A Transfer Project for Students of English
Developing a Digital Self-Learning Course for Non-German Speaking Members of Saarland University (and Beyond) to Start a Business in Saarland
Developing a Digital Self-Learning Course for Non-German Speaking Members of Saarland University (and Beyond) to Start a Business in Saarland
Different issues – one solution
Uniting teaching methodology, entrepreneurship and digitalisation
Uniting teaching methodology, entrepreneurship and digitalisation
As part of a mediation class, students of English as knowledge entrepreneurs devised an English language Moodle Course based on German language material. This allows them to practice their mediation skills, the adaptation of complex material for teaching purposes and the digitalisation into self-learning modules. In the spirit of service learning / third mission transfer, SaarPreneur focusses on starting a business in Saarland offering a concise self-learning course for non-German speakers.
Two differerent cohorts of students:
1) Mediation class for future English teachers:
Mediation represents one of the pillars of foreign language learning in which students have to focus on meaning making across linguistic and cultural barriers. One of the predicaments in teaching mediation consists of finding adequate scenarios. Exercises include, e.g., an email to a friend in the U.S. The students have to imagine being in that situation to fulfil the task, which is not ideal. Since most students are C1/C2 level, the added difficulty consists of finding tasks that are complex enough.
One purpose of SaarPreneur consists of giving students of English a real-world project in the spirit of service learning, third mission initiatives, and transfer projects to make mediation meaningful and boost the students’ motivation. By compiling a Moodle course on starting a company in Saarland, the future English teachers practice mediation, the adaptation of complex material for teaching purposes, and the digitalisation of self-learning modules.
2) Career orientation and professionalization (COP) for MA students from the English department:
As part of the COP module, students are meant to prepare for the job market with the help of internships, but also, e.g., courses outside their study programmes proper. The Moodle course SaarPreneur represents a low-threshold proposal for these international and multilingual students to get a clearer picture about starting a business in Saarland, an option which they may not have considered.
The purpose of SaarPreneur for the MA students consists of boosting entrepreneurial thinking and fostering innovation, especially in the philosophical faculty where start-ups are not common.
The more general purpose:
Saarland faces a considerable decline in population and an aging workforce. Against this backdrop, it seems de rigeur to keep graduates in the region. Starting one’s own business represents one important option to consider. However, when visiting local government websites or institutions, only German information is available.
The purpose of the self-learning course SaarPreneur is to offer an English-language programme for non-German speakers at Saarland University and beyond. SaarPreneur does not only offer general modules on entrepreneurship, e.g., business model canvas, but it is fully localized in Saarland catering for the local specificities, such as where to register your company.
Methododology:
SaarPreneur is innovative in the sense that a language learning class (mediation) was used to solve a real-world problem rather than using imaginary scenarios. As challenge-based or problem-based learning, also service learning, the students as knowledge entrepreneurs stepped out of their usual classroom tasks and managed to create an offer for the university, for Saarland, and, potentially, with small alterations, for T4EU and their endeavors to foster entrepreneurial thinking.
1) Mediation class: Service learning, work in groups, collaborative, challenge-/ inquiry- / project- / -problem- /-based learning, peer-to-peer feedback, technology-enhanced
Based on information from the official Saarland government website for founders, which is in German, and, if necessary, extra readings (inquiry-based learning), each group of students had to devise an English Moodle unit representing one specific step in the path to become a founder. In order to do so, the students had to mediate in a complex surround and on a number of different levels: German to English, paper to digital, written language to computer mediated communication, formal and jargon-laden registers to basic everyday instructional language, from one audience, native German speakers, to another, mainly non-native English speakers, and also from one genre (informational websites) to another (instructional course). This allowed them to practice their mediation skills, e.g., translating, paraphrasing, shortening, amplifying… in full.
Also, they had to apply their knowledge from their Teaching Methodology class to turn information into course instructions by using active teaching methods. Topics such as data security and responsible use of technology, also with regard to AI, were discussed in preparation of the group work. The work by the students underwent three feedback circles, peer-to-peer feedback, feedback from the teacher, feedback from an outside expert before it became the final version for SaarPreneur. As project-based learning, practically this was achieved through three online class sessions within a hybrid class on mediation, different groups of students each working in their own Moodle course. At the end, the units were united in one Moodle course, SaarPreneur. Those three sessions were embedded into a hybrid language learning class on mediation.
2) Users of the Moodle course SaarPreneur: asynchronous / hybrid, Moodle-based self-study, design thinking
Future users, including the international and multilingual Master’s students from the COP module (see above), but also other members of Saarland University and the general public can use the Moodle course SaarPreneur to learn about matters to consider when founding a company. The class can be used asynchrous for a self-study or as part of a hybrid class. Methodologically, the users of the SaarPreneuer Moodle learn about and through design-thinking. SaarPreneur can make a huge difference in Saarland (and beyond) for everybody who does not speak German and considers starting a company.
Outcomes and outputs
One main result of SaarPreneur consisted of the students and the lecturer acquiring skills in digitalization (cf. Category 2 Digital learning technologies). As future teachers of English, they reached a good understanding of the options in Moodle, a platform that is also used in schools in Saarland. Also, SaarPreneur gave them the possibility to try out video and audio software, e.g. to create avatars for instructional purposes with a view to active teaching methods.
The second main result consisted of a raised awareness for starting a company (cf. Category 1 The growth of students’ entrepreneurial mindset). This seems all the more vital since the mediation students will become teachers and fostering an entrepreneurial mind-set should already start in schools. Also, the interdisciplinary cooperation with the economics department of Saarland University (Chair Benedikt Schnellbächer) and the digitalisation officers at Saarland University, allowed for this co-design (Category 4 Co-design: co-teaching and curriculum co-creation).
The outcome was very positive regarding the students of English responsible for creating the Moodle Course. Because of service learning and active teaching methods (cf. Category 3 Active teaching methods), the students were much more diligent and conscientious than in their usual homework. They were highly motivated to devise exciting modules knowing that their exercises would indeed be used.
In a nutshell, SaarPreneur provided students “with the necessary creative and innovative entrepreneurial mind-set, intercultural competencies and language skills” (T4EU mission statement). The outcome underlines that transfer / service learning / third mission projects / challenge-based learning can be integrated into existing curricula. Saarpreneur represents proof that through careful planning, a number of mandatory feedback loops (peer-to-peer, from the teacher, and from an outside expert) and the breaking down of the project into smaller manageable units, students can become active agents of transformation.
The output consists of the Moodle course SaarPreneur open to all members of Saarland University (and beyond) allowing a low-threshold first orientation about starting a business in Saarland. Hence, SaarPreneur can represent one small building block in the creation of a smart region.
Another output consists of an article discussing the pros and cons of digital transfer projects in tertiary education in the humanities, especially with regard to the general curriculum and its typical time constraints. It was published in a volume on foreign language teaching methodology (see attachment).
Adaptability and sustainability
The Moodle course SaarPreneur will become part of the major entrepreneurial initiative of Saarland University called Triathlon as part of their next mile stone in the framework of the long-term plan in the development of the university (Universitätsentwicklungsplan 2030). It will represent a low-threshold self-study tool for anybody, also non-German speakers, interested in starting a company in Saarland. Like in COP (see above), it can also be used as part of hybrid-teaching, e.g., flipped classrooms, in modules such as the newly devised area of professionalization (Professionalisierungsbereich) in the philosophical faculty or other modules orienting towards the future career of the students.
Importantly, the knowledge and skills regarding digitalisation, e.g. through the use of the more sophisticated H5P elements in Moodle and other tools, are being disseminated in the English Department and beyond by the students and the lecturer. As future English teachers, this knowledge can also actively be shared in schools.
The mediation class can be opened within the framework of T4EU provided that students have B2/C1 level in both English and German. This has already been done in the framework of ERASMUS exchanges. In addition, the Moodle course SaarPreneuer could easily be taken over from other T4EU universities as far as general steps towards founding a company are concerned. Two of the nine modules would have to be dropped or localised though, since they discuss German law or Saarlandian circumstances.
Two differerent cohorts of students:
1) Mediation class for future English teachers:
Mediation represents one of the pillars of foreign language learning in which students have to focus on meaning making across linguistic and cultural barriers. One of the predicaments in teaching mediation consists of finding adequate scenarios. Exercises include, e.g., an email to a friend in the U.S. The students have to imagine being in that situation to fulfil the task, which is not ideal. Since most students are C1/C2 level, the added difficulty consists of finding tasks that are complex enough.
One purpose of SaarPreneur consists of giving students of English a real-world project in the spirit of service learning, third mission initiatives, and transfer projects to make mediation meaningful and boost the students’ motivation. By compiling a Moodle course on starting a company in Saarland, the future English teachers practice mediation, the adaptation of complex material for teaching purposes, and the digitalisation of self-learning modules.
2) Career orientation and professionalization (COP) for MA students from the English department:
As part of the COP module, students are meant to prepare for the job market with the help of internships, but also, e.g., courses outside their study programmes proper. The Moodle course SaarPreneur represents a low-threshold proposal for these international and multilingual students to get a clearer picture about starting a business in Saarland, an option which they may not have considered.
The purpose of SaarPreneur for the MA students consists of boosting entrepreneurial thinking and fostering innovation, especially in the philosophical faculty where start-ups are not common.
The more general purpose:
Saarland faces a considerable decline in population and an aging workforce. Against this backdrop, it seems de rigeur to keep graduates in the region. Starting one’s own business represents one important option to consider. However, when visiting local government websites or institutions, only German information is available.
The purpose of the self-learning course SaarPreneur is to offer an English-language programme for non-German speakers at Saarland University and beyond. SaarPreneur does not only offer general modules on entrepreneurship, e.g., business model canvas, but it is fully localized in Saarland catering for the local specificities, such as where to register your company.
Methododology:
SaarPreneur is innovative in the sense that a language learning class (mediation) was used to solve a real-world problem rather than using imaginary scenarios. As challenge-based or problem-based learning, also service learning, the students as knowledge entrepreneurs stepped out of their usual classroom tasks and managed to create an offer for the university, for Saarland, and, potentially, with small alterations, for T4EU and their endeavors to foster entrepreneurial thinking.
1) Mediation class: Service learning, work in groups, collaborative, challenge-/ inquiry- / project- / -problem- /-based learning, peer-to-peer feedback, technology-enhanced
Based on information from the official Saarland government website for founders, which is in German, and, if necessary, extra readings (inquiry-based learning), each group of students had to devise an English Moodle unit representing one specific step in the path to become a founder. In order to do so, the students had to mediate in a complex surround and on a number of different levels: German to English, paper to digital, written language to computer mediated communication, formal and jargon-laden registers to basic everyday instructional language, from one audience, native German speakers, to another, mainly non-native English speakers, and also from one genre (informational websites) to another (instructional course). This allowed them to practice their mediation skills, e.g., translating, paraphrasing, shortening, amplifying… in full.
Also, they had to apply their knowledge from their Teaching Methodology class to turn information into course instructions by using active teaching methods. Topics such as data security and responsible use of technology, also with regard to AI, were discussed in preparation of the group work. The work by the students underwent three feedback circles, peer-to-peer feedback, feedback from the teacher, feedback from an outside expert before it became the final version for SaarPreneur. As project-based learning, practically this was achieved through three online class sessions within a hybrid class on mediation, different groups of students each working in their own Moodle course. At the end, the units were united in one Moodle course, SaarPreneur. Those three sessions were embedded into a hybrid language learning class on mediation.
2) Users of the Moodle course SaarPreneur: asynchronous / hybrid, Moodle-based self-study, design thinking
Future users, including the international and multilingual Master’s students from the COP module (see above), but also other members of Saarland University and the general public can use the Moodle course SaarPreneur to learn about matters to consider when founding a company. The class can be used asynchrous for a self-study or as part of a hybrid class. Methodologically, the users of the SaarPreneuer Moodle learn about and through design-thinking. SaarPreneur can make a huge difference in Saarland (and beyond) for everybody who does not speak German and considers starting a company.
Outcomes and outputs
One main result of SaarPreneur consisted of the students and the lecturer acquiring skills in digitalization (cf. Category 2 Digital learning technologies). As future teachers of English, they reached a good understanding of the options in Moodle, a platform that is also used in schools in Saarland. Also, SaarPreneur gave them the possibility to try out video and audio software, e.g. to create avatars for instructional purposes with a view to active teaching methods.
The second main result consisted of a raised awareness for starting a company (cf. Category 1 The growth of students’ entrepreneurial mindset). This seems all the more vital since the mediation students will become teachers and fostering an entrepreneurial mind-set should already start in schools. Also, the interdisciplinary cooperation with the economics department of Saarland University (Chair Benedikt Schnellbächer) and the digitalisation officers at Saarland University, allowed for this co-design (Category 4 Co-design: co-teaching and curriculum co-creation).
The outcome was very positive regarding the students of English responsible for creating the Moodle Course. Because of service learning and active teaching methods (cf. Category 3 Active teaching methods), the students were much more diligent and conscientious than in their usual homework. They were highly motivated to devise exciting modules knowing that their exercises would indeed be used.
In a nutshell, SaarPreneur provided students “with the necessary creative and innovative entrepreneurial mind-set, intercultural competencies and language skills” (T4EU mission statement). The outcome underlines that transfer / service learning / third mission projects / challenge-based learning can be integrated into existing curricula. Saarpreneur represents proof that through careful planning, a number of mandatory feedback loops (peer-to-peer, from the teacher, and from an outside expert) and the breaking down of the project into smaller manageable units, students can become active agents of transformation.
The output consists of the Moodle course SaarPreneur open to all members of Saarland University (and beyond) allowing a low-threshold first orientation about starting a business in Saarland. Hence, SaarPreneur can represent one small building block in the creation of a smart region.
Another output consists of an article discussing the pros and cons of digital transfer projects in tertiary education in the humanities, especially with regard to the general curriculum and its typical time constraints. It was published in a volume on foreign language teaching methodology (see attachment).
Adaptability and sustainability
The Moodle course SaarPreneur will become part of the major entrepreneurial initiative of Saarland University called Triathlon as part of their next mile stone in the framework of the long-term plan in the development of the university (Universitätsentwicklungsplan 2030). It will represent a low-threshold self-study tool for anybody, also non-German speakers, interested in starting a company in Saarland. Like in COP (see above), it can also be used as part of hybrid-teaching, e.g., flipped classrooms, in modules such as the newly devised area of professionalization (Professionalisierungsbereich) in the philosophical faculty or other modules orienting towards the future career of the students.
Importantly, the knowledge and skills regarding digitalisation, e.g. through the use of the more sophisticated H5P elements in Moodle and other tools, are being disseminated in the English Department and beyond by the students and the lecturer. As future English teachers, this knowledge can also actively be shared in schools.
The mediation class can be opened within the framework of T4EU provided that students have B2/C1 level in both English and German. This has already been done in the framework of ERASMUS exchanges. In addition, the Moodle course SaarPreneuer could easily be taken over from other T4EU universities as far as general steps towards founding a company are concerned. Two of the nine modules would have to be dropped or localised though, since they discuss German law or Saarlandian circumstances.
SaarPreneur was partly financed through the "Digital Teaching Plug-in" (DaTa-Pin) project funded by the Foundation for Innovation in Higher Education Teaching (Stiftung für Innovation in der Hochschullehre) granted to Saarland University. DaTa-Pin (foremostly Yue Zhao und Andreas Korbach) were very generous in their assistance, both regarding pedagogy / teaching methodology and technical questions. Prof. Dr. Benedikt Schnellbächer (Economics, Saarland University) represented a steadfast partner for all questions about economics and entrepreneurship.
Winner of the 2025 Innovative Teaching Award of Transform4 Europe
Match to the alliance main horizontal focus areas:
1) Digital Transformation/Initiative reasoning and proofs
The students who will feel the full force of digitalization in their work life could test their didactic knowledge, methodological skills and competencies in mediation in a real project digitalizing content for instructional purposes. Both students and the lecturer became more proficient by using different software tools for instructional purposes. As flagship project, this knowledge has been shared with other lecturers in the English department and beyond, also in the form of a publication.
2) Societal Transformation/Initiative – reasoning and proofs
Against the backdrop of the decline in population and the aging workforce in Saarland, SaarPreneur can become a small, but important asset in the regional transformation process towards becoming a smart region. Information for founders was only available in German and scattered across websites or forms: now it can now be found in English and in one place. By fostering an entrepreneurial mind-set, SaarPreneur can help opening paths for (international) graduates to remain in the region.
3) Environmental Transformation/Initiative reasoning and proofs
Digitizing content saves paper and ink, reduces the carbon footprint and paper waste. The digitized course stands for longevity and reusability since no printing of text books or copying of exercise sheets is necessary.
However, as such environmental concerns were not in focus because of time and financial constraints. If this project wins one of the prizes, a module on ethical entrepreneurship will be added, a topic square in the mission of T4EU, which seems to be met with growing interest.
Match to the alliance main horizontal focus areas:
1) Digital Transformation/Initiative reasoning and proofs
The students who will feel the full force of digitalization in their work life could test their didactic knowledge, methodological skills and competencies in mediation in a real project digitalizing content for instructional purposes. Both students and the lecturer became more proficient by using different software tools for instructional purposes. As flagship project, this knowledge has been shared with other lecturers in the English department and beyond, also in the form of a publication.
2) Societal Transformation/Initiative – reasoning and proofs
Against the backdrop of the decline in population and the aging workforce in Saarland, SaarPreneur can become a small, but important asset in the regional transformation process towards becoming a smart region. Information for founders was only available in German and scattered across websites or forms: now it can now be found in English and in one place. By fostering an entrepreneurial mind-set, SaarPreneur can help opening paths for (international) graduates to remain in the region.
3) Environmental Transformation/Initiative reasoning and proofs
Digitizing content saves paper and ink, reduces the carbon footprint and paper waste. The digitized course stands for longevity and reusability since no printing of text books or copying of exercise sheets is necessary.
However, as such environmental concerns were not in focus because of time and financial constraints. If this project wins one of the prizes, a module on ethical entrepreneurship will be added, a topic square in the mission of T4EU, which seems to be met with growing interest.
Publication
Gerhardt, C. (2023). Third-mission Transfer in a University Mediation Class as a Contribution to Society. In T. Tinnefeld (Ed.) with the Collaboration of D. Fleming, Bridging Language Boundaries: Explorations in Communication across Borders [Saarbrücken Series on Linguistics and Language Methodology (SSLLM) 15] (p. 201– 222). htw saar. https:// doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14895121 [FULL TEXT]
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