Digitale Lehre

University teaching is faced with the task of reaching students with different learning requirements and life realities. Online teaching offers additional possibilities here: students can work through asynchronous learning units at their own pace or participate from home via online presence events.

At the TU Hamburg, two central systems are available for this purpose:

• The study platform of the TU for asynchronous learning phases
• Video conferencing systems (Zoom or BigBlueButton) for synchronous online events

The combination of these systems makes it possible to use different didactic methods and to prepare learning content in various formats.

Teachers often face various challenges in face-to-face teaching:

• students have very different levels of prior knowledge, which means that some are overchallenged and others underchallenged
• complex subject matter is difficult to teach in an understandable way
• it is not always possible to activate and continuously engage students

Digital tools can help here, e.g.

• multimedia representations can be used to better illustrate abstract concepts
• Interactive tasks enable students to test their own understanding
• Online materials can be prepared and followed up by students at their own pace

ZLL, HOOU and the computing centre have developed a selection guide for digital tools in teaching to help you choose the appropriate digital tools. These show specific possible uses for various tools in specific teaching situations.

At ZLL, we provide advice on how the use of digital tools can meaningfully enrich face-to-face teaching.

The first semesters of study present students with two main challenges:

• They first have to develop the organisation of their own learning
• Different levels of prior knowledge make it difficult to get into the subject matter

A clearly structured self-learning phase can reduce these transitional difficulties. Concrete tasks and learning objectives help to plan regular learning times and to systematically close existing knowledge gaps.

The study platform of the TU Hamburg can help students to better assess their learning process and to work specifically on gaps in their knowledge, for example, through:

• Self-tests to check one's own level of knowledge
• Online exercises with direct feedback
• Learning modules for independent revision of basic knowledge
• Regular surveys on learning progress

Digital teaching not only changes the way learning content is taught and learned. The use of digital technologies also influences the design of exams, tests and feedback processes and should therefore always be taken into account when planning (digital) teaching.

Regular online tests support continuous learning. They help students to assess their level of knowledge and identify gaps at an early stage. For teachers, they provide valuable insights into the learning progress of the group. Digital feedback can be provided in real time and take various forms – from automated responses to personalised comments from teachers. Audio response systems also promote critical engagement with the subject matter.

At ZLL, we advise on how digital tests and digital feedback can be integrated into teaching and contribute to learning success.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has now permeated all areas of life. The integration of AI into teaching is therefore becoming increasingly important. It is changing the way we teach and learn, and thus also influences examination formats and assessments. In order for students to develop a sound understanding of the technological fundamentals as well as the associated opportunities and risks, a comprehensive examination of AI in teaching - from the technical aspects to ethical and social developments - is necessary.

In this context, the TU Hamburg has published the handout (WORT prüfen guideline?) AI-Tools for teaching and learning. This serves as a guide and contains possible teaching scenarios, requirements for examiners, as well as fundamental and legal information.

The Centre for Teaching and Learning (ZLL) is also addressing the topic of AI as a cross-cutting issue in our teacher training programmes. In addition, the Multimedia Kontor Hamburg (MMKH) is currently offering training courses on various AI generators. Individual advisory services on these technologies are also available to Hamburg's university partners.