Torben Schmidt

Curriculum

Torben Schmidt has been Professor of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany, since 2011. His research interests focus on project-based learning, task-based language learning, and foreign language learning with digital media (esp. digital games, intelligent tutoring systems, AI-supported learning and teaching). From 2018-2024 he was the founder and director of the Future Center of Teacher Education at Leuphana University and coordinator of the Lüneburg project of the Initiative for Excellence for Teacher Education funded by the Germany Ministry of Research and Education. He is the editor and author of a middle-level textbook series and the developer of learning apps. Professor Schmidt is a two-time winner of the Hans-Eberhard Piepho Prize and was awarded the “Germany – Land of Ideas” prize in 2015 for his blended learning project, “Going Green – An Educational Project for Sustainability.” Over 8000 students from 408 German EFL classrooms participated in his 2024 U.S. Embassy School Election Project.

Education, Employment, and Positions

• winter term 2016/2017: visiting scholarat the University College of Teacher Education in Vienna.
• since Jan 2012: Prof. of English Didactics at Leuphana University Lüneburg.
• Apr 2011 - Jan 2012: Prof. (Jun.-Prof.) of English Didactics at Leuphana University Lüneburg.
• summer term 2010: visiting scholar at the Saint Mary's University in Halifax (Canada).
• Dec 2008 – Mar 2011: associate, Giessen International Graduate Centre for the Study of Culture (GCSC).
• Jan 2007 – Apr 2008: research assistant, M.A. "E-LINGO – Teaching languages to young learners", Justus Liebig University Gießen, Germany.
• Jun 2004 – Apr 2007: doctoral research project, topic of dissertation: "Gemeinsames   Lernen   mit   Selbstlernsoftware   –   Eine   empirische Analyse lernprogrammgestützter Partnerarbeitsphasen im Unterricht der Klasse  7"  (Cooperative  learning  with  language   learning  software), (advisor: Prof. Dr. Michael K. Legutke, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Germany), (graduation with highest honour).
• Jan 2003 – Jun 2006: research assistant, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
• Oct  2002  –  Jun  2004:  postgraduate  studies,  English  Literature  and Linguistics,   Goethe  University,  Frankfurt,  Germany  (graduation  with distinction).
• Oct 1998 – Jun 2002: teacher training studies, English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Psychology, Educational Sciences, first state examination,  teaching degree  for  secondary  schools,  Justus  Liebig University, Giessen, Germany (graduation with distinction).

Teaching

• Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Research interests

• Unterrichtsforschung
• Lehrmaterialnutzungs- und -wntwicklungsforschung
• Künstliche Intelligenz und Fremdsprachenlernen (Fokus auf intelligente tutorielle System, Conversational AI und AI-supported writing)
• Kompetenzorientiertes Unterrichten 
• Task Based Language Learning and Teaching
• Projektarbeit 
• Inszenierungen im Fremdsprachenunterricht