The aim of this study was to investigate how to develop prospective chemistry teachers' TPACK and thus qualify them for the effective use of educational technology in their future chemistry teaching. For this purpose, we developed and evaluated a university seminar for the professional development of preservice chemistry teachers. We implemented this seminar at two German universities with students of two different expertise levels and courses of study. One group of students consisted of master students with an imminent internship semester while the other comprised bachelor students. In order to find out how preservice teacher training for digital literacy should be structured we measured the participants' development considering their TPACK competence in lesson planning, TPACK self-efficacy, and attitude. The results revealed that the seminar is suitable for increasing the participants' TPACK since we were able to improve the students' skills to implement educational technology into their lesson plan. Yet, the residual comparison between both groups shows a significantly higher increase in the master students' abilities. Regarding the TPACK self-efficacy and attitude, however, we were able to measure a significant increase for only the master students. Based on our findings, we suggest to allocate a seminar on educational technology in direct link to an internship and at a time during their studies when the teacher candidates have already had the opportunity to gain some prior knowledge in content, pedagogy, and subject didactics.

To comply with the United Nations’ (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities teaching units have to be universally accessible to all students. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers one possible way of creating an inclusive teaching unit that should be accessible to as many students as possible. New technologies and media are very suitable for providing flexible materials and are therefore of particular importance to the UDL. To investigate the effect of a digital multimedia learning environment on students with and without special educational needs (SEN) we developed a learning software according to the UDL for two 90 min courses for the lower secondary chemistry course. We examined the learning environment in inclusive German classrooms with n = 89 students at the age of 13–15, including n = 16 SEN-students. For this, we used a chemistry performance test in form of a multiple-choice test in a pre-post-follow-up-design as well as a test for the attitude of the students towards the learning software. Additionally, we recorded the activities on the screens of selected learners. The chemistry performance concerning chemical reactions significantly increased through the intervention. Moreover, the students gave a positive feedback on the learning software. The results of the study suggest that the digital learning unit is suitable for learning about chemical reactions. The analysis of the videos shows that students with and without SEN use the functions of the software mostly adequate. In this paper first results are presented, further analysis will follow.

Mit der Ratifizierung der UN‐Behindertenrechtskonvention im Jahr 2009 hat sich Deutschland verpflichtet, ein inklusives Bildungssystem auf allen Ebenen zu etablieren, um Menschen mit Behinderungen Bildung ohne Diskriminierung zu gewähren. Die Realisierung eines inklusiven Chemieunterrichts stellt aktuell viele Chemielehrkräfte vor eine neue Aufgabe und Herausforderung. Das Prinzip des Universal Design for Learning (UDL) stellt ein Rahmenkonzept zur Planung und Gestaltung von Unterricht mit universeller Zugänglichkeit dar, das vor allem in den USA seit vielen Jahren etabliert ist. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird das UDL kurz beschrieben und eine Unterrichtseinheit vorgestellt, die auf Basis des UDL konzipiert wurde.

Collaboration is regarded as one of the core competences of the 21st century when it comes to complex problem solving. In response to high dropout rates among STEM students, we developed a digital-collaborative intervention on a difficult topic, MO theory, for first-year chemistry students. First, students work independently in a Digital Learning Environment (DLE). Afterwards, they collaborate in small groups and create Concept Maps on MO theory. We evaluate this intervention through knowledge tests, tests of attractiveness, cognitive load, and usability during the DLE and concept mapping process, as well as audio and screen recordings during the collaborative group processes. This paper presents the detailed study design together with results from a first study in January 2021, focusing on the practicability of the intervention and students’ feedback. Overall, each small group succeeded in creating a Concept Map. Students rated all phases of the intervention as attractive, with high usability and low cognitive load, although the interactive videos scored better for attractiveness and usability than the concept mapping process. On that basis, first adjustments for a second cycle of the intervention, which will be conducted in January 2022, were derived.

DIE ANALYSE DES Fortbildungsverhaltens und der Fortbildungswünsche von Chemielehrerinnen und ‐lehrern war Gegenstand einer im Jahr 2002 durchgeführten und vom Fonds der Chemischen Industrie geförderten empirischen Untersuchung der drei Chemielehrerfortbildungszentren Braunschweig, Dortmund und Frankfurt. In diesem Artikel werden die zentralen Ergebnisse der mittels Fragebögen und Interviews erhobenen Daten von über 2.000 Chemielehrerinnen und ‐ lehrern vorgestellt.

Today, digital media are an integral part of most people’s daily routine. Therefore, tablets, smartphones and the internet have become increasingly important at school, as well. At the same time, digitisation offers great potential for teaching highly heterogeneous learning groups individually and comprehensively. However, the use of digital media at German schools is still in its infancy. In order to create a basis for the successful implementation of digital media in teaching, it is necessary to generate profound knowledge about the effectiveness of digital learning environments regarding heterogeneous learning groups. Within this framework, we develop and evaluate a digital learning environment for lower secondary classrooms (age group 13–14) in this project. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of the use of tablet computers in different teaching phases on the students’ learning outcome. In order to analyse the effectiveness of the tablets in the classroom, we assess the expertise knowledge of the students before and after the teaching unit as well as the students’ attitude towards the teaching unit and towards working with tablet computers. With the help of a screen-capture-software, it is possible to retrace the students’ action steps while working with the tablets. Additionally, the lessons are filmed to compare the work behaviour of the learners with and without tablets. Furthermore, the cognitive abilities and the self-concept of the students are determined. This paper focuses on the development and design of the study, as the evaluation has not yet been completed.

The legal obligation to implement digital tools in teaching and learning at all German schools poses a challenge to all teachers since the majority of teachers feel that they are not well enough prepared to meet the requirements. It is therefore of great importance to professionalize both teaching staff and prospective teachers for implementing digital tools effectively and appropriately. Therefore, within this project we develop and evaluate an innovative university seminar that aims at the professionalization of prospective teachers for digitization in chemistry education by providing the requisite skills. The study is an intervention study that tests the interventions’ effects by using repeated measures. In reference to the TPACK (technological pedagogical content knowledge) model, we explore the potential implications of the seminar to the future teachers’ teaching practices on the levels of self-efficacy, lesson planning and practical implementation. Consequently, this study does not only reflect one important area of teaching practice, but consists of a comprehensive analysis of TPACK knowledge. Additionally, the study also aims to determine potential implications for other teaching programs. The first results of the pilot study show that the seminar participants assess the seminar as very attractive. Moreover, the seminar participation led to a significant positive change regarding the prospective teachers’ attitudes towards the implementation of digital tools in chemistry lessons as well as their TPACK self-efficacy perceptions.

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