Christian Förtsch

Dr. Christian Förtsch completed his doctorate in Biology Education at LMU Munich (2012–2017) and served as a post-doctoral research assistant at the Chair of Biology Education until 2023. His primary affiliation was within the Department of Biology Education, focusing on advancing teacher professional development and instructional quality in science education.

Education:

• Doctorate in Biology Education, LMU Munich (2012–2017)

Research interests center on biology teachers' professional knowledge, diagnostic competences in classroom settings, digitization of education, and video-based research methodologies. He has led or contributed to projects like DigitUS (BMBF), exploring professional learning communities and digital transformation in schools, and UNI classes for teacher training innovation.

His work emphasizes the refinement of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) frameworks, particularly through video simulations and structured reflection cycles. Recent articles highlight the impact of scaffolding techniques, error management in biology lessons, and longitudinal studies on flexible school schedules.

Awards include the 2019 Young Talent Award for his dissertation, the 2018 LMU Teaching Innovation Award for UNI Class reforms, and the Franz Emanuel Weinert Prize for outstanding research in subject didactics.

Grants and collaborations involve BMBF and DFG-funded initiatives, such as FOR 2385 (teacher diagnostic skills) and LerNT (competency orientation). His contributions to teacher training emphasize practical, evidence-based interventions to enhance classroom quality and student conceptual understanding.

Labs/Teams: Core member of the LMU Chair of Biology Education team, collaborating with institutions like the Munich Center for Teacher Education (MZL) and the mebis platform for educational technology.