Organization as the Foundation of Good Teaching

From credit points to lecture hall technology

A number of questions arise when planning and teaching courses. These may be simple questions such as what do module officers do or how are credit points calculated? In addition, there are a number of practical details: How do course planning and registration work? What is my role as an instructor in the exam registration process? Who do I contact about lecture hall equipment or how do I set up a digital classroom on ISIS? After managing these initial details, you then have to prepare teaching materials and make these available. Here, too, questions arise such as whether you have to prepare all of your own materials or if you can use available materials which are freely accessible. There are a number of service offices at Technische Universität Berlin providing further support.

In many cases, the advisors for studies and teaching in each faculty or central institute are the first point of contact for instructors: For instance when implementing a new course or module, creating a module description, and organizing student course evaluations.

Framework conditions

Calculating credit points (ECTS)

Most European universities use credit points (CP) or ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) to indicate the workload required to successfully complete a course or module.

Calculating credit points

Study and examination regulations

TU Berlin’s General Study and Examination Regulations (Allgemeine Studien- und Prüfungsordnung - AllGStuPO) provide regulations which apply equally to all degree programs. These regulations include information about general study objectives, modules, course formats, and exam organization.

Program-specific study and examination regulations (StuPO) supplement the general regulations and provide concrete information about when the program is offered, its structure, the final thesis, as well as as a module catalogue in an annex.

TU Berlin study and examination regulations

IT systems for organizing your teaching

MOSES planning software

Moses is a system used to schedule and manage courses and their modules, exams, and tutorials. Instructors enter their availability as well as the type of classroom they require. On the basis of this information and the degree schedules, timetables are calculated that can be reviewed and amended in Moses by instructors. Afterwards, the timetable is published in the University’s course catalogue. Moses also allows users to enter sub-activities (for example homework criteria) for a course. To use Moses you require a TUB account, which you receive when you commence work at the University.

Further information about functions in Moses

Moses

Digital course catalogue

You can find information about current courses in the course catalogue available in Moses. The flexible search feature allows you, for instance, to search for courses offered by an academic chair or taking place in a specific room.

Further information including instructions and FAQs

Go to the course catalogue

All modules at a glance

The module transfer system (MTS) contains all modules, module descriptions, and additional details such as exam format, credit points, and language of instruction. Like the course catalogue, the module transfer system is integrated into Moses and is accessible without logging in.

Module transfer system

Managing exam registrations with QISPOS

QISPOS allows students to register or de-register from exams digitally. Online registration is available for a number of compulsory and compulsory elective module exams in bachelor’s and master’s programs.

QISPOS

Services for Instructors: Examinations

ISIS learning platform

The ISIS learning platform allows teachers to provide students with materials in virtual classrooms, upload exercises, and hold exams. The platform has a number of other communication and collaboration features as well as several practical applications to help you organize your teaching, such as defining groups or assigning topics. ISIS was developed on the basis of the open access software moodle and is maintained by innoCampus. Courses on how to use ISIS, such as designing classrooms to promote learning, are offered by the Center for Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation.

ISIS

“First Steps: ISIS” in the “Digitale Lehre an der TU Berlin” wiki

Lecture hall technology and equipment

Borrowing media technology

The Audiovisual Center helps you identify your media requirements and use them in your courses. They also loan equipment such as microphones or HDMI cables and provide assistance with using the equipment and technology in lecture halls.

Special media technology in classrooms

If you have special media requirements, particularly for future courses, innoCampus is happy to advise and assist.

innoCampus: Lecture hall operation and equipment

Recording lectures

If you would like to record your lecture or need assistance doing so, you can contact the uniCam team at innoCampus.

Teaching materials

Putting together a course reserve

The University Library can assist you with putting together a course reserve with physical books or digital media for your classes in the current semester.

Course reserves

Producing your own media for digital or digitally-supported teaching

Would you like to record videos to supplement and enrich your face-to-face teaching? The University has a comprehensive digital infrastructure and a wide variety of support offers to help you achieve this.

Using freely accessible educational materials

Open Educational Resources (OER) are freely accessible, openly licensed teaching and learning materials. These not only include books but a variety of other course material such as videos, multimedia applications, and podcasts as well. The University Library has put together a selection of relevant portals with Open Educational Resources where you can find materials to integrate into your courses as well as make your own teaching material available to others.

Further support and service offers for instructors

Reporting defects and faults

There are number of people and offices you can contact in the event of a mishap, malfunctioning equipment, or disruptions to central IT services at TU Berlin.

“Teaching and Learning” continuing education program

All instructors at TU Berlin interested in improving their teaching skills or gaining new ideas for their everyday teaching can attend trainings on university teaching offered by the Center for Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation.