Teaching-Learning Laboratories as Out-of-School Learning Sites

Abstract In recent years, numerous university courses have emerged in the form of teaching-learning laboratories, that meet current demands for a stronger connection between university theory and school practice in the first phase of teacher education. As learning opportunities for students with at least one practical phase, they enable prospective teachers to become more professional, also with regard to the perception of and dealing with heterogeneity. Planning and testing of theoretically based teaching-learning arrangements as well as reflecting on practical experiences represent the focus of teaching-learning labs. Depending on whether university students go to schools as part of their university experience or whether school students come to university, teaching-learning labs can be found at university and at school. But how can teaching-learning labs be designed and what are the advantages and disadvantages? In this article, a definition of teaching-learning labs and an insight into two concrete implementation possibilities as well as an accompanying research project at Münster University are given. Subsequently, opportunities and challenges of teaching-learning labs as a method for teacher training will be presented with reference to research results and experiences.