Miriam Hess

Professor Miriam Hess holds the Chair of Primary School Pedagogy and Didactics at the Faculty of Human Sciences, Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg, where she has served since April 2021. Her academic journey includes positions as an Academic Councillor at the Institute for Primary School Research at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (2016-2021) and earlier research assistant roles at the University of Kassel and University of Bamberg. She earned her doctorate from the University of Kassel in 2014 with a dissertation on cognitive activation in primary school reading instruction.

Hess's research focuses on video-based teacher education, classroom quality assessment, cognitive activation strategies, and the development of reading and writing skills in primary education. Her work examines how digital tools can enhance teacher training, particularly through video analysis of classroom interactions. She investigates feedback mechanisms, approaches to handling classroom heterogeneity, and the relationship between teaching quality and student learning outcomes. Her research integrates empirical classroom observation with teacher professional development.

The 15 most recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on video-based methodologies in teacher education, with particular attention to cognitive activation in literacy instruction. Her work spans from practical classroom applications to theoretical frameworks analyzing surface and deep features of teaching. Recent research increasingly incorporates digital learning environments and blended approaches to teacher training, while maintaining focus on core educational processes like feedback delivery and task design.

• Martin-Wagenschein-Preis (2016) for outstanding student thesis supervision
• Posterpreis at AEPF Conference (2016) for research on feedback training
• Aloys-Fischer-Grundschulforschungspreis (2015) for dissertation on cognitive activation
• Nomination for 'Preis für Exzellente Lehre' (2013)
• First Posterpreis at DGfE Conference (2012) for research on teacher questioning

Hess leads multiple research projects including Vi-Coach (video-based coaching for oral examinations), DiKuLe (developing digital teaching cultures), and FoKo (research competencies for primary school teacher students). Her work demonstrates strong collaboration across institutions and disciplines, particularly in the areas of video-based classroom analysis and teacher professional development. She maintains active membership in the German Educational Research Association (DGfE) and the Society for Empirical Educational Research (GEBF), contributing to national discussions on primary education research methodology.