Hohenheim Teaching Award 2021 [07.10.21]
Creative and motivated, didactically well thought out and well supported: This is what good teaching looks like. The students also appreciate this kind of teaching. At the suggestion of the student representatives for the departments (Fachschaft), the University of Hohenheim awards the Hohenheim Teaching Prize each year to lecturers who have shown particular commitment in this area. The prize money of 10,000 euros must be used for teaching-related purposes. This year, the prize is shared by Barbara Hellwig from the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Statistics and Benjamin Gaibler from the Department of Public Law, Financial and Tax Law. Among other things, both share the desire to pass on their enthusiasm for their own department. The Online Courier spoke with the two honorees.
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Ms. Hellwig, Mr. Gaibler, congratulations on the Hohenheim Teaching Award! What does this award mean to you?
Hellwig: There is no higher award! If my addressees, the students, in particular, feel that I am doing a good job of teaching, I am especially pleased.
Gaibler: First and foremost, of course, it's great appreciation. I have to admit that I was surprised by the nomination by the Fachschaft. However, it is not only a recognition for my work, but also for the entire department; we all put a lot of effort into teaching.
And what do you personally understand by "good teaching"?
Hellwig: Especially with math, there are often fears and the thought "I'll never make it!" In such cases, it is important to awaken the students' interest in mathematics and their motivation. You don't have to demonize math. If you stick with it and tackle it, you can do it - and sometimes it's even really fun! And that's what I would like to convey.
The prerequisite is that in teaching, the focus is on the other person and on what resonates with him or her. That's why good teaching must be geared to the recipient and also address individual needs. After all, it's not just a matter of quickly acquiring knowledge just before the exams, but much more than that.
Gaibler: For me, good teaching is made up of many aspects. On the one hand, there is something that unfortunately cannot be learned - experience. This applies both to the relevance of the material to exams and to the ability to answer questions that have been asked frequently in the past before they arise again. In addition, there is motivation - of both the lecturers and the students - and authenticity. It is important to pass on your own enthusiasm.
Ultimately, what counts for me, in addition to teaching the material and introducing students to the legal way of thinking, is the result, namely successful preparation for the exam. That's why the students primarily come to me for the exercises. Of course, it's also interesting to think outside the box, and wherever possible, I try to incorporate that as well.
Ms. Hellwig, you have developed two formats that are very popular with students. Can you tell us more about them?
Hellwig: Firstly, there is the preliminary math course for beginners in all three faculties, which starts two weeks before the actual start of the course. It is intended to build a bridge from school mathematics to university mathematics and thus make things easier for first-semester students. That's why we start at the bottom, and brush up on middle and high school material.
With the support of student tutors, the newly enrolled students work in small teams to solve the exercises from the morning lectures. In this way, first contacts are made before the start of the course and study groups are formed, which often continue for a long time during the programs. In addition, students can not only learn about math from the tutors, but also about life on campus.
And secondly, there is the Math Practice Workshop, which aims to help students prepare for their math exams. That's an open study space that's offered once a week where students can come when they want. We always have the door open. That lowers the inhibition threshold to just come in and sit in without any obligation.
In the workshop, students decide for themselves which topics and exercises they want to work on. If necessary, they can get help from the tutors present and from me at any time. The workshop is particularly well attended before exams, when it opens daily. I find the extra appointments before the re-sit exams almost more important, especially for those who have not passed the first exam. Here, self-esteem often has to be rebuilt first. In this situation, it is especially valuable to meet fellow students.
You have both chosen a subject that most people would describe as "dry". How do you still manage to keep students interested in your exercises?
Hellwig: Math is not an insurmountable obstacle. Those who begin their studies with incomplete school knowledge usually have little motivation to deal with the subject of mathematics and quickly fall into a downward spiral. That's why it's important for me and my tutors to first build up trust. Unfortunately, students often expect that they are not allowed to ask questions. If questions or problems arise in the exercise groups, we are happy to help. In doing so, the participants have the experience, which is often surprising for them, of "I'm allowed to ask, and that's okay."
The social and personal components should not be underestimated: I generally support working in teams. This not only promotes the exchange of ideas, but is also much more fun and makes learning much easier. I see myself as a "bridge builder" and sometimes put students in touch with each other.
Gaibler: I deliberately use simple language at the beginning of a teaching unit and provide examples or practical references in order to keep the threshold as low as possible. Of course, the legal meaning must not be distorted in the process. Humor, everyday references, and experience from concrete, personal clients also make it easier for students to become acquainted with the subject matter. In the course of the respective unit, I can then switch more and more to the technical language.
In addition, I always schedule time for questions at the beginning of the exercise. Both content-related and organizational questions are clarified in order to reduce any uncertainties students may have.
Hohenheimer Lehrpreis |
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Der Hohenheimer Lehrpreis ist ein Signal dafür, dass gute Lehre in Hohenheim einen großen Stellenwert hat. Er ist mit 10.000 Euro der höchstdotierte Preis der Uni Hohenheim Die Kandidat:innen werden von den Fachschaften nominiert. Das Preisgeld muss zweckgebunden für die Lehre eingesetzt werden. |
Have you received further training in didactics or is it all pure instinct?
Hellwig: My didactic training is very helpful in implementing and developing these formats. For example, I earned the Baden-Württemberg Certificate for University Didactics. Participation in various conferences on the didactics of university mathematics has also provided me with valuable insights and suggestions. Last but not least, my teaching has benefited from the fact that I have four children of my own and that their interaction with mathematics offers me a wide field of observation.
Gaibler: I certainly benefit from the fact that I first worked as a lawyer and later as a lecturer in adult education and was thus able to gain some practical experience. At that time, however, my lectures were more of a didactic "blind flight" and everything was very much based on my instincts. At the university, I then attended courses at the Higher Education Didactics Center HDZ, which helped me a lot. Now I am very happy to have the opportunity to combine scientific work and teaching.
What has been your experience with the Covid-related switch to online teaching?
Hellwig: Last fall, we offered the preliminary course in hybrid form, i.e. digital and face-to-face workshops. In the process, participants were first able to determine their level of knowledge in a digital self-assessment test that I created, and participation in the test is anonymous. A specially created learning module on openILIAS with the content discussed in the workshops serves as a refresher and practice for the students and can also be used as a reference book. The math workshop could also not take place in presence and was switched to a Zoom meeting.
Of course, there is a lack of direct contact, especially among the students. The exchange among each other is therefore not as intensive as before Covid, but still better than nothing. And obviously the hesitation to drop by an online event without any obligation is greater than at a campus event: "I never know beforehand what is expected of me when I enter a Zoom room." All in all, however, the participants were quite satisfied and appreciated what was on offer.
Gaibler: Since Covid, our department has only held Zoom courses. What I appreciate is the flexibility. For example, I can quickly call up a current legal text and discuss it if it arises from the context. In addition to the technical challenges, however, there is also a greater degree of anonymity that I have to bridge. The fact that most students don't have the camera turned on means that there is often no feedback. Otherwise, when I look into questioning faces in the lecture hall, I know that I should explain the material again. Unfortunately, that's missing via Zoom.
Mr. Gaibler, even before Covid, your tutorials were regularly recognized by the Dean of Studies as a "course to be commended" by the faculty, and they are also very popular with the students. How did you manage to bring the participants along online as well?
Gaibler: Last winter semester was possibly the first time students were confronted with public law under Covid conditions. Much of the course had to take place in digital form. In the exercises, we devote each unit to a concrete case, the solution of which we work out together on the basis of the abstract learning material. So that the students can deal with it in advance, we make the case available in advance via ILIAS, as well as most of the learning materials used, such as PowerPoint slides.
This way, I create a recognition value and direct the concentration more on the lecture than on copying a large number of slides. In contrast to a classroom exercise, with Zoom I can also display the relevant wording of the law on the participants' screens and roughly record important intermediate steps in handwriting. This then creates important schemata that the participants can repeat independently and work through when solving the case in order to internalize the procedure.
In order to make the formulations used in the exercise comprehensible and repeatable, we provide sample solutions to the discussed cases in ILIAS. The students are explicitly encouraged to work on the solutions. Solutions they create can be submitted to me via email afterwards, which I will then correct and return with individual feedback.
Is there anything you would like to continue after Covid?
Hellwig: After Covid, I would like to offer both face-to-face and digital events that can be attended flexibly. After all, there are students who have to avoid campus because they are sick or disabled. Or students who don't have any other events on the day in question can take part in the digital workshop and don't have to come to the university.
Gaibler: If it's feasible, I'd like to take at least some of the technical options with me to be more flexible. The question is, however, whether this is possible in the lecture hall ...
The Hohenheim Teaching Prize is endowed with € 10,000, which will be shared this time. Do you already know what you want to use your share for?
Hellwig: My greatest asset is my tutors. Without them, I wouldn't be able to do all this. I will use the money to finance positions if things get tight.
Gaibler: I would like to use it to finance things for which there is otherwise no money in the normal university budget. What that will be in concrete terms, I have yet to decide together with my department director.
Interview: Stuhlemmer / Translation: Neudorfer
