Course II

Course II, ‘Communication that Supports Learning in the Classroom’, builds on the content of the university seminars that pre-service teachers attend during their teaching practicum. The focus here is on communication between students and teachers in the context of classroom interactions, and digital learning modules are used to introduce materials on communication that promotes learning in the classroom.

Communication in class — particularly the way teachers interact with students and respond to their answers to the teacher’s questions — is considered a crucial aspect of effective teaching and student learning. Traditionally, classroom discussions are often dominated by teacher-led, strictly controlled exchanges, which tend to have a negative impact on the learning process, especially with regard to motivation to learn. A dialogue-oriented approach to classroom discussions, which employs specific methods and strategies, has proven to be an effective means of encouraging students to participate more actively in classroom discussions and of positively influencing their learning processes.

The course is divided into three levels, each of which comprises a learning or professional development module. The podcast ‘Shaping Communication in the Classroom to Promote Learning’ (‘Knowledge & Reflection’ level), serves as an initial introduction to the topic, providing insight into current research findings on communication in the classroom and highlighting concrete approaches to facilitating discussions, as well as specific methods and strategies for more actively engaging students in the classroom. Building on this, the video-based reflection ‘Describing – Explaining – Integration’ (the ‘Application & Testing’ level) offers the opportunity to analyze a videotaped classroom lesson in order to identify classroom communication that supports learning. This can improve both one’s own perception and the ability to explain what has been observed on an empirically sound basis. Finally, the self-assessment ‘How do I initiate and promote dialogic communication in my teaching?’ (‘Exchange & Transfer’ level), allows teachers to evaluate their own instruction in terms of past interaction patterns with students and use the results as a basis for discussion with colleagues and/or trainees.

The online course is freely accessible. The direct link below will take you straight to the course room on the Virtual Campus Thuringia (VCT). Upon successful completion of the course, you will have the opportunity to receive a certificate.

Time commitment and topics

To complete the online course thoroughly and effectively, you should set aside 3 to 5 hours. You can pause the course at any time and resume it whenever you like.

Digital discussion sessions

An optional digital discussion session, which complements the completed online course, offers the opportunity to discuss the course content with instructors and other course participants. You can find the Zoom link for the discussion session for the current academic year on the Virtual Campus Thuringia (VCT).

Requirements for Participation

The online course is free, open to the public, and you can work through the material at your own pace from anywhere. It is suitable for teachers, mentors, and trainees in all disciplines. To participate, you should have an interest in topics related to teacher-student interaction, classroom observation, and pedagogical issues in teaching practice.