Success in Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung

The University of Bremen will continue its successful work within the framework of the Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung (Teacher Training Quality Campaign). Its Schnittstellen gestalten (designing interfaces) project has been recommended for further funding of around 2.7 million euros by 2023.

Better training of prospective teachers is one of the central areas of activity of the University of Bremen in the overall Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung (Teacher Training Quality Campaign) project. Subject-specific, subject-didactic, and pedagogical aspects of teacher education have been intensively coordinated, and theory and practice have been linked in a well-thought-out way in the Schnittstellen gestalten (designing interfaces) program since 2015. One focus of the second funding phase is on teacher education in the digital world. The overall objective is to support the professional development of future teachers as so-called “reflected practitioners.” Around 50 teachers from the University of Bremen are involved, led by the Zentrum für Lehrerinnen-/Lehrerbildung und Bildungsforschung (center for teacher education and educational research – ZfLB), all teacher-education Faculties, and the Zentrum für Multimedia in der Lehre (center for multimedia in teaching – ZMML).

Focus on Education in the Digital World

The second funding phase of the Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung will begin in mid 2019 and will run until 2023; the University of Bremen is to receive around 2.7 million euros from this. The director of ZfLB, Professor Sabine Doff, is in charge of the project. She explains: “The funds will enable us to further develop our subprojects and link them even more closely. Above all, this will strengthen the practical relevance of future teachers and make our goal of developing education as a central interface in the digital world tangible. In addition, we want to further professionalize our efforts to anchor diversity and inclusion in teacher education.”

Preparation for Reality of School Environment

The Vice President Academic, Thomas Hoffmeister, emphasizes: “The Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung program aims to promote reflected, skills-oriented training that consistently incorporates the reality of a school environment. The University of Bremen is taking up these challenges with the Schnittstellen gestalten project in teacher education: we will support our teacher-training students in acquiring skills that relate to their ability to reflect and take action professionally and in line with their individual requirements. This is because we want to prepare future teachers in the context of lifelong learning for a school environment that is constantly changing.”

Background: Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung

In 2013, the Federal Government and Federal States adopted the Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung as a joint program for ten years. Related projects have been funded since 2015: the Federal Government provides funding of up to 500 million euros for this purpose. The selection of the projects is decided by an 18-member committee comprising representatives from science, practical teacher education, and the student body as well as from the Federal Government and the Federal States. Professional advisory services and a closer integration of studies, internships, and continuing education are the aims of the Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung in order to achieve better practical relevance.