Dr Verena Watzek

• Since February 2020, postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of Pedagogy II, Prof. Dr Regina H. Mulder, University of Regensburg: research activities; Teaching: BA and MA in education; EWS in a teaching degree – general pedagogy; Module Manager for the BA programme: EDU-BA-M5 and EDU-BA-M12; Organisational and administrative duties
• July 2015 – January 2020 PhD in educational science at the Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg (UR), topic: ‘The role of emotions in team learning – affective and cognitive components in the teamwork of interdisciplinary teams at vocational schools’ (Magna cum laude) (defence: 16 January 2020)
  First examiner: Prof. Dr Regina H. Mulder, UR
  Second examiner: Prof. Dr Klaus-Peter Wild, UR
• November 2013 – January 2020 PhD student at the Chair of Pedagogy II, Prof. Dr Regina H. Mulder, University of Regensburg
• 10/2011 – 10/2013 Studied education, University of Regensburg, Degree: Master of Arts, Master’s thesis: “The relationship between individual learning and team learning in relation to organisational competence”
• 10/2008 – 10/2011 Studied pedagogy, Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg, Degree : Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor's thesis: “Children with disabilities? The reality in inclusive nurseries”
• 10/2006 – 09/2008 Studied Economics at Friedrich-Alexander University of Nuremberg, Bachelor of Arts

• Promoting the professional development of individuals and teams

• Quality assurance in workplace learning

• Informal and formal learning

• Emotions

• Qualitative and quantitative research methods

    ORCID: 0000-0002-8833-7788 (external link, opens in a new window)

   Books and research reports

• Watzek, V. (2020). Die Rolle von Emotionen beim Teamlernen - Affektive und kognitive Komponenten in der Teamarbeit von interdisziplinären Arbeitsteams an beruflichen Schulen (Dissertation). Universität Regensburg. Verfügbar unter https://epub.uni-regensburg.de/41433/

    Journal Articles (Peer Review)

• Watzek, V., Widmann, A., & Mulder, R. H. (2022). Dynamics and complexity of emotions and team learning at work. Teaching and Teacher Education: Leadership and Professional Development, 1, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tatelp.2022.100008
• Watzek, V. Rehm, M., & Mulder, R. H. (2022). Exploring dynamics of emotional reactions in online collaboration of communities of learners and their relations with learning outcomes. Interactive Learning Environments, 30(6). https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2022.2078985
• Watzek, V., & Mulder, R. H. (2020). Qualitätssicherung beim Lernen am Arbeitsplatz für berufliche Bildungseinrichtungen und Unternehmen in Europa – Entwicklung und Kategorisierung von Qualitätsindikatoren. bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik – online, 39, 1-22. Retrieve from: https://www.bwpat.de/ausgabe/39/watzek-mulder
• Watzek, V., & Mulder, R. H. (2019). Team Learning Behaviours and Team Affective Reactions: an Empirical Study on Interdisciplinary Work Teams. Vocations and Learning.12(1), 1-22. doi:10.1007/s12186-018-9205-3
• Watzek, V., Anselmann, V., & Mulder, R. H. (2019). Team learning and emotions during teamwork: A qualitative study. Research Papers in Education. 34 (6), 769-789.
  doi: 10.1080/02671522.2019.1568525
• Watzek, V., Widmann, A., & Mulder, R. H. (2018). Förderung von innovativen Arbeitsverhalten und Teamlernen für die Entwicklung innovativer Lösungen an beruflichen Schulen. Berufsbildung – Zeitschrift für Theorie-Praxis-Dialog, 173, 37-39.

• Präsentationen

  Symposium

• Possibilities of different research instruments for investigating emotions on learning of employees. Interest group: SIG 14 – Learning and Professional Development – at the 18th Biennial EARLI Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, 2019, Aachen (Germany). Submitted by: Verena Watzek and Regina H. Mulder.

  Poster Präsentationen

• Watzek, V., Ertl, S., Messmann, G., Bornhaupt, R., Kolar, D, & Mulder, R. H. (2025, April). Förderung der psychotherapeutischen Kompetenz von Studierenden mit Hilfe einer Reflexionsintervention. Poster wurde präsentiert beim Deutschen Psychotherapie Kongress (DPK), Berlin (Germany).

• Watzek, V., Messmann, G., Bornhaupt, R., Ertl, S., Kolar D., & Mulder, R.H. (2025, August). Fostering students’ psychotherapeutic competence through a guided reflection intervention. 21st Biennial EARLI Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, Graz (Austria).

  Paper Präsentationen

• Watzek, V., Widmann, A., & Mulder, R. H. (2019, August). The use of questionnaires and observations in investigating emotions and emotional reactions during teamwork. Paper presented at the 18th Biennial EARLI Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, Aachen (Germany).
• Watzek, V., Widmann, A., & Mulder, R. H. (2018, September). Dynamic interplay of learning behaviours and affective reactions within work teams. Paper presented at the 9th Conference of the EARLI SIG  14 - Learning and Professional Development, Genf (Swiss).
• Watzek, V., Widmann, A., & Mulder, R. H. (2018, Februar). Dynamischer Zusammenhang zwischen Teamlernverhaltensweisen und affektiven Reaktionen in Arbeitsteams. Paper präsentiert auf der sechsten Tagung der Gesellschaft für Empirische Bildungsforschung (GEBF), Basel (Swiss)
• Watzek, V., & Mulder, R. H. (2017, September). Teamlernverhalten und affektives Verhalten von interdisziplinären Lehrenden-Teams an beruflichen Schulen. Paper präsentiert auf der Jahrestagung der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der DGfE, Stuttgart (Germany).
• Watzek, V., & Mulder, R. H. (2017, August). Affective components of work team interaction: An empirical study on vocational teacher teams. Paper presented at the 17th Biennial EARLI Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, Tampere (Finland).
• Watzek, V., & Mulder, R. H. (2016, September). Die Untersuchung der Arbeits- und Entwicklungsprozesse von interdisziplinären Lehrenden-Teams an beruflichen Schulen. Paper präsentiert auf der Jahrestagung der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der DGfE, Hamburg (Germany).
• Watzek, V., Leicher, V. & Mulder, R. H. (2016, August). Emotions and team learning processes: A mixed method study with future professionals working in interdisciplinary teams. Paper presented at the 8th Conference of the EARLI SIG Learning and Professional Development, Regensburg (Germany)
• Watzek, V., Rehm, M., & Mulder, R. H. (2015, August). Analysis of emotional communication processes among working professionals within online communities of learning (CoL). Paper presented at the 16th Biennial EARLI Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, Limassol (Cyprus).
• Watzek, V., Rehm, M., & Mulder, R. H. (2014, November). Analysis of emotional communication processes among working professionals within communities of learning (CoL). Paper presented at the ICO International Fall School, Blankenberge (Belgium).
• Watzek, V., Görke, A.-K., & Mulder, R. H. (2014, August). Individual and team learning activities of older and younger employees. Paper presented at the EARLI SIG 14 conference, Oslo (Norway).

BA in Education

• Accompanying seminar on academic work: Supervision and assessment of bachelor's theses
• In-depth study of education topics – e.g. Topic: Promoting teamwork/health in the workplace
• Introduction to Empirical Research Methods II
• Qualitative Methods in Empirical Educational Research
• Theories of Teaching and Learning
• Theoretical approaches to evaluation
• Pedagogical assessment and educational counselling

MA in Education

• Designing pedagogical interventions in the context of organisations and society
• Instructional Design
• Project seminars on key research areas (e.g. teamwork in the workplace)

Education in a Teaching Degree – General Pedagogy

• Socialisation and professionalism in the teaching profession

• Oct 2018 – Dec 2020 Project Manager – ERASMUS+ project (EU) on the topic: “Benchmarking for Quality Assurance in Apprenticeships and Work-Based Learning (BEQUAL.app)” at the Chair of Pedagogy II, Prof. Dr Regina H. Mulder, University of Regensburg; Jointly responsible for the implementation of the project; supervision of student assistants; Cooperation with (inter-)national stakeholders
• 04/2015 – 01/2018 Project Assistant – DFG project on the topic “The dynamic relationship between team learning processes, team learning outcomes and their determining factors in the work of vocational school teachers (VoTEams)” [MU 2833/4-1] at the Chair of Pedagogy II, Prof. Dr Regina H. Mulder, University of Regensburg: Implementation of project tasks, supervision of student assistants, support and advice for participating schools

Memberships

• European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
• EARLI – SIG 14: Learning and Professional Development
• Parenting and Science Network, University of Regensburg

Academic Self-Governance

• Member of the faculty board since October 2025 (representative of assistant professors and artistic staff and PhD students), University of Regensburg
• Member of the Programme Committee for the Master’s programme in education, University of Regensburg, since October 2024
• Since October 2024: Initiator and member of the organising team – planning the ‘Day of the Human Sciences’ – mid-level academic staff of the Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg
• April 2022 – July 2022 Member of the Task Force on Supporting Early-Career Researchers, University of Regensburg
• October 2021 – September 2023: Deputy Spokesperson for Mid-level Academic Staff at the Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg
• April 2021 – March 2022: Representative of mid-level academic staff on the Appointments Committee for the W3 professorship in “Qualitative Research Methods”, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg
• Oct 2020 – Sep 2022: Representative of postdoctoral researchers at the Center for Graduate & Postgraduate Researchers (WIN) on the Executive Committee and the Advisory Board (2 terms of office), University of Regensburg