The quality of teaching is crucial to the successful communication of knowledge at any university. The professional expertise of the lecturers is not the only key aspect in this context. Good teaching skills are required in particular and therefore didactics affects all those teaching and learning at a university. FH JOANNEUM explores this issue further in several programmes.
The basics of university didactics
The continuing education programme supports lecturers at FH JOANNEUM and other universities in optimising their teaching. It lasts for two semesters and those who successfully pass the course are awarded a certificate. The course is organised on a part-time basis, making it suitable for faculty staff to complete alongside their teaching and research activities: the low number of attendance days and high proportion of self-taught units, combined with e-learning, enables a largely free and flexible time schedule.
The continuing education course in ‘The Basics of University Didactics’ comprises two components: the planning and development of classes and methodology and didactics. There are 3.5 days of attendance required each semester with the rest based on e-learning, practical documentation and literature studies.
Registration
The continuing education programme begins each winter semester with a group of max. 16 people. Newly appointed lecturers at FH JOANNEUM are automatically registered for the course. Other people with teaching assignments at FH JOANNEUM can register for any remaining places. If there are still free places left, lecturers from other universities can also take part in the continuing education programme.
Recognition of previous knowledge
You may request any previous continuing education in didactics to be taken into account. This is only possible for part 1. The recognition of previous knowledge is subject to a decision by the course head.
Compulsory attendance and successful completion
‘The Basics of University Didactics’ is a mandatory continuing education programme for FH JOANNEUM lecturers and takes place during their working time. In order to pass the course successfully, 70% attendance is required during the attendance phases and 60% of the online activities must be completed. Teaching experience is also regularly documented. And at the end of the continuing education module, all participants present their experiences and lessons learned.
Didactic principles
The following didactic principles are conveyed:
- Reflective learning
- Empowerment didactics instead of mediation didactics
- Gender awareness
- Integration of the new media
- Part-time organisation
Didactics focus at FH JOANNEUM
The Didactics Working Group was formed in 2007. It consists of committed FH JOANNEUM employees as well as students who are passionate about the quality of teaching. The focus here is on exchanging ideas and information about didactic methods.
A Teaching Day is organised each autumn, which includes expert talks and workshops on specific teaching-related topics. Finally, Teaching Awards are presented to particularly committed lecturers from the various departments. In 2015, a Teaching Award Plus was presented for the first time as recognition for innovative concepts in performance assessment.