Apr 17, 2023
Teacher Training Degree Programs: Introduction of time slot model to significantly improve studies
Scheduling for teacher training programs is extremely complex due to the numerous subjects students can combine. At TU Dresden alone, there are over 300 possible subject combinations. This leads to classes overlapping time and time again, which may result in students needing longer to complete their studies since they cannot complete courses as planned, or, in the worst case, students dropping out of the program entirely. In a survey at TU Dresden’s Center for Teacher Education and Educational Research (ZLSB) conducted in summer 2021, students reiterated the pressing need for a solution to the issue. 80 percent of those surveyed said they were affected by class overlaps in their studies. Of these, 45 percent were even affected frequently or very frequently.
In their meeting on April 12, the Senate of TU Dresden resolved to introduce a time slot model to enable the overlap-free planning of courses for Teacher Training Degree Programs in the 2023/24 winter semester. The resolution was preceded by seven years of in-depth research into various approaches for overlap-free planning at universities as part of the Synergetic Teacher Education (TUD-Sylber) project, funded by the Federal and State Governments as part of the High-Quality Teacher Education Offensive. The key points for this model were developed in close collaboration with the university management, the Faculties, the schedule and room planners and the Central University Administration.
Better coordination between the schedule planners of the 17 Faculties alone would not have made it possible to avoid overlaps. This requires complex, mathematical approaches to course planning, such as time slot models, which have already produced positive results for other universities. TU Dresden commissioned Prof. Alexander Kreuzer, Professor of Mathematics at Universität Hamburg, to create the model. His approach unites a mix of set scheduling with room for leeway which the planners can use as needed. The subjects are divided into subject groups and each group receives core and elective times, which can be scheduled as needed.
In collaboration with Prof. Kreuzer, the Academic Affairs Office for Teacher Training tailored the model to meet the needs of TU Dresden. This includes taking laboratory and workshop periods into account, as well as courses that span the entire academic year, study days for side-entrants into teaching as well as committees and the individual requirements of each subject. The result is a model that, with proper planning, completely eliminates overlaps in Teacher Training Degree Programs for elementary schools. For those studying to teach in high schools and vocational schools, the figure lies at well over 90 percent.
Now it just remains for the model to prove its worth in practice. While many existing schedules were taken into account in the development of the model, its introduction will initially require some getting used to. In the long term however, it will improve planning and hopefully study conditions for the 4,000 Teacher Training students at TU Dresden.
Contact details and more information:
TUD-Sylber Subproject 2: Communication with Students and Preventing Overlaps in Courses
Contact:
Christine Hähniche
Course Manager/Supplementary Studies Supervisor
Center for Teacher Education and Educational Research (ZLSB)
Tel.: +49 351 463-35171