Page 85 - Research Report 2021 - Institut für Leichtbau und Kunststofftechnik

Even if the focus is somewhat different in each case, both also lack the direct, unfiltered feedback of a face-to-face
statements show clear advantages of the much-maligned event. In the end, one can only tell whether a break-up
digital teaching. Teaching videos, for example, which are is effective, whether a repetition works out, or how the
available at all times, are a considerable added benefit for general attention suffers in a (necessary) debauchery, in
both sides. Students with limited language skills in par- front of the assembled audience. Without this feedback,
ticular benefit from the ability to repeat rhetorically and both the contentual and the didactic improvement of the
substantively demanding passages of a lecture as often courses are noticeably held back. Overall, it is the “atmo-
as they like. In addition, everyone benefits from greater sphere” or the “study feeling” that is massively changed
flexibility in the timing of their daily study routine. Teach- by digital teaching and is missed by both students and
ers can use the elaborately created lecture videos re- lecturers. “The flair of the university is lost through digi-
peatedly and thus expand the consultation offer for un- tal teaching. Getting a taste of campus air in the summer
derstanding and deepening the subject matter. In this and entering the lecture hall is missing,” we read in al-
way, better teaching results can be achieved compared most all replies.
to regular lectures.
In the future, we would like to address this most fre-
Both parties are painfully aware, however, that exclusively quently mentioned shortcoming of digital teaching by
digitally-led teaching or pure distance learning cuts off focusing on small face-to-face events and also offering a
direct contact. Thus, the isolation and loneliness of stu- non-university setting, such as barbecue evenings, scav-
dents is one of the biggest problem areas of the past enger hunts, and regulars' tables. Together with the stu-
semesters, because there is a pronounced desire for dents, we must create experiences that remain positively
networking and personal and social development during in the memory and inspire networking. After all, the most
the study period. In this context, the “faceless” teaching memorable and important moments of the whole study
also makes communication across courses and semes- time are not only the exams that students pass, but also
ters more difficult. The social losses of digital studies af- the experiences they have with their fellow students.
fect international students and freshmen who have just They contribute in a special way to a successful gradu-
moved to Dresden in particular. After four semesters of ation and essentially determine the network formation
digital teaching, there is a widespread concern that a for individual professional development. On the surface,
personal network will not develop in an adequate form, this does not seem to be the task of the institutes, but in
which academics would normally develop in the course times of the pandemic, it is becoming our new responsi-
of their studies and which would then often sustain them bility, which we are happy to accept.
throughout their entire professional lives. The lecturers

85