Marcel Simon

Marcel Simon

Lecturer (LfbA)

Didaktik der Chemie
Technikum Analytikum
Linnéstraße 3, Room 210
04103 Leipzig

Phone: +49 341 97 - 36408
Fax: +49 341 97 - 36397

Abstract

Marcel Simon studied high school teaching for the subjects biology and chemistry according to the "Jena Model of Teacher Education" at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. After his studies he worked as a research assistant in the chemistry didactics group in Jena around Prof. Dr. Volker Woest and Prof. Dr. Timm Wilke. In this context, he was, among other things, the responsible coordinator of the local chemistry student laboratory and lecturer for courses in the context of chemistry student teacher training.


From November 2022 to February 2023, he was a research assistant in the working group of Prof. Dr. Rebekka Heimann at the Institute for Didactics of Chemistry at the University of Leipzig. Since February 2023, he has been working as a lecturer for special tasks in the didactics of chemistry in Leipzig. He is co-responsible for the organization as well as supervision of courses in the Julius Wagner student laboratory and active in the training of chemistry student teachers.

Professional career

  • 02/2014 - 08/2014
    Practical semester at the Montessorischule Jena (Thuringian Community School)
  • 09/2014 - 11/2016
    Substitute teacher and work group leader at the Montessori School Jena (Thuringian Community School)
  • 12/2014 - 03/2017
    Student assistant in the didactics of chemistry at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
  • 11/2017 - 10/2022
    Research assistant in the didactics of chemistry at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
  • 11/2022 - 02/2023
    Research assistant at the Institute for Didactics of Chemistry at the University of Leipzig
  • since 02/2023

Education

  • 10/2011 - 10/2017
    Studies of teacher training at grammar schools for the subjects biology and chemistry according to the Jena model of teacher training at the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena

University teacher training with practical elements - an interlocking that is becoming a stronger focus of current subject didactic research, especially in the context of teaching-learning laboratories. In this sense, existing student laboratories are increasingly being integrated into the education of chemistry students. In such teaching modules, students are given the opportunity to experience an initial change of perspective from the role of student to teacher during their studies. The focus here is, among other things, the reflective examination of convictions and motivational orientations, which is an important component of teachers' professionalism. The primary research interest can be summarized with the following theme:


Teaching-learning laboratories as places of professionalization in the education of prospective chemistry teachers - (Further) development and evaluation of teaching-learning laboratory formats for chemistry student teachers.


Other fields of interest:

  • didactic chemistry research in student laboratories
  • natural sciences in elementary school and kindergarten
  • chemistry teaching in the context of reform educational concepts, e.g. Maria Montessori
  • interdisciplinary aspects biology-chemistry, e.g. secondary plant compounds

The objectives of the personal teaching philosophy are aimed at providing students with the opportunity to acquire comprehensive didactic competencies in chemistry, which are to be regarded as part of the professional competencies for chemistry teachers (based on Baumert & Kunter, 2006).


The core of the course is the acquisition of didactic principles for planning and reflecting on chemistry lessons. The students should be enabled to prepare chemical subject content for chemistry lessons with the help of theory-based models and criteria in such a way that they offer effective and motivating learning opportunities for the students. Consequently, modern lesson planning should be thought of by students in the context of outcome- or competence-orientation, i.e. "from the learners' point of view" (Cf. Leisen, 2011). Students are also sensitized to critically assess and reflect on teaching contexts as well as their own actions.


Last but not least, a comprehensive didactic education should also focus on the treatment of school chemistry experiments, their practical implementation as well as suitability assessment for chemistry teaching based on selected aspects. In this context, it is essential to always relate and apply subject and subject didactic competences to teaching-relevant, current school chemistry references.

  • Advanced Studies in Chemistry | University of Leipzig

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 7th/8th semester.


    Contents/Subject:

    • Advanced School-Oriented Experimentation (winter term): Student teachers will develop and test a learning and experimentation set on a curriculum-relevant topic for the student laboratory. This is tested with school classes at the appropriate grade level.


    Supervised course formats:

    seminar, practical training, teaching-learning lab


    Semester:

    winter terms 2022/23 | 2023/24

  • Reflected Practice of Teaching II/III | University of Leipzig

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 5th/6th semester


    Contents/Subject:

    • Practical school exercises: Student teachers gain their first practical teaching experience in the subject of chemistry and create their first lesson plans. These are tested and then reflected on from a didactic point of view. Experimentation in chemistry lessons is also practiced.


    Supervised course formats:

    practical school exercises


    Semester:

    winter term 2023/24

    summer term 2023

  • Chemistry didactics | University of Leipzig

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 5th/6th semester


    Contents/Subject:

    • Teaching-learning lab (winter term): Student teachers supervise school classes in the student lab (role change from learner to teacher).
    • Basic Practicum (summer term): Student teachers conduct school-relevant experiments and evaluate them from a subject didactic point of view.


    Supervised course formats:

    teaching-learning lab, practical training


    Semester:

    winter terms 2022/23 | 2023/24

    summer term 2023

  • C-LA 104a/b (Equivalent Mathematics and Physics) | FSU Jena

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 1st semester


    Contents/Subject:

    • teaching of first subject didactic basics for planning and reflection of chemistry lessons
    • initiation of a change of perspective from learner to teacher
    • practical application of theoretically acquired knowledge in the student laboratory


    Supervised course formats:

    seminars, practical training, consultations, student laboratory tests


    Semester:

    winter terms 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2021/22

  • C-LA 402 (Didactics of Chemistry I) | FSU Jena

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 4th semester


    Contents/Subject:

    • teaching of subject didactic basics for planning and reflection of chemistry lessons
    • performance and evaluation of selected high school chemistry experiments (grades 7 to 10)


    Supervised course formats:

    seminars, practical training, lectures (substitutive)


    Semester:

    summer terms 2018 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022

  • C-LA 602 (Didactics of Chemistry II) | FSU Jena

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 5th or 6th semester


    Contents/Subject:

    • teaching of further subject didactic contents for the planning of chemistry lessons
    • first insights into research in chemistry didactics
    • performance and evaluation of selected high school chemistry experiments (grades 11 and 12)


    Supervised course formats:

    seminars, practical training


    Semester:

    summer terms 2018 | 2019

    winter term 2018/19

  • C-LA 803 (Module to prime for examination in Didactics of Chemistry) | FSU Jena

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 8th semester


    Contents/Subject:

    • repetition and deepening of central subject didactic contents and concepts
    • in-depth insight into research in chemistry didactics
    • cooperative development of innovative learning materials in a learning workshop
    • graduation with oral state examination


    Supervised course formats:

    taking oral state examinations (second examiner)


    Semester:

    summer terms 2021 | 2022

  • C-LA 1001 (Written Thesis Chemistry) | FSU Jena

    Target group:

    chemistry student teachers of the 10th semester


    Contents/Subject:

    • independent preparation of the state examination thesis
    • conceptual/curricular work, transfer research, ...
    • application of appropriate methods of subject didactic research and evaluation of the research results


    Supervised course formats:

    supervision of state examination theses, colloquia, consultations


    Semester:

    summer term 2019, winter term 2021/22