From Ocotber 9th to 11th, 2024, the interim conference “thinking INTERFACH further” (“INTERFACH weiterdenken”) took place at the Science Park in Kassel. Together with the conference guests and invited discussants Heike de Boer, Daniela Merklinger, and Birgit Brandt, concepts of “subject specific learning” were discussed and further developed in cooperative formats. Scientists from the fields of educational science, German didactics, and mathematics didactics – from the research group and beyond – drove the discourse forward from a multi-perspective approach. The starting point for the collaborative research work was provided by stimulating impulses from the research group members and processed data from the video study. This enabled an interdisciplinary investigation of the interface between subject-specific learning and interaction in the classroom. The conference has been particularly productive in terms of elaborating empirical subject-specific learning and testing joint research strategies and formats.
The conference began with an interdisciplinary exchange on the various terms used to describe “subject specific learning,” and thus the continuation of a collegial process of understanding (Alexandra Dannenberg & Georg Breidenstein). This was followed by thematic impulses based on data and findings from the individual projects of the colleagues. The focus was on the situational negotiation of student questions in German and mathematics lessons in elementary school (Ann-Christin Beforth, Emine Shaka, Lisa Mehmel & Timon Demburg). Focus was also placed on questions about student behavior in relation to modes of “discovery” and “completion,” the students’ task completion, and support practices (‘Stützpraktiken’) (Tanya Tyagunova, Patrick Schreyer & Romina Schmidt-Drechsler). The localization of these research topics in the field of tension between subject-specific and interactive teaching processes led to productive discussions and further differentiation of observable kinds of subject-specific learnings.
The following day, the practices of using arithmetic tools (Sandra Parsch) and the situational use of patterns and structures in primary school subject teaching (Candy Friedrich & Elisa Wagner) were explored through two impulses from colleagues. Among other things, the focus fell on the addressing process and the resulting interactive and subject-specific requirements that the school environment produces. In one-on-one discussions during an academic walk, participants exchanged their insights from the conference regarding the understanding of subject-specific learning among researchers at different career stages.During a workshop (Olivia Kleinfeld & Amelie Krug), edited scenes from the INTERFACH video study were presented to the conference participants. The generated productive irritation enabled participants to question their own analytical practices in handling video data and to develop further considerations regarding the points of contact between subject-specific and interactive classroom practices.
In two final impulse contributions on the following day, colleagues addressed the concept of a ‘subject-specific order of knowledge’ (Melanie Leonhard) and the recording of subject-specific, professional competences of teachers (Dana Kirch). The last day of the conference was also devoted to the explication and bundling of lines of discussion. Heike de Boer, Daniela Merklinger, and Birgit Brandt highlighted key points relating to the conference content, such as the empirical differentiation of subject-specific learning, significant implications of working on ‘tasks’, and the perspectivation of subject-specific practice by students for research into subject-specific teaching.Overall, the conference contributed to the further development of empirical categories of subject-specific learning, the in-depth examination of the intersection between subject-specific learning and interaction in teaching practice, and the cooperative scientific style of the different formats. In addition to the profound subject-specific and methodological exchange, the conference also provided a space for testing and experiencing innovative presentation and discussion formats.
We sincerely thank all participants for coming and contributing their thoughts!
The conference team.
Elisa Wagner, Amelie Krug, Alexandra Dannenberg, Olivia Kleinfeld & Romina Schmidt-Drechsler