Tiemann Chemistry Education Lab
NEWS
New Member
T-CEL warmly welcomes Dr. Natalia Spitha!
Starting in April 2022, Ms. Spitha, graduated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA), will be conducting research with T-CEL's team for two years. She studied chemistry and received her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, but during this time she has also been pursuing issues in Chemistry Education Research.
Funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, she will be researching support opportunities for student teachers in chemistry in their first semester. For example, simulations will be developed to promote conceptual understanding and modeling competence but also to support self-confidence. The goal is to reduce dropout rates in the chemistry teacher education program.
Spitha, N., Doolittle, P. S., Buchberger, A. R., Pazicni, S. (2021): A Simulation-Based Guided Inquiry Activity for Deriving the Beer-Lambert Law. J. Chem. Educ., 98, 1705–1711.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01433
New Project
CreativeQuantum GmbH (Berlin-Adlershof) and T-CEL jointly develop possibilities to facilitate students' thinking with models in chemistry.
The project implements the theory-driven virtual environment WebChem by CreativeQuantum GmbH, which enables students to actively interact with different levels of representation of chemical content. There, they can work individually or in groups on authentic problems at the molecular level through quantum-mechanically supported real-time simulations, acquire scientific and digital competencies, and experience their learning progress through immediate feedback processes. What role the design of the learning environment plays for the construction of individual or group shared mental models, and thus ultimately influences successful problem solving will be investigated in more detail by T-CEL.
The project is funded by the BMBF as part of the implementation of the National Education Platform (NBP).
RESearch
Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Tiemann
Head of the Chemistry Education Lab
The research program of the Tiemann Chemistry Education Lab has a strong commitment to knowledge acquisition by problem solving. In quantitative studies with technology based tools the focus is on describing, assessing and supporting the fundamental mechanisms behind this process.
"We only think when we are confronted with problems."
(John Dewey)
Combined with the use of experiments and the use of mental models to understand core concepts of Chemistry, the research program empowers the Tiemann Chemistry Education Lab, theory-driven and empirically, to investigate students' thinking individually or in classrooms. Alumni group members serve as Professors, for Science Outreach Organizations or as Chemistry Teachers.
ACADEMICS
Bachelor
The Chemistry Education Lab at Humboldt-University serves more than 100 students at K-12 (Sekundarstufe) and primary level (Primarstufe) each year through a diverse portfolio of theoretical background knowledge and first practical learning experiences.
From students for students (in german): Video
Master
The professional learning program is designed to improve the skills and competencies in creating innovative learning environments and to learn first teaching experiences. Up to 10 students per year have the chance to finish their studies in T-CEL with a thesis (M.Ed.).
From students for students (in german): Video