Faculty of Biology

Empirical Educational Research

The main focus of Empirical Educational Research is represented by two research groups involved in the didactics of biology (led by Prof. Angela Sandmann and Prof. Philipp Schmiemann), which are involved in various major projects. These include the DFG-funded research group ALSTER, the BMBF projects “Educational Justice in Focus” (Quality Pact for Teaching) and ProViel (Teacher Training Quality Initiative). as well as the UA Ruhr joint project GanzIn, which is funded by the Mercator Foundation and the Ministry of School and Further Education (MSW) in North Rhine-Westphalia. In addition, the didactics of biology are involved in a sub-project for system competency at the “Transitions in science teaching at secondary-school level” research training group.

The Bio-Innovativ network developed an advanced training programme for teachers on professional and subject-specific topics, as well as on the cooperation with extra-curricular learning centres. Together with the Emschergenossenschaft water board, for example, an “All about Water” research box was developed for school children. Similarly, a teaching and learning laboratory has also been set up within the framework of the Bio-Innovativ network.

With regard to the external image of the research centre, it has been possible to establish the Unterrichtsmaterialien aus Forschung und Praxis [Teaching materials from research and practice] series of exercise books, as well as the Biologie lernen und lehren [Teaching and learning biology] book series. Furthermore, having been invited by the EU community Scientix, the FaSMEd project was represented at the EMINET conference, while the ALSTER research group appeared as a symposium at the GDCP conference in Zurich.