Prof. Dr. Philipp Siepmann provides insight into the long-term development of a DBR project in the field of foreign language education: in his lecture titled Starting small, building tall: Implementing and spreading an innovative framework for fostering and assessing oracy in the foreign language classroom, he highlights challenges and strategies in the process from the initial design to sustainable diffusion. Please note: We have edited out some passages for the publication of the recording.

Abstract: Starting small, building tall: Implementing and spreading an innovative framework for fostering and assessing oracy in the foreign language classroom

Initial stages of design-based research projects are typically limited to small sample sizes and single classrooms. As the intervention design matures, however, an important question arises: How can an innovative design be scaled up once its theoretical soundness and practical feasibility have been confirmed? This talk addresses the often underexplored challenges of implementing and spreading educational innovations beyond their original setting.

Drawing on six years of research on fostering oracy in foreign language classrooms, I will illustrate how a project that began with the design of oral communication exams in one German secondary school evolved into the development of a task-based learning and assessment framework (‘The OraCycle’; Siepmann 2024; Siepmann & Bruns forthc.). Over time, the framework was adopted by several state pedagogical institutes (Landesinstitute) as the basis for teacher training programs and instructional materials, thereby extending the project’s reach. In addition, it is disseminated via a website and a (planned) book publication to appeal to an ever larger audience.

I will highlight critical incidents, challenges, and moments of serendipity encountered when scaling the project from a single school to a state-wide level. Based on these experiences, I will outline strategies that can support design researchers in anticipating and navigating logistical, structural, and social obstacles. The talk will conclude by considering how design-based research can contribute to the sustainable diffusion of innovation and knowledge transfer within education systems.

The presentation on 5 December 2025 is part of DeLect, the December lecture series hosted by Prof. Dr. Angelika Bikner-Ahsbahs and Dr. Alexa Brase for the DBR Network in collaboration with EDeR – Educational Design Research. The idea behind the series is to provide insight into DBR projects by experienced researchers from various disciplines and to highlight topics of interdisciplinary relevance. If you have an idea for a presentation, please contact us at dbr.hul@uni-hamburg.de.