Prof. Jochen Abke, Vice President for Studies and Digitalization at TH Lübeck and Prof. Till Tantau, coordinating head of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs Uzlopened Teaching Day 2024.
Doris Weßels, professor of business informatics and proven AI expert at University of Applied Sciences Kielthen inspired the participants with her keynote “Artificial intelligence for real education: joint AI strategy for teaching at universities in Schleswig-Holstein”. She highlighted the current developments in generative AI (GenAI) and how universities deal with them. “ The question is not whether AI will change education, but how we shape the change,” says Weßels.
Critical thinking, acting under uncertainty and the ability to socialize
Weßels noted that three key dimensions should be highlighted in particular: the legal framework for the use of AI technologies, the provision of AI tools and infrastructure by universities and training and further education measures for teachers and students to competently use generative AI . It is important that critical thinking, acting under uncertainty and the ability to socialize continue to be learned and maintained so that teachers and students use the AI tools in a differentiated manner.
Over the course of the day, participants learned about several thematic tracks and exchanged ideas. You can find the entire program here: https://www.uni-luebeck.de/tag-der-lehre-2024.html
Awarding of the teaching prize and the student teaching prizes of the TH Lübeck
At the end of the day, the TH Lübeck and the UzL honored particularly committed teachers. This year, Jochen Abke presented Prof. Kendra Busche with the teaching award from the TH Lübeck. A total of 12 teachers submitted their concepts, and Kendra Busche won over the six-member jury with her course “Climate Change and Open Space Design”.
“I am very happy about the award. As a professor at a university of applied sciences, you do a lot of teaching hours and work extensively to ensure that you teach well,” says Busche. In her excellent course in the master’s degree in urban planning in the summer semester of 2024, she and the students looked at how the collected knowledge can lead to planning solutions that trigger real restructuring processes in urban development.
From concept to small urban forest
The course was framed by two research questions: Which places on and along Lübeck’s old town island are suitable for unsealing and establishing a small forest? What added value does a small forest bring to the city structure and how can it be designed in terms of design?
In four phases, the students dealt with climate change and its effects, researched strategies and planning approaches, dealt with various planning areas in Lübeck’s city center and developed six concrete, spatial solutions for small forests in Lübeck.
Kendra Busche’s three ingredients in the secret recipe for good teaching
The first ingredient: added value. “Teaching must not only serve to impart knowledge and test. It should be as close as possible to our living environment and enrich real transformation processes,” says Kendra Busche. The second ingredient: knowledge exchange. “Teachers should always be learners – learners (i.e. students) should also be teachers. This means that there must be a mutual exchange of knowledge. “I am very grateful that I leave the university every day with at least as much new knowledge as I enter,” said Busche. The third ingredient: gratitude & humility. “I am pleased – despite the immense teaching load – that I can prepare students for their future jobs and also equip them with mindfulness so that they leave the TH Lübeck as good and sustainable citizens.”
Kendra Busche wants to use the prize money of 5,000 euros in teaching. She does have ideas, but: “I would like to ask the students what I should spend the money on. So if you have ideas or wishes about what teaching content or formats could be made possible, then contact me,” says Kendra Busche Call to students. For example, you can contact her directly by email (kendra.busche(at)th-luebeck.de).
Student teaching award winners
Unlike Teaching Day 2023, the students at TH Lübeck were not able to choose the three best teachers. That’s why the student representatives awarded four equal prizes this year. All four people receive €1,250.00 each for their commitment. The winners this year are: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulf Pilz, Prof. Dr. rer. pole. Marcus Menzl, Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Olaf Voll and Prof. Dr. Sebastian Berndt.