Soft Skills - Introduction to University Life (Key competencies for the start of studies)

In the course, relevant basics for the integration of first-year students at the School and for the integration into the university environment are taught and trained. Communication skills and competencies for effective collaboration are applied and strengthened through networking with other first-year students.
The course includes the following topics:
- Time management (methods for time management in studies, creation of a weekly schedule)
- Learning (how memory works, cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies, developing a learning concept)
- Motivation (intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation, flow, procrastination, strategies to increase motivation)
- Presenting (goal and target group, selection of content, structure of the presentation, feedback)

After participating in the module:
- Participants will be able to make sense of their own learning process based on knowledge of different learning strategies such as dual coding.
- are able to set smart goals and know how to deal with procrastination due to background knowledge on motivation.
- are able to set priorities and apply time management methods, such as the Pareto principle.
- are able to prepare and present content in a way that is appropriate for the target audience and to apply structure and various visualization techniques. The participants have analyzed their own presentation style and can successfully apply presentation techniques.
- can give and accept feedback.
- The participants can evaluate and analyze the acquired knowledge in groups.
- the participants know what are conducive and obstructive factors in teamwork and know how to work successfully in a team.

Interest in soft skills

In the eLearning course, the module content is made available for independent study. The eLearning consists of four content sections that are processed one after the other. In eLearning, the content is provided in the form of texts, audio or video files, for example. The students apply the knowledge in tasks and document their learning results and progress in the learning portfolio. After each content section in eLearning, a corresponding workshop takes place. In the workshops, the acquired competencies are deepened and reflected upon with the help of guided discussion rounds and small group work. The aim is to promote action competence so that students are able to
- to design their own learning process in a meaningful way
- set smart goals and know how to deal with procrastination.
- prioritize and apply time management methods, such as the Pareto Principle.
- prepare and present content in a way that is appropriate to the audience and apply structuring and visualization techniques.
- analyze their own presentation style and apply presentation techniques successfully.
- to give and accept feedback.

In addition, there is a mini-competition in which a problem-solving task (e.g. egg flying competition) is worked on in teams. By working on problem-solving tasks, participants can put themselves in exemplary team or project work situations. Afterwards, the experienced situations are evaluated and discussed by means of reflection rounds. After participating in a mini-competition, students are able to analyze teamwork in terms of facilitating and hindering factors and can consciously design successful teamwork using facilitating strategies.
Additionally, team spirit is fostered through participation in a mini-competition.

Flipchart, pinboard, smartboard use in workshops, digital whiteboards. PowerPoint and Prezi presentations to small groups.

Motivation:
Deci & Ryan 1993, 225; Heckhausen & Heckhausen 2011, 7ff

Zeitmanagement:
Krengel Martin (2013): Golden Rules. Erfolgreich lernen und arbeiten: Alles, was man braucht. Eazybookz. Lauchhammer

Lernen:
Hasselhorn, M., & Gold, A. (2009). Pädagogische Psychologie–Erfolgreiches Lernen und Lehren, 2. Auflage, Kohlhammer, Stuttgart.

Präsentieren:
Garten, Matthias (2013): Präsentationen erfolgreich gestalten und halten. Wie Sie mit starker Wirkung präsentieren. Offenbach: GABAL Verlag (Business).

The module examination is taken in the form of a learning portfolio and a short presentation (max. 20 minutes). For this purpose, the students present their learning progress and performance level on the basis of written work for the four subject areas. The learning portfolio includes tasks in which the students apply the strategies learned from the eLearning and a reflection on their own learning progress and competence acquisition. For the reflection, students compile independently developed learning outcomes from the subject areas of learning strategies, motivation, time and project management, self and product presentation (e.g. self-set and formulated learning goals for the semester, schedules for self-organization, sample slides from their own presentations) and reflect on their learning process by evaluating it and drawing conclusions for future similar situations.
Students create a short presentation and receive feedback from the other participants and the course instructor (peer feedback via Moodle and live feedback in the workshop).
The exam performance is passed if at least 60% of the expected scope has been completed in the learning portfolio and the short presentation has been presented.