Strengthening cooperation in the practical semester - with this goal in mind, representatives from the schools in the training region of the University of Siegen, the centers for practical teacher training (ZfsL) Siegen, Hagen and Lüdenscheid as well as the University of Siegen came together on May 10, 2023 on the premises of the ZfsL Siegen.

The approximately 150 guests were warmly welcomed by Achim Leonhardt, Deputy Director of the ZfsL Siegen, and Prof. Dr. Nils Goldschmidt, Director of the Center for Teacher Training and Educational Research at the University of Siegen. "We are delighted that so many of you have made the journey to talk to us about opportunities for cooperation in the context of the practical semester and strengthening joint work in subject networks. It is a great opportunity for teacher training in the region," said Prof. Dr. Nils Goldschmidt. Michael Angenendt, who attended the event together with Dr. Peter Lücke, also LRSD, in his role as Head of the Arnsberg District School Directorate (LRSD), also addressed the attendees.

Prof. Dr. Johannes König, educational scientist at the University of Cologne, also addressed the question of how the practical semester can succeed as a joint task in his introductory lecture "Competence acquisition of student teachers in the practical semester through support and cooperation: concepts, research findings and challenges". Using current research findings, he underlined the importance of the determinant "support" as a key factor for success in the practical semester. This support can only be provided by all three cooperation partners together, and successful communication between them is essential.

After around a decade of experience with the implementation and execution of the practical semester in North Rhine-Westphalia, the cooperative and targeted coordination of the participating learning locations university, ZfsL and school still appears to be very important. From the perspective of empirical teacher education research, it can be emphasized that numerous empirical studies have been carried out in recent years to describe the quality of the practical semester as a new learning opportunity in teacher training and to assess possible effects on the acquisition of skills by student teachers. The presentation first addressed central concepts of empirical studies on the practical semester. Selected research findings were presented with a particular focus on the importance of support and cooperation between the learning venues involved and their actors. Building on this, challenges for training practice, but also for future research efforts, were outlined and put up for discussion.

The subsequent discussion revealed the different perspectives on the internship semester and clearly showed the tension between professional and academic support for the actors involved in the internship semester. How constructive cooperation between the three institutions school - ZfsL - university can nevertheless succeed in practice and how the practical semester can be made fruitful for all as a joint task was shown by the examples of three specialist networks, which presented excerpts from their joint work.

After an extended break and the opportunity for personal exchange, the discussion was continued in smaller groups in specialist networks. The role and self-image of the subject network with regard to cooperation in the practical semester, the identification of cooperation areas and the function as a multiplier of relevant topics in the individual institutions played just as much a role as the establishment of reliable communication structures.

In the concluding plenary session, Prof. Dr. Nils Goldschmidt cited selected goals that the specialist networks had set themselves for future cooperation and summed up a successful new start to a phase of increased cross-institutional cooperation based on the large number of responses and consistently positive feedback. All of the feedback had one thing in common: the personal encounters, the bringing together of the various stakeholders involved in the practical semester and the emphasis on structuring the practical phase as a joint work assignment were all perceived as enriching. Host Achim Leonhardt thanked all those involved and bid farewell to the guests in the early evening.