebook.com/unischuleTUD
👉 instagram.com/unischuleTUD
👉 linkedin.com/company/unischuleTUD
👉 LinkedIn group
👉 #UnischuleTUD #TheoriePraxisVerzahnung #SpeSchulpraxisEntwickeln
8️⃣ What is missing? Publications!
👩🎓 Overview of specialist publications and other publications
Here you will also find further information on the ForUS University School Research Center at the TUD Dresden University of Technology.
📰 E-journal Spe = Schulpraxis entwickeln. Journal for research-based school development with publications around the school trial and more subjects
9️⃣ Are there any other university schools?
Of course there are! Since 2020, there is also the Association of University and Experimental Schools VUVS with memebers from Germans speaking countries:
👩🎓 VUVS website
📰 VUVS founding publication, published in the WE_OS Yearbook 2020