This is where Prof. Dr. Alfred Lindl’s research comes in. Since February 2026, he has been a professor of professional development research in education at the University of Hildesheim. He focuses on the question of what competencies teachers need to support students’ learning processes. The central focus is on how knowledge is conveyed and how lessons are designed so that students actively engage with the material, understand it, and develop solutions on their own. Particularly important here is the teacher’s ability to explain content in an understandable way. But according to Lindl, a good explanation means far more than just being factually correct. Above all, it must connect to the students’ everyday lives: “Does this relate to my daily life?” - among other things, this is crucial for many children and adolescents, Lindl emphasizes. Students perceive explanations as particularly helpful when they are tailored to their prior knowledge and make connections to their own experiences. What matters here is not just the correct answer, but the path to it. For learning to succeed, it takes not only subject-specific knowledge, but also the ability to stimulate discussion and create space for exploration: “Teaching is not a one-sided transfer of knowledge, but a collaborative process in which knowledge is first created,” says Lindl. 

The FALKO Project (Subject-Specific Teaching Competencies)

Lindl studied to become a high school teacher from 2008 to 2013, majoring in education, mathematics, and Latin at the University of Regensburg. After passing his state examination, he remained at the university and increasingly shifted his focus to educational research. He initially earned his doctorate in 2018 in the field of Latin philology, focusing on ancient historiography and its narrative structures. At the same time, he was already participating in research projects on teacher competence.

He was particularly influenced by the FALKO research project. There, Lindl worked with other researchers to investigate the skills teachers need for effective instruction—such as how to explain content clearly, identify common misconceptions among students, or specifically support learning processes. Since 2021, Lindl has led his own early-career research group, FALKO-PV, which analyzes the specific impact of teachers’ knowledge and skills on students’ learning success.

Research in Hildesheim: Future Lower Saxony

Lindl’s professorship in Hildesheim is part of the Lower Saxony-wide research alliance linking the Hildesheim, Hanover, and Braunschweig campuses, which is being established as part of the Future of Lower Saxony program. The goal of the collaboration is to strengthen networks in educational research and jointly develop new approaches to teaching and teacher education.

In Hildesheim, Lindl now aims to further expand his existing research. Among other things, the focus is on so-called core practices - that is, central practices of the teaching profession such as explaining, diagnosing, or leading classroom discussions. In addition, he is investigating the characteristics that distinguish particularly successful teachers and how such competencies can be acquired in a targeted manner. Digitalization and new demands on schools and teaching also play an important role: “Good teachers don’t just happen; they need a solid education that’s open to innovation. We all want teachers to engage in professional development and keep getting better until their very last day of school,” Lindl summarizes.