Jan 13, 2025
Vocational orientation, learning modules, team teaching – findings from the Dresden University School trial in Spe = Developing school practice.
In 2024, two issues of "Schulpraxis entwickeln - Journal für forschungsbasierte Schulentwicklung" (Spe) were published. The e-journal was founded in 2022 by Prof. Anke Langner (Chair of Education / Inclusive Education and Head of the University School Research Unit ForUS at TU Dresden) and Dr. Matthias Ritter (ForUS member). "Spe = Developing School Practice" is dedicated to the discourse of research-based school development.
The Spe themed issue 3/2024 "Education for Sustainable Development in School Development. Themes, Concepts & Forms of Implementation" is published under the guest editorship of Kris-Stephen Besa (University of Konstanz), Annalisa Biehl (University of Münster) and Jan-Hendrik Hinzke (Justus Liebig University Giessen). It brings together seven exciting articles on education for sustainable development from colleagues at various universities.
The third issue of Spe (4/2024) brings together topics on vocational orientation, learning modules (Lernbausteine), team teaching and a literature review. They are supplemented by the editorial, in which editors Anke Langner and Matthias Ritter appeal to use the current shortage of teachers as an opportunity for school development. They describe how the shortage can act as a driver of development on three levels: at the classroom level for more independent learning, in the professionalization of teacher training for greater involvement of students in school practice and the opening of schools into the social space for practice-oriented education with synergies between schools, civil society and business.
The articles on aspects of school development on the following topics are partly based on state examination theses.
- In her article, Leopa Wagner examines the motivation of pupils when choosing learning modules (Lernbausteine) at the Dresden University School. Based on guided interviews, the article shows how children select learning materials in a more self-regulated environment and sheds light on the role of various influencing factors.
- Melina Wienke and Dr. Matthias Ritter present a systematic literature review on data- and evidence-based school development structured in five categories.
- Prof. Anke Langner and Veronika Glöckner focus on career orientation in the Friday internship at Dresden University School. The article shows how weekly internships in the 7th and 8th grades offer students the opportunity to combine school and company experience. Interviews with pupils make it clear that continuous practical experience supports the transition to the world of work and fulfills the desire for more guidance in vocational orientation.
- In a contribution from Austria, Robert Pham Xuan (University for Continuing Education Krems) and Andreas Schreier (University College of Teacher Education Tyrol) present the results of a qualitative interview study on the question of team teaching as a leadership task of school management. In addition to presenting the results of their qualitative interview study with seven principals, the authors argue that team teaching should be seen as a strategic tool for school development.
About "Spe = Developing school practice"
The open access journal serves in particular the scientific exchange of innovative (reform) schools by publishing research results and forms of formative educational research.
The focus is on topics of school and organizational development. Empirical and conceptual work on teaching development and professionalization are to be included if they also take into account the framework conditions of schools in their organizational constitution as well as their changeability in principle.
"Schulpraxis entwickeln - Journal für forschungsbasierte Schulentwicklung" (Spe) is part of the University School Dresden pilot project, which was founded in 2019 and will be evaluated over 15 years as part of a TU Dresden research project. Prof. Langner, Dr. Ritter and their colleagues will regularly publish findings from the accompanying research of the school experiment.
However, the editors expressly invite colleagues to contribute articles from their areas of research. Contributions can be submitted at any time via a permanent call for papers. In addition, "Spe" offers guest editors the opportunity to design themed issues . The e-journal is published continuously in the annual issue.
Further information and all issues are available for download on the e-journal website: https://spe.journals.qucosa.de/spe
Quocosa is the Saxon document and publication server for free publication and is used in the sense of open access for the verification and long-term archiving of electronic documents. The service is supported by the academic libraries in the Free State of Saxony and is available to all interested authors. The documents are listed in the catalog of the Saxon State and University Library (SLUB), among others.
The journal is supported by the Verbund Universitäts- und Versuchsschulen (VUVS), which was founded in 2020. The VUVS is a network of university locations that strive for closer cooperation between research institutions, teacher training and school practice in very different formats.
The network has set itself the task of "providing a forum for the new movement in order to make scientific support for school reform measures available on a discursive, process-related and structural level".
About the University School Dresden
The Dresden University School is a joint project of the state capital of Dresden and the TUD Dresden University of Technology. It is a public and free community school run by the city, where innovative forms of teaching and learning are tested under academic 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.
- Information on the research project at TU Dresden: https: //tu-dresden.de/gsw/unischule
- Information on the Dresden University School: http://universitaetsschule.org
You can find insights into the research project and everyday school life on various social media channels under @unischuleTUD: Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. News from the University School Dresden project can be found regularly in the GSW newsletter.