Revolution in teacher training: Minister Olschowski speaks plain text!

Revolution in teacher training: Minister Olschowski speaks plain text!

Schwäbisch Gmünd, Deutschland - What's in teacher training? An exciting discussion took place at the Pedagogical University of Schwäbisch Gmünd, where Science Minister Petra Olschowski took part in the sofa talk. As part of the anniversary "200 years of teaching in Schwäbisch Gmünd", students and teachers had the opportunity to contribute their concerns and reform ideas. This event was carried out by the political science department under the direction of Prof. Dr. Helmar Schöne and the student departmental agency organizes and highlights the challenges and opportunities of the teaching of teaching.

Olschowski explained how important the direct exchange with the students is. Topics such as the risk of poverty, the legal clerkship and the necessary increase in attractiveness of the teaching degree were at the center of the discussions. In this context, the minister emphasized the strengths of the teaching degree in Baden-Württemberg, in particular the practical phases and didactics.

social challenges and reform ideas

The discussion was also enriched by the social challenges that shape the teaching profession today. The teacher not only has to teach, but also raise, advise and drive school development. An important concern of the students is to strengthen democracy education in schools, a point that Prof. Schöne also emphasized as crucial. Teacher training is intended to prepare pupils on global important topics such as climate change and democracy formation, as well as the website of the BMBF

In order to react to the increasing demands on teachers, the state has made great efforts to reform teacher training. The quality offensive teacher training, which will be carried out from 2015 to the end of 2023, is of central importance. The focus on digital skills in teacher training was also a relevant topic, as this is of great importance for future teachers. Corona pandemic has increased the need for action in this area.

digital education in the teacher degree

The topic of digitization was used by the initiative Quality Office Illuminated, which has supported innovative approaches to promoting digital skills in the formation of teachers since 2020. These include, for example, the development of digitally supported teaching-learning concepts and the provision of teaching materials as open educational resources.

Concepts such as the electronic diary or feedback tools make it possible to support reflection during the practical phases and offer teachers the opportunity to analyze their teaching processes using videos. This digital transformation is an opportunity to make teacher training modern and future -proof.

Overall, the discussions at the University of Education show that teacher training in Austria is subject to a change that reacts to both current social changes and technological developments. It remains to be hoped that the dialogue between students and politics will continue to improve the formation of teaching.