Leuphana: Digital Transformation Lab for Teaching and Learning

With the project "Leuphana: Digital Transformation Lab for Teaching and Learning" (DigiTaL), recently approved by the Foundation for Innovation in Higher Education, the Leuphana is creating a systematic, integrative place to strengthen digital teaching and learning under the leadership of Vice President Prof. Dr. Erich Hörl and Dr. Julia Webersik, Head of the Teaching Service. A total of 15 professors and other teachers, students, all three schools and central institutions are involved in the project, which will run from 2021-2024, with 11 sub-projects in the fields of "digital teaching-learning innovations", "digital literacy" and "digital internationalisation".

The key element of the project is the Digital Transformation Lab for Teaching and Learning (DigiTaL), designed by all participants as well as other internal and external experts and students.

The Digital Transformation Lab creates new interaction spaces for the professional development of teaching innovations, the promotion of strategic developments, and the exchange and transfer of results. In this way, the project makes a significant contribution to critically reflecting on the experiences with digital teaching and learning gathered during the Corona semesters and strategically developing innovations in alignment with Leuphana's educational aspirations and self-image.

Thematic cluster "Digital Teaching/Learning Innovations":

The sub-projects classified within the Digital Teaching and Learning Innovation cluster focus on developing innovative teaching content through digital tools. The aim is to promote competence acquisition in the digital space and the opportunity for self-directed learning by integrating the newly developed didactic concepts into the Leuphana Teaching Service's university didactic certificate program. The following sub-projects develop concepts within this cluster:

• SP 1: Virtual realities for competence development and reflection
  Prof. Dr. P. Kuhl (Fac. Education), Prof. Dr. D. Loschelder (Fac. Economics)
• SP 2: Digital reflection on teaching and counselling
  Prof. Dr. M. Kleinknecht (Fac. Education)
• SP 3: Strengthening dialogue and cooperative practices in the e-portfolio
  Prof. Dr. A. Karber (Fac. Education)
• SP 4: Method Wiki
  Prof. Dr. H. von Wehrden (Faculty of Sustainability)
• SP 5: E-examinations - didactic, technical and examination law anchoring
  Prof. Dr. M. Wenzel (Fac. Economics), Dr. J. Webersik (Teaching Service)

Thematic Cluster "Digital Literacy":

The Digital Literacy cluster aims to introduce Digital Literacy Education and, thus, the implementation of data literacy, empowering students to independently, reflectively, and responsibly assess statements and connections in the digital age. Additionally, the cluster is dedicated to reflecting on students' and doctoral candidates' learning and development processes using digital formats. The following sub-projects develop concepts within this cluster:

• SP 6: Skills for a Digital Future
  Prof. Dr. S. Abels (Faculty of Sustainability), Dr. Nadine Dablé (Graduate School)
• SP 7: DATAxtended - Implementation of a concept for expanding data literacy competencies in Bachelor's complementary studies
  Prof. Dr. B. Funk (Faculty of Economics), Prof. Dr. Ch. Wegener (Centre for Methods)
• SP 8: DI-SZENARIO - Responsible introduction of digital innovations in organisations: A scenario-based approach
  Prof. Dr. P. Drews, Prof. Dr. H. Trittin-Ulbrich (Faculty of Economics)

Thematic Cluster "Digital Internationalisation":

The pandemic-induced convergence of internationalisation and digitalisation in education offers the Digital Internationalization cluster significant potential for expansion, flexibility, and accessibility for new target groups. The relevance of physical study abroad experiences for students is not being questioned. Instead, the cluster explores and illuminates concepts for preparing for a study abroad experience or towards achieving barrier-free internationalisation.

• SP 9: Digital teaching/learning formats for the internationalisation of the Master's and doctoral phase
  Prof. Drin. S. Abels (Faculty of Sustainability), Dr. A. Soltau (Graduate School)
• SP 10: DigiCLIL-Exchange: Integrated teaching of foreign language, intercultural and subject-specific competences
  Prof. Dr. A. Barron, Dr. N. Bennit, Prof. Dr. T. Schmidt (Fac. Education)
• SP 11: Hybrid teaching in an international context (HyLiK)
  Prof. Dr. J.-Ph. Terhechte (Faculty of Economics), M. Schloßstein (Professional School)

New blog posts from the DigiTaL sub-projects

Starting now and at regular intervals, you will receive insights into the substantive project work of the sub-projects and clusters in the new DigiTaL blog. In the new posts, you will gain deeper insights into workshops and events conducted in our sub-projects:

•  The blog post Developing Interpersonal Skills in Virtual Reality is not just a theoretical discussion. It's a practical example of how hybrid teaching formats are being used at Leuphana's Professional School, making it a must-read for anyone interested in innovative teaching methods.
   
• The blog post CO-BOLD: A Serious Game to Promote a Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Business by Johannes Katsarov (SP 8) introduces the serious moral game "CO-BOLD". This illustrates a particular instance of hybrid teaching formats that has undergone development and testing at Leuphana's Professional School for the past two years.
   
• Sub-project 4 of the DigiTaL project enhances the Methods Wiki, led by Neha Chauhan and Anna-Lena Rau, to include new methods from Leuphana University's faculties, implement feedback mechanisms, and introduce the Wiki to other universities nationally and internationally.

Additional blog entries

The Digital Transformation Lab creates new interaction spaces for the professional development of teaching innovations, the promotion of strategic developments and the exchange and transfer of results. In this way, the project makes a significant contribution to subjecting the experiences with digital teaching and learning gathered during the Corona semesters to critical reflection and to strategically develop innovations in coordination with Leuphana's educational aspirations and self-image.

Here you can find the press release on the successful application.