Prof. Dr. Michael Besser

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C16.020
Fon +49.4131.677-2095, michael.besser@leuphana.de
Professor*in, Professorship of Empirical Educational Research in Mathematics Didactics

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Vita

Prof. Dr. Michael Besser is Professor of Empirical Educational Research in Mathematics Didactics since 2018 and Dean of the School of Education at Leuphana University since 2022. His research interests include evidence-based instructional development, teacher professionalism, and empirical discussion of competence. Prof. Dr. Michael Besser is currently a member of the management team of the Future Center for Teacher Education, chair of the Habilitation Commission for Education, and an advisory member of the Senate at Leuphana University.

On a national and international level, Prof. Besser is active as a reviewer (among others for the German Research Foundation, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the European Association for Research in Learning and Instruction as well as for various journals) and in education policy committees (among others in the Joint Mathematics Commission Transition School-University, in the Science Council and in the international comparative study PISA).

 

2022 – today:
Dean of the "School of Education" at the “Leuphana University Lüneburg”.

2018 – today:
University Professor (W2) at the “Institut for Mathematics and its Didactics” at the “Leuphana University Lüneburg”.

2016 – 2018:
Assistant Professor (W1) at the “Institut for Mathematics and its Didactics” and at the “Zukunftszentrum Lehrerbildung” at the “Leuphana University Lüneburg”.

2015 – 2016:
Assistant Professor (W1) at the “Institut for Mathematical Education” at the “University of Education Freiburg”.

2014 – 2015:
Teacher for mathematics at the “Oberschule Stadtmitte Lüneburg”.

2014 – 2014:
Teacher for mathematics at the “Friedrich-List-Schule”, secondary school in Kassel.

2012 – 2015:
Research assistant at the institute for mathematics and its didactics at the Leuphana University of Lueneburg (supervisor: Prof. Dr Dominik Leiss).

2009 – 2014:
Research assistant at the institute for mathematics at the University of Kassel (supervisor: Prof. Dr Werner Blum).

2008 – 2009:
Doctoral scholarship at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin (supervisor: Prof. Dr Dr h. c. Jürgen Baumert).

Dissertation

2008 – 2013:
PhD student at the University of Kassel within the research project COACTIV (professional competence of teachers, cognitively activating instruction, and development of students’ mathematical literacy), supervised by Prof. Dr Werner Blum and Prof. Dr Dr h. c. Jürgen Baumert. 

Dissertation: The relevance of teachers’ competence for the quality of teaching: expertise and beliefs in the context of teaching and learning mathematics.

University Education

2002 – 2007:
Studying mathematics and German for becoming a teacher for secondary school at the University of Kassel

Projects

  1. Center for Empirical Educational Research in Lower Saxony
    Simone Juliane Abels (Project manager, academic) , Michael Besser (Project manager, academic) , Julia Gillen (Project manager, academic) , Katharina Müller (Project manager, academic) , Ramiro Glauer (Coordination)
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    Project: Research

  2. Tempolimit, Wärmepumpe, Elektroauto — Nachhaltigkeit mathematisch modellieren
    Robin Göller (Project manager, academic) , Michael Besser (Project manager, academic) , Kathrin Padberg-Gehle (Project manager, academic) , Maike Hagena (Partner) , Dominik Björn Schlüter (Project staff)
    →

    Project: Teaching

  3. Learning process diagnostics and learning supportive performance feedback in inclusive subject teaching
    Michael Besser (Project manager, academic) , Timo Ehmke (Project manager, academic) , Dominik Leiß (Project manager, academic) , Poldi Kuhl (Project manager, academic) , Fynn Colin Nicolas Töllner (Project staff) , Kyra Renftel (Project staff)
    →

    Project: Research

  4. Gesellschaftliche und normative Herausforderungen von Digitalisierung im Bildungssystem
    Philipp Tscherniak (Project staff) , Robin Göller (Project staff) , Michael Besser (Project manager, academic)

    Project: Research

  5. Competences for Digital-Enhanced Individualized Practice
    Michael Lothar Josef Ahlers (Project manager, academic) , Michael Besser (Project manager, academic) , Poldi Kuhl (Project manager, academic) , Dirk Lehr (Partner) , Jessica Julia Süßenbach (Partner) , Torben Marco Schmidt (Partner) , Christian Herzog (Coordination) , Larissa Altenburger (Project staff) , Henrike Diekhoff (Project staff) , Alina Kristin Hase (Project staff) , Leonie Caroline Kahnbach (Project staff) , Luise Charlotte Wendt (Project staff) , Svea Carolyn Wucherpfennig (Project staff) , Katharina Horst de Cuestas (Project staff) , Astrid Neumann (Partner)
    →

    Project: Research

View all projects

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. Neue Materialien für einen realitätsbezogenen Mathematikunterricht 10: ISTRON-Band zum Modellieren in der Praxis: Lernumgebungen zur Kompetenzorientierung in den Sekundarstufen
    Michael Besser (Author) , Maike Hagena (Author) , Janina Krawitz (Author) , Natalie Tropper (Author) , 2025 1 ed. Berlin/Heidelberg , 147 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Research

  2. Digitales Lehren und Lernen im Fachunterricht: Aktuelle Entwicklungen, Gegenstände und Prozesse
    Michael Lothar Josef Ahlers (Editor) , Michael Besser (Editor) , Christian Herzog (Editor) , Poldi Kuhl (Editor) , 2023 Weinheim , 327 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Research

  3. Studentische Forschung im Praxissemester: Fallbeispiele aus der Lehrkräftebildung
    Timo Beckmann (Editor) , Timo Ehmke (Editor) , Michael Besser (Editor) , 2022 1 ed. Bad Heilbrunn , 274 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Research

  4. Lehrerprofessionalität und die Qualität von Mathematikunterricht: Quantitative Studien zu Expertise und Überzeugungen von Mathematiklehrkräften
    Michael Besser (Author) , 2014 Wiesbaden , 244 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Monographs › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. Formative assessment in inclusive mathematics education in secondary schools: A systematic review
    Fynn Colin Nicolas Töllner (Author) , Poldi Kuhl (Author) , Michael Besser (Author) , 07.05.2025 , in: Education Science, 15, 5 , 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research

  2. How Does Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Relate to the Fulfilment of Basic Psychological Needs During Teaching Practicum?
    Timo Ehmke (Author) , Michael Besser (Author) , Dominik Leiß (Author) , Denise Depping (Author) , 29.11.2024 , in: Education Sciences, 14, 12 , 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  3. On the added value of considering effects of generic and subject-specific instructional quality on students’ achievements – an exploratory study on the example of implementing formative assessment in mathematics education
    Michael Besser (Author) , Maike Hagena (Author) , Thilo Kleickmann (Author) , 01.10.2024 , in: ZDM - Mathematics Education, 56, 5 , p. 815-830 , 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  4. Improving short-term academic performance in the flipped classroom using dynamic geometry software
    Michael Besser (Author) , Chak-Him Fung (Author) , Kin-Keung Poon (Author) , Ming-Chung Fung (Author) , 01.04.2024 , in: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 40, 2 , p. 775-786 , 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  5. Feedback als Merkmal adaptiver Lernunterstützung am Beispiel einer digitalen Lernplattform für das Unterrichtsfach Mathematik
    Larissa Altenburger (Author) , Alina Kristin Hase (Author) , Michael Besser (Author) , Poldi Kuhl (Author) , 18.03.2024 , in: PFLB - Zeitschrift für Schul- und Professionsentwicklung, 6, 2 , p. 128-147 , 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Contributions to collected editions/anthologies

  1. Teachers’ use of formative assessment in inclusive mathematics education in German secondary schools
    Fynn Colin Nicolas Töllner (Author) , Kyra Renftel (Author) , Poldi Kuhl (Author) , Michael Besser (Author) , 29.05.2025 1 ed. , p. 256-269 , 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review

  2. Using qualitative and quantitative arguments in decision-making situations
    Michael Besser (Author) , Dominik Björn Schlüter (Author) , Dominik Leiß (Author) , Maike Hagena (Author) , 01.01.2025 Cham , p. 125–135 , 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

  3. Students’ use of feedback when working on fractions with a digital learning platform and its effects on mathematical performance
    Larissa Altenburger (Author) , Michael Besser (Author) , 01.01.2025 Bozen-Bolzano , p. 2577-2584 , 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Article in conference proceedings › Research › peer-review

  4. Zur Frage der Feedbacknutzung bei der Bearbeitung von Bruchrechenaufgaben auf einer digitalen Lernplattform
    Larissa Altenburger (Author) , Michael Besser (Author) , 01.01.2025 , p. 526-529

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Article in conference proceedings › Research

  5. Zur Wirksamkeit formativen Feedbacks in der Ausbildung angehender Mathematiklehrkräfte
    Saskia Becker (Author) , Maike Hagena (Author) , Michael Besser (Author) , 01.01.2025 , p. 566-569

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Article in conference proceedings › Research

View all publications

Activities

  1. Lernprozessbegleitende Diagnostik und lernförderliche Leistungsrückmeldung im inklusiven Fachunterricht
    Fynn Colin Nicolas Töllner (Speaker) , Friederike Constanze Edith Kienitz (Speaker) , Michael Besser (Speaker) , Poldi Kuhl (Speaker)

    Activity: talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer

  2. Do personality traits affect performance in university selection interviews of prospective teachers?
    Robin Göller (Speaker) , Larissa Altenburger (Speaker) , Michael Besser (Speaker) , Dominik Björn Schlüter (Speaker)

    Activity: Presentations (poster etc.) › Research

  3. Feedback in inclusive mathematics education: Insights on its processing and outcomes
    Fynn Colin Nicolas Töllner (Speaker) , Poldi Kuhl (Coauthor) , Michael Besser (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  4. Long-term development of teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge over 15 years
    Nikolaus Bönke (Speaker) , Michael Besser (Speaker) , Thamar Vos (Speaker)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  5. Self-chosen feedback in computer-based learning: A systematic review of literature
    Friederike Constanze Edith Kienitz (Speaker) , Fynn Colin Nicolas Töllner (Speaker) , Maike Hagena (Speaker) , Michael Besser (Speaker)

    Activity: Presentations (poster etc.) › Research

View all activities

Press / Media

Prizes

Courses