Draft:Oberstufen-Kolleg



The Oberstufen-Kolleg at Bielefeld University is an experimental school of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia and an academic institution of the Faculty of Education at Bielefeld University. It was a College until 2005 and a "high school" from 2005 on.

History
The Oberstufen-Kolleg was founded together with the Laborschule Bielefeld in 1969 by Hartmut von Hentig and opened in 1974 in the context of the reformed sixth form. Ludwig Huber was academic director from 1989 to 2002.

From 1974 to 2005, the Oberstufen-Kolleg offered a four-year course of education as a "college" and "new tertiary level", which integrated the learning content of the upper secondary school and the university undergraduate course and combined general education in interdisciplinary courses, exemplary study-oriented specialization in two subjects (from a choice of around 25) and practical application of what had been learned in projects. In this way, the students were able to embark on a degree course and move on to a higher semester of their chosen degree course, and in some cases to the main degree course.

However, its unique position in the education system of the Federal Republic of Germany and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia prompted the state government to phase out this course in 2005 and to reduce the experimental mission of the Oberstufen-Kolleg to the upper secondary school level. Hans-Günter Rolff supported this restructuring.

On September 9, 2024, the Laborschule Bielefeld and the Oberstufen-Kolleg will celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. As part of this anniversary, various festivities and programs will take place on the grounds of the two schools from September 9, 2024 to September 14, 2024.

Assignment
As an experimental school, the Oberstufen-Kolleg has the task of developing, testing and evaluating curricula, teaching and learning methods for upper secondary level and for the transition to university.

The Oberstufen-Kolleg publishes teaching materials and publications on school development, evaluation and teaching research - in particular via the affiliated scientific institution of the Oberstufen-Kolleg experimental school at Bielefeld University. This includes the documentation of research and development projects / teacher research projects.

As an experimental upper secondary school or "high school", the Oberstufen-Kolleg concludes with the general higher education entrance qualification, but differs from the upper secondary school at comprehensive schools and grammar schools in its reform-oriented pedagogy. The three-year course (with various options to shorten the training period to two or two and a half years by "lateral entry") has been offered by the Oberstufen-Kolleg since summer 2002

Range of courses
The focus of teaching at the Oberstufen-Kolleg is on subjects that prepare students for university studies through subject specialization. The range of subjects on offer at the Oberstufen-Kolleg exceeds that of a regular school with courses such as law, sociology and psychology. In addition to the study subjects, basic courses and foundation courses are also offered in German, mathematics, computer science and English.

Since the winter semester of 2011, some basic courses of the main phase have been bundled into profiles under a specific guiding theme (e.g. "Work & Life"). These can be chosen by the students at the end of the second semester. However, its unique position in the education system of the Federal Republic of Germany and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia prompted the state government to phase out this course in 2005 and to reduce the experimental mission of the Oberstufen-Kolleg to the upper secondary school level. Hans-Günter Rolff supported this restructuring.

Special features
Performance is assessed by means of certificates of achievement ("Leistungsnachweise" in German and LNW for short) and graded certificates of achievement (BLNW for short). No grades are awarded in the introductory phase. Performance records and courses are graded as "passed" and "failed" in the introductory phase. In the main phase, students choose which of their assessments are graded. The students collect their LNWs and BLNWs in a portfolio during their studies at the Oberstufen-Kolleg.

A special feature is the tutor system, which gives students the opportunity to choose a teacher as a special advisor up to the A-levels and contact person for all questions.

In the last two weeks of each semester, the students choose and complete a project in which they work and research on a topic of their choice. The students are also given the opportunity to plan a project and carry it out with the support of a teacher. Regular lessons do not take place during the project phase.

Organization
Lutz van Spankeren is the head of the college and successor to Jutta Obbelode. Other members of the college management are Michaele Geweke as pedagogical director and Ian Voß as head of organization.

Participation
As part of the concept of providing students with an interest-oriented education, the Oberstufen-Kolleg offers them numerous opportunities to participate. The students are represented by the Student Council (KRat). In addition to the KRat, there are various committees and courses such as the mentoring course or the democratic participation courses in which the students can participate.

Architecture
The architecture of the Oberstufen-Kolleg was seen as an important symbol of the school's educational concept.

The students should also be able to learn as a community in a large area and be able to withdraw to undisturbed learning spaces. For this reason, there are three large fields in the center of the school, which are separated from each other by raised galleries, so-called "Wiche". Lessons take place on the fields within movable wooden partitions; however, they are also used for events such as performances and assemblies. The "Wiche" can not only be used for small group work or to spend time during breaks, but also house the teachers' workstations to ensure better accessibility. There is no closed staff room.

There are also separate specialist rooms for languages, natural sciences, music, art, media rooms, a lecture hall and a library. The sports hall is located between the two schools in the same complex (see Laborschule Bielefeld), which are connected by the so-called "Schulstraße", and is used jointly.

Awards and cooperations

 * At the German School Award ceremony in Berlin on June 9, 2010, the Oberstufen-Kolleg was named best school in the "Achievement" category.


 * The Oberstufen-Kolleg is a UNESCO project school. Its aims are international understanding and cooperation. The college has been working with the German Humboldt School in Guayaquil on the Daular development project since 1998. The project won a UNO award in 2006/2007 for its unique character. The school is also a member of the Blick über den Zaun school association and the BlickRichtung Vielfalt network.

Trivia

 * Rosita Zander (1954-2015), managed the college secretariat for more than 40 years and was regarded as the "heart of the OS".

Literature

 * Jupp Asdonk, Hans Kroeger, Gottfried Strobl, Hans-Jürgen Tillmann, Johannes Wildt (Hrsg.:): Bildung im Medium der Wissenschaft. Zugänge aus Wissenschaftspropädeutik, Schulreform und Hochschuldidaktik. Weinheim 2002
 * Ludwig Huber, Jupp Asdonk, Helga Jung-Paarmann, Hans Kroeger, Gabriele Obst (Hrsg.): Lernen über das Abitur hinaus. Erfahrungen und Anregungen aus dem Oberstufen-Kolleg Bielefeld. Seelze 1999.
 * Helga Jung-Paarmann: Reformpädagogik in der Praxis – Geschichte des Bielefelder Oberstufen-Kollegs 1969 – 2005. Bad Heilbrunn 2014.
 * Josef Keuffer, Maria Kublitz-Kramer (Hrsg.): Was braucht die Oberstufe? Diagnose, Förderung und selbstständiges Lernen. Weinheim und Basel 2008.