Exchange Programs for Lecturers

The “AI-Supported Teaching Day 2026” at Fachhochschule Dortmund invited lecturers, researchers, and staff to discover the diverse applications of artificial intelligence in academic studies and teaching and to explore these possibilities together. The event offered practical insights as well as opportunities for discussion, networking, and inspiration. Following a casual get-together, three keynote presentations from the university provided different perspectives on AI-supported teaching and offered food for thought regarding participants’ own teaching practices. During the subsequent gallery walk, participants had the opportunity to delve deeper into the topics, engage in conversation with speakers and colleagues, and take new ideas away with them. The event concluded with a group barbecue, which provided an opportunity for informal exchange and networking in a relaxed atmosphere.

Speakers: Prof. Dr. Michael Kühler (Faculty of Applied Social Studies), Andre Maria Cordes (IDiAL), Alesia Kunz (Learnslice)

Teaching Day 2023 focused on higher education pedagogy at the intersection of societal challenges—such as educational equity, diversity, and sustainability—on the one hand, and technological breakthroughs—such as AI applications—on the other. Immediately following the event, the anniversary celebration for the International Office’s internal university support program(Opens in a new tab)  took place.

On September 30, 2022, Fachhochschule Dortmund held its third annual Teaching Day—and the first under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Tamara Appel, then Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Teaching. About 100 lecturers, research assistants, and staff exchanged ideas under the theme “Shaping Future-Oriented Teaching.”

The second Day of Teaching at Fachhochschule Dortmund took place on June 5, 2019—an event initiated by the then-Vice Rector for Teaching and Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Helmut Hachul.

The first Day of Teaching at Fachhochschule Dortmund took place in 2017—an initiative of the then-Vice Rector for Teaching and Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Helmut Hachul.

How can automatically generated chatbots add value to teaching and academic administration? Andre Cordes and Sven Jörges from the Faculty of Computer Science will answer this and other questions using chatbots they developed for the “Web Technologies” module and other use cases.

As always, all interested colleagues are welcome to easily join in and participate in the discussion.

This issue of “Teachers for Teachers” focuses on the topic “Ethics in Social Work with ChatGPT.” Our guest speaker is Prof. Dr. Michael Kühler from the Faculty of Applied Social Studies.

ChatGPT and other Large Language Models (LLMs) have generated a wave of hype that’s hard to ignore. Their impact has long since reached every corner of society, including universities. In my presentation, I will discuss my seminar “Ethics of Social Work with ChatGPT,” which I taught last summer semester. Students were explicitly required to use ChatGPT in both their seminar paper and their portfolio assessment, but were also expected to critically reflect on this use.

Sebastian Kreimer on the topic: Inner Development Goals

In 2015, the United Nations presented the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as targets to be achieved by 2030. Yet as of 2023, we have achieved just 18% of these goals worldwide (see SDG Report 2023). Do we lack the skills to tackle these complex challenges? And if so, which ones? With the nonprofit open-source initiative IDG—Inner Development Goals—a global movement has emerged that aims to provide funding for people’s inner development by strengthening their skills and competencies for a sustainable future.
Learn about the IDG movement and discuss potential applications in higher education during this event.

Supporting Teaching and Learning with the Writing Center—Resources and Services for Academic Writing with Tonia Fondermann & Daniel Rütten (Writing Center), Prof. Dr. Sabine an Huef (Department of Design)

For many students, writing academic texts poses an immense challenge and is often a major hurdle. The Writing Center at Fachhochschule Dortmund offers a permanent, interdisciplinary resource for students as well as for lecturers who wish to support the development of their students’ writing skills. As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” exchange series, the Writing Center will present its work and highlight various support options for teaching practice.

"The significant time and personnel resources required for research, combined with the limited opportunities for scientific work during one’s studies, have motivated me to conduct research together with students. Bachelor’s and/or Master’s students work with me in groups on technical or empirical research projects in computer science or IT security. We prepare scientific publications that are submitted as papers to relevant workshops or conferences. Special student conferences allow for publications authored solely by the students. This results in a classic win-win situation, as the format fosters students’ research skills while simultaneously supporting lecturers in their research work. As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” exchange program, I would like to explain the concept in more detail and discuss it with you.” — Prof. Dr. Holger Schmidt

Claus Vormann from FB 9 demonstrates how lecturers and researchers can use social media effectively, using LinkedIn as an example. In addition to providing insight into his own use of the platform, he will highlight how it connects to his work at Fachhochschule Dortmund and how LinkedIn can contribute not only to expanding one’s professional network but also to enriching teaching and research activities.

This session in the “Lecturers for Lecturers” series is designed to inspire lecturers to use LinkedIn in teaching and research. On June 3 and July 1, the “Welcome Prof 360 Grad” project will host workshops to help lecturers optimize their own LinkedIn profiles.

What opportunities does learning analytics offer for actual teaching, how widely can it be used (at present), and what potential does it hold? On May 2, 2024, at 12:30 p.m., Taher Nasched from the “Digital Mentoring” project, along with Wilhelm Harms and Yves Rosefort from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, will describe how learning analytics is being used for the “Thermodynamics” module and what results can be expected.

In the “Teachers for Teachers” lecture and discussion series, Vincent Beringhoff presents the Institute for Higher Education Didactics’ video lab and its services for lecturers—ranging from voice recordings and expert interviews to studio recordings of lectures.

As an example, Prof. Dr. Ann-Kathrin Hömme (Faculty of Information Technology) will describe how she and her colleagues redesigned an entire introductory course using pre-recorded video segments—produced by the video lab.

As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” lecture and discussion series, Martin Kißler will speak on December 19 at 2:00 p.m. about his experiences creating a reader to accompany a second-semester introductory course in the BA in Business Administration study program. The use of ChatGPT was explicitly planned and served as the focus of the group work.

As always, all interested colleagues are welcome to easily join the session and participate in the discussion.

As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” lecture and discussion series, Miguel Ángel Sánchez López and Gerrida Margaretha Vorster will speak on November 27 at 2:00 p.m. about “InduTwin – Working and Teaching in International Teams.”

As always, all interested colleagues are welcome to easily join in and participate in the discussion.

As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” lecture and discussion series, Prof. Dr. Martin Hirsch will speak on June 13 at 2:00 p.m. on “Competency-Based Assessment in Applied Computer Science.”

As always, all interested colleagues are welcome to easily join the session and participate in the discussion.

As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” lecture and discussion series, Prof. Dr. Jörges will speak on Monday, February 27, 2023, starting at 10:00 a.m., on the topic “Chat GPT – Opportunities and Risks for Teaching.” Prof. Dr. Sven Jörges is a professor of web engineering and software engineering in the Faculty of Computer Science.

ChatGPT is being hailed as a major breakthrough in artificial intelligence. The tool’s potential applications are enormous.

But what opportunities and risks does the use of this AI chatbot entail? What are the implications for teaching and assessment at universities?

As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” series, Prof. Sven Jörges will introduce ChatGPT and then discuss its potential and risks with the participants.

As always, all interested colleagues are welcome to easily join in and participate in the discussion. We look forward to your participation.

As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” lecture and discussion series, Prof. Dr. Jörges will speak on Friday, December 9, 2022, starting at 10:30 a.m., on “Interactive HTML Learning Modules with Educational Games, Quizzes, Live Polls, and Live Coding.” Prof. Dr. Sven Jörges is a professor of Web Engineering and Software Engineering in the Faculty of Computer Science.

Three questions for Prof. Dr. Jörges:

What is the basic idea behind your concept/method/presentation?

In my courses, I strive to design both the in-person and self-directed learning phases in a way that motivates students while taking into account their varying skill levels. In this presentation, I’d like to demonstrate how I combine e-learning and hands-on elements, the inverted classroom, and digital tools to achieve this goal.

What do you see as the advantages?

HTML learning modules in ILIAS allow for the embedding of animated and interactive content, such as videos, quizzes, and educational games, which students can use during the self-directed learning phase. Educational games, in particular, help address different skill levels—ranging from entertaining reinforcement to exploratory extra tasks for advanced learners. The HTML learning modules are designed to support students’ independent preparation and follow-up work on the material, so that in-person sessions can focus on in-depth, interactive formats such as live voting or live coding.

Which courses are suitable for this?

My courses generally focus on software programming, so some formats—such as live coding—are certainly subject-specific. However, I believe that many elements from the toolkit presented here could also be of interest to courses in any discipline and serve as a source of inspiration.

On November 2, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., with Prof. Dr. Stephan Weyers (Faculty of Business Studies).

May 3, 2022, 9:00–10:00 a.m. with Dr. Johannes Etzkorn (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)

Three Questions for Dr. Etzkorn

What is the basic idea behind your concept/method/presentation?

The bonus tests are an attempt to motivate students to engage with the course material continuously throughout the semester, rather than just right before the exam.

What do you see as the advantages?

By learning throughout the semester, students can reduce the stress of cramming during the study period leading up to exams. I also believe that this approach enables more sustainable learning, allowing students to retain what they’ve learned better even after the exam.

Which courses are suitable for this?

I think, in principle, all courses are suitable for such an approach. The bonus system would likely need to be tailored to each course.

March 28, 2022, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. with Christine Jansing (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)

Three Questions for Christine Jansing

What is the basic idea behind your concept/method/presentation?

Our concept is based on the principle of minimal assistance. When students have questions about physics, subject tutors help them as little as possible, but as much as necessary. The focus is on students working through and solving physics problems independently. In addition, Topic Specials review course content and reinforce it through relevant exercises. In Exam Specials, students work through past exams, allowing them to get used to their instructor’s style before the actual exam.

What do you see as the advantages?

Our concept is an accessible option because knowledge is transferred from students to students. By working through the problems independently, students learn and reinforce the approach to solving physics problems.

Which courses are suitable for this?

Students from all faculties (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and Faculty of Information Technology) at the Sonnenstraße campus now participate in this format, giving them access to a diverse range of resources covering the content of the introductory physics lectures.

February 24, 2022, 10:00–11:00 a.m., with Prof. Dr. Vinod Rajamani (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)

Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Rajamani

What is the underlying idea behind your concept/method/presentation?

The goal is to raise awareness of cultural and attitudinal differences.

What do you see as the benefits?

Teaching and research are tailored to these needs.

Which courses are suitable for this?

Exchange semesters and intensive courses, such as summer or winter schools, are particularly well-suited for intercultural teaching formats.

February 8, 2022, 3:45–4:45 p.m., with Prof. Dr. Jörg Thiem (Faculty of Information Technology)

Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Thiem

What is the basic idea behind your concept, method, or presentation?

Using MATLAB, students learn to visualize data for coursework assignments and analyze it using simple programming tools.

What do you see as the advantages?

MATLAB makes it possible to visualize complex datasets and simplify data analysis and processing. Through interactive exercises, students receive feedback on their learning progress. Introducing them to an established, widely used development tool (with features such as automated code generation and broad hardware support) also serves as excellent preparation for their future careers.

Which courses are suitable for this?

MATLAB/Simulink is suitable for all mathematical and technical disciplines. Students from the Faculties of Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science participate in my courses.

Series of sessions with Prof. Dr. Lutz Niehüser (Faculty of Business Studies) on the topic:

“evaexam – Online Exams – Onboarding” on Dec. 9, 2021 | Dec. 14, 2021 | Dec. 22, 2021

“evaexam – Online Exams – Discussion and Refresher” on January 4, 2022 | January 12, 2022 | January 18, 2022 | January 26, 2022

Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Niehüser

What is evaexam and what is it used for?

The evaexam solution is a web-based software platform that enables exams to be conducted in the form of scanned exams, in-person e-exams, or fully online exams. The software has been available to all examiners university-wide since the summer semester of 2021.

What do you see as the advantages?

The evaexam solution offers you the greatest possible flexibility in exam creation, distribution, participation, grading, quality assurance, and debriefing. By automating and digitizing all process steps, you reduce the likelihood of errors in grading and minimize administrative workload. evaexam offers nine different question types, including open-ended and multiple-choice questions. Multiple-choice questions are automatically corrected and graded. Open-ended questions are corrected, annotated, and graded by examiners directly in the browser.

Which courses are suitable for this?

The evaexam solution is recommended for all course formats that include midterm or final exams in a written format.

October 26, 4:00–5:00 p.m., with Prof. Dr. André Dechange (Faculty of Business Studies)

Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Dechange
What is the underlying idea behind your concept, method, or presentation?

It’s about how to implement a holistic blended learning approach by selecting, applying, and integrating various teaching methods and tools appropriately.

What do you see as the advantages?

In a holistic concept, all elements—such as topics, structure, terminology, and exercises—are coordinated with one another. By incorporating a variety of media, it is possible to cater to different learning styles.

Which courses are suitable for this approach?

In principle, all courses are suitable.

October 4, 12:00–1:00 p.m., with Prof. Dr. Katja Klingebiel and Dr. Ramona Schröpf (Faculty of Business Studies)

Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Katja Klingebiel and Dr. Ramona Schröpf
What is the basic idea behind your concept/method/presentation?

• Prof. Dr. Katja Klingebiel: The core idea is to support digital teaching through ILIAS. We’ll present an exemplary, practical structure for ILIAS folders and demonstrate the use of various ILIAS objects.
• Dr. Ramona Schröpf: As part of the “Lecturers for Lecturers” presentation, I will introduce an interactive e-learning and blended learning program designed to deepen French language skills via the ILIAS learning platform.

What do you see as the advantages?

• Prof. Dr. Katja Klingebiel: It makes it easier for students to navigate digital and hybrid courses.
• Dr. Ramona Schröpf: The modules developed can be worked through by students in self-study or used by lecturers as blended-learning units.

Which courses are suitable for this?

• Prof. Dr. Katja Klingebiel: The method is not tied to specific content. Therefore, it is suitable for all courses.
• Dr. Ramona Schröpf: Across all departments, all French courses are suitable for the blended-learning modules. The e-learning modules can be used independently of any specific course.

June 21, 2021, with Prof. Dr. Martin Hirsch, hdw mentor at Fachhochschule Dortmund and lecturer in the Faculty of Computer Science

Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Hirsch

What is the basic idea behind your concept?

In my presentation, I don’t intend to introduce a new concept, but rather to use the session as a discussion forum on the topic of “threshold didactics in online teaching”:

“Threshold didactics,” as the name suggests, is the concept of spontaneously considering or narrowing down the didactic approach and content upon entering the room, and then successfully conducting the class.

My thesis: Online teaching promotes the use of threshold didactics because students—especially in STEM fields—increasingly appear as “blank slates,” and access to the course is just a mouse click away.

What do you see as the advantages?

First, the barrier to entry for the course is low; second, there is essentially no identification with the course organizer; and third, identification occurs through people, not through “blank tiles.”

The course space is essentially the instructor’s laptop, which can launch countless teaching tools (apps) at the touch of a button without any preparation.

The question, therefore, is whether this very aspect also fosters creativity and opens up new avenues in teaching—could threshold pedagogy perhaps be seen as a driver for new teaching concepts?

Which courses are suitable for this?

Actually, the full range of courses with many “white tiles”—seminars tend to be excluded because students are physically present in those settings.

On June 1, 2021, with Prof. Dr. Anja Hartmann, a lecturer in the Faculty of Applied Social Studies.

Four Questions for Prof. Dr. Anja Hartmann

What is the basic concept behind portfolio exams?

A portfolio exam consists of several assessment components. These differ in their specific formats: for example, oral and written assessments, as well as group and individual assessments.
They are designed to address different types and content of knowledge: collecting examples of theoretical approaches, presenting and discussing empirical findings, applying theory to practice, and similar tasks. The individual components are conducted at various times throughout the semester.

What do you see as the advantages?

Lecturers can design and combine appropriate assessment formats depending on the content and level of difficulty. Students can leverage their strengths and preferences in certain assessment formats while simultaneously working on their weaknesses in others.
“Binge learning” and procrastination occur less frequently, as students engage with the content on an ongoing basis. Students can better reflect on their own performance, since multiple exams provide more feedback.

Which courses are suitable for portfolio assessments?

A portfolio assessment is particularly well-suited for three types of courses.
First, for extensive courses that exceed the conventional 2–4 SWS.
Second, courses in which different forms of knowledge are taught and integrated—theoretical foundations, empirical research, or societal relevance.
Third, courses whose implementation and content depend to a significant extent on student engagement.

What should lecturers know if they want to adopt this model?

The combination and weighting of the individual assessment components should be well thought out and correspond to the temporal and content structure of the course.
The requirements for each assessment component must be transparent and clearly communicated at the very beginning of the course.
Preparation and feedback are time-consuming and take up a significant portion of the seminar schedule.

April 20, 2021, with Prof. Dr. Viola Hartung-Beck and Prof. Dr. Andrej König (Department of Applied Social Sciences)

The presentation for the lecture is available on ILIAS(Opens in a new tab) .

Three Questions for Prof. Dr. Viola Hartung-Beck and Prof. Dr. Andrej König

OTUWI is a digital learning format for students that you are currently developing. What do you hope to convey to the lecturers at the University of Applied Sciences on April 20?

The “Online Tutorial on Academic Writing” (OTUWI) is designed to give students the opportunity to learn academic writing as a fundamental skill through self-study. Academic writing is a fundamental core competency for all study programs at the Fachhochschule Dortmund. By digitally supporting this key skill through self-study modules, face-to-face teaching time can be used more effectively to impart subject-specific knowledge. This includes, for example, knowledge of the fundamentals of empirical research methods, systematic literature reviews, identifying and structuring topics for term papers and theses, working with academic sources, and more.

For which study programs is OTUWI suitable?

As part of a pilot and evaluation phase, OTUWI will initially be tested in the Faculty of Applied Social Studies. Upon completion of the evaluation phase, OTUWI will be made available to all lecturers at the Fachhochschule Dortmund via the already established web-based learning management system ILIAS.

What technical, organizational, or other requirements are necessary for using OTUWI?

OTUWI’s digital self-study modules are offered via ILIAS, so no additional technical requirements are necessary for either students or lecturers.