Teaching Skills Certificate | Basic

This module serves as an introduction to the program. It gives participants the opportunity to get to know one another and introduces them to the program’s goals and structure. Participants also identify a specific course design that they will develop step by step over the course of the program. They discuss quality criteria for course design and examine examples of successful academic posters.

Objectives

Participants…

… identify a specific course or teaching project that they would like to develop as part of the certificate program.

… are able to incorporate the requirements for developing a course design into their planning

… are familiar with quality criteria for academic posters and develop initial ideas for their own design

Contents

1. Introductions, objectives, program schedule;

2. Details on the “assignment”: Developing a course design over the course of the program

3. Designing scientific posters

 

Instructors: Dr. Johanna Warm, Katrin Bleckenwegner, MEd

This module focuses on the systematic planning of courses based on the principle of constructive alignment. Participants will learn how to systematically align learning outcomes, teaching methods, and assessment. They will become familiar with the principle of scholarly teaching. In addition, they will formulate competency-based, measurable learning outcomes for their own course design and begin to consider possible teaching formats and assessment methods.

Objectives

Participants…

… can explain the principle of constructive alignment and apply it to their own course design

… understand what characterizes scholarly teaching and draw conclusions from this for their own course design

… can formulate competency-based learning outcomes for their own course design

Contents

1. Constructive Alignment, quality criteria for good teaching

2. Formulating competency-based learning outcomes

3. Scholarly Teaching & SoTL; Evaluation and Further Development of One’s Own Teaching

 

Course Instructors: Katrin Bleckenwegner, MEd; Florian Kellner, MSc; Dr. Aisha Tüchler; Mag. Thomas Sommerer, MA, PhD

In LEHRE kompakt, participants explore the institutional framework for teaching at WU. They receive guidance on legal requirements (course formats, examination regulations with a focus on attendance policies and grading), as well as on classroom technology. In addition, WU guidelines are compared with participants’ own ideas for course design.

Objectives

Participants…

… will be familiar with the legal framework for teaching at WU

… can assess whether their own course design aligns with the course format, assessment method, and attendance policies

… identify ways in which classroom technology can support their course design

Contents

WU-Specific Aspects of Teaching:

1. Legal framework for teaching (especially course formats, examination regulations, attendance policies)

2. Classrooms and the technology available within them

 

Instructors: Claudia Böck, MA, Mag. Marlis Sobernig

Participants will develop the fundamentals of valid and fair performance assessment. They will learn about different types of assessments, how to distinguish between formative and summative assessments, and reflect on selection criteria. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of generative AI in the context of assessment and on critically reflecting on existing assessment practices. Participants will develop an assessment design for their own course.

Objectives

Participants…

… can distinguish between summative and formative assessment formats

… are familiar with different assessment formats and select appropriate formats for the learning outcomes in their course design

… can develop evaluation criteria and rubrics for their own course design

… can critically evaluate their own assessment design in terms of validity, fairness, assessment errors, and challenges posed by AI

Contents

1. The Role of Assessment in Constructive Alignment

2. Overview of assessment formats and selection criteria

3. AI as a challenge

4. Grading and Feedback (Criteria, Rubrics, Efficiency)

 

Instructor: Dr. Johanna Warm

In this module, Prae Docs have the opportunity to reflect on their role as educators, gain more confidence in their presentation, and develop strategies for typical teaching situations. Participants are supported in finding a teaching style that suits their subject area and personality.

Objectives

Upon completion of this module, participants will be able to...

… to reflect on and further develop their own role as educators.

… to present their subject matter confidently and authentically and to actively engage students.

… to professionally manage challenges and conflicts in the lecture hall.

… to make connections to their instructional design, including their teaching style and the chosen teaching formats and methods.

Contents

1. Teaching Personality & Attitude: Understanding one’s own role and developing a personal understanding of teaching.

2. Presence and Impact in the Classroom: Self-reflection and feedback on presence and impact in teaching.

3. Confidently Handling Challenging Situations & Students: Awareness of one’s own reactions and psychological strategies for dealing with student passivity, critical group dynamics, and unexpected disruptions.

4. Emotional Self-Management: Reflection on emotional patterns and tools for stress management.

5. Communication with Students: Understandinginterpersonal dynamics; examining one’s own communication style.

6. Integration & Application: Personal commitment and reflective questions regarding one’s own course design.

 

Instructor: Mag. Christine Hoffmann-Schütz

In this module, participants will learn about various university-level teaching formats and methods that they can apply in their own course design. The goal is to identify appropriate formats that align with both the course content and their own personality, and that support the defined learning objectives.

Objectives

Upon completion of this module, participants will be able to…

… to identify and implement various higher education teaching formats and methods appropriate to the learning outcomes and group size.

… to establish rapport with students within the first few minutes of the course.

… to facilitate group work.

… to use engaging methods for different group sizes.

… to design interactive teaching and learning formats.

Contents

Introduction to instructional formats and methods

1. The flow of a class and criteria for selecting methods.

2. “Warm Welcome Techniques” for establishing contact within the first 2 minutes.

3. “Holding the Room”—techniques for managing group dynamics.

4. Engaging methods for large and small groups.

5. Interactive teaching and learning formats.

6. Deepening understanding, reflection, and application of learning content.

7. Dealing with diversity: Taking into account different learning levels, languages, and backgrounds.

8. Deepening skills in handling challenging situations and students.

 

Instructor: MMag. Olivia Vrabl

In this module, participants will become familiar with the Canvas learning platform and selected tools (e.g., Mentimeter and Mural) that they can use to digitally support and enrich their teaching. The module focuses on how to structure learning materials in Canvas to promote learning and how to present and assess partial achievements as assignments. In addition, participants will gain insights into digital tools for engaging students in in-person settings and explore ways to apply these tools in their own teaching.

This module takes place in a blended-learning format, meaning that participants complete assignments based on short video clips during a preliminary self-study phase (approx. 1 hour). This is followed by a 3-hour in-person workshop.

Objectives

Participants…

… will be able to present teaching materials in Canvas in a clear and structured manner.

… can map out course components in Canvas, communicate assessment criteria transparently, and support feedback processes.

… are familiar with the digital tools available at WU for engaging students and can make pedagogically sound decisions about how to use these tools in their own courses.

Contents

1. Using Canvas to Support Digital Teaching

   1. Organizing Teaching Materials in the Canvas Environment

   2. Administering and grading different types of assignments (individual and group work, media formats) in Canvas

   3. Feedback options in Canvas and transparent grading

2. Using digital tools to engage students

   1. Collecting and addressing student questions during a class

   2. Conducting surveys (knowledge, opinion) and polls on a topic

   3. Gathering and incorporating student feedback

   4. Brainstorming in large and small groups

 

Instructors: Mag. Marlis Sobernig, Marisa Haider, MSc

Participants present the course designs they have developed in the form of posters. On these posters, they clearly explain their instructional decisions. As part of a “gallery walk,” they provide constructive feedback on their colleagues’ designs. A concluding reflection session serves to identify best practices and explore opportunities for applying them to future teaching.

Objectives

Participants…

… can justify their pedagogical decisions in a coherent and theoretically sound manner.

… can provide colleagues with criteria-based, constructive feedback

… reflect on their own development as educators and can derive next steps for their teaching practice from this reflection

Content

1. Providing criteria-based peer feedback

2. Identifying opportunities for application

 

Course Instructors: Dr. Johanna Warm, Katrin Bleckenwegner, MEd