Department of Biology Education

The department of Biology Education contributes to IPN operations by working on projects and their particular research issues. Research topics that arise in the context of the advancement of science education are specified and then differentiated from the perspective of biology education.

The key contributions of our department within the IPN structure are: clarifying relevant questions in science education in the context of research on developing competencies in the classroom as well as doing expertise research. Additionally, developing and analyzing conditions and impacts of implementing innovative teaching concepts are also pertinent to the work of the department of Biology Education. Moreover, research projects on learning processes in museums and in science centers have also been incorporated into the department’s responsibilities. The department’s participation within the IPN service area consists of coordinating the International Biology Olympiad, the national environmental competition and other national and international programs and school competitions. In addition to these projects, the department also evaluates the competition tasks and carries out research projects that foster scientific learning.

Via the department the IPN is represented in the Leibniz Research Alliance "Energy Transition".

Part of the services entrusted to the department is active involvement in national committees and associations. Here, we would like to emphasize our participation in the advisory board of experts for Biology Education (FDdB) in the German Life Sciences Association (VBiO) as well as our presence on the board of directors at the Center for Teacher Education at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Kiel. Furthermore, the department of Biology Education is involved in the coordination of initiatives by specialist educational societies in Germany in the context of the Association for Fachdidaktik e.V. (GFD).