STUDY SMART

The ESF+-funded STUDY SMART academic success project is a network in which, for the first time, representatives from various organizational units at TU Dresden—which previously operated independently—are working together to develop and implement programs. The project’s goal is to promote academic success and support women, international students, and teacher education students in entering the Saxon labor market with qualifications appropriate to their field, as well as to foster future skills (digital and transformative competencies). The network partner SMART TEACHERS is affiliated with the ZLSB and designs and tests academic support programs specifically for teacher education students.

SMART TEACHERS Objectives

SMART TEACHERS places particular emphasis on academic support programs for (female) teacher education students through:

Empowerment, i.e., fostering self-confidence and a sense of self-efficacy among female teacher education students through the acquisition of skills such as public speaking, (self-)presentation, and leadership.
Developing and expanding “Future Skills” (transformative key social competencies) that facilitate successful completion of the degree program and a smooth transition into the Saxon teaching profession commensurate with their qualifications.
Promoting professional orientation in teacher education by establishing a professional development journal.
Increasing student satisfaction in teacher education programs through (cross-phase) networking opportunities, strengthening group identity and practical relevance, and establishing a culture of welcoming, inclusion, and farewell.

Work Packages

Within the STUDY SMART academic success network, the network partners collaborate on work packages to create synergies. SMART TEACHERS is involved in the “Female Empowerment,” “Future Skills,” and “Professional Teachers” work packages.

Female Empowerment – Strengthening Key Competencies for Academic Success

The goal is to provide female students with the necessary key competencies in a supportive environment so they can successfully shape their academic careers while also being well-prepared for their personal and professional futures. The programs are specifically tailored to the individual needs and challenges of women in higher education and are designed to strengthen participants’ self-confidence and sense of self-efficacy.

Areas of focus include, among others:

Communication and presentation skills
Time management and self-management
Conflict management
Leadership and management skills
Academic Writing and Research

Future Skills: Transdisciplinary Key Social Competencies

In a constantly changing world, lifelong learning is crucial. Both students and graduates must continually adapt to changing framework conditions in order to succeed in their future careers and actively engage with society. Universities face the challenge of imparting knowledge about future ways of working and work locations while simultaneously fostering transformative skills.
To meet these requirements, a series of courses is offered to students from various departments—particularly those in teacher education—on topics such as environmental sustainability, inclusion, internationalization, anti-discrimination, gender equality, and digitalization. In collaboration with experienced alumni (e.g., from the teaching profession), innovative pedagogical concepts are being developed that address the needs and life experiences of students in a targeted manner and promote a multi-perspective approach through interdisciplinary work.

Professional Teachers

The core objective of the “Professional Teachers” work package is to significantly increase academic success in teacher education programs by providing education and networking opportunities in a targeted manner at key transition points and throughout the entire student life cycle.
Among other things, a professional development journal in the form of a portfolio is being developed for students; this is established in the first semester and accompanies students through the end of their studies. This is intended to stimulate self-reflection processes, including those related to career choice and self-assessment of their own progress in acquiring qualifications. Accompanying meetings with qualified peer trainers and faculty members are intended to support the development of career-related reflective skills and foster a stronger connection to the university in order to prevent dropouts. Extracurricular events facilitate semester- and phase-spanning exchanges with fellow students, student teachers, and educators to enhance the practical orientation of the academic program, provide guidance in the professional field, and foster networking with regional partners in the field.