Bearbeitungsaufgabe

Bearbeitungsaufgabe is a term used in German-speaking education to denote tasks that require processing or handling of given material in order to produce a result. It describes a class of exercises where the central activity is to work on, interpret, transform, or synthesize information rather than merely recall facts. The concept emphasizes the process and the method; students are often asked to show their work, justify steps, apply procedures, analyze data, or edit and reorganize content.

In practice, bearbeitungsaufgaben appear in textbooks, tests, and assignments across subjects such as mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, and language arts. Typical features include multi-step procedures, data or text prompts, and explicit requirements to present calculations, provide reasoning, and reference sources or evidence. They may involve computing statistics from a data set, solving a real-world problem, extracting information from diagrams, or producing a revised text based on given criteria.

The term derives from bearbeiten (to process, to edit, to work on) and Aufgabe (task). It signals an emphasis on the performative aspect of problem-solving and the demonstration of method, not solely the final answer. In curricula, bearbeitungsaufgaben are used to assess procedural competence, analytical thinking, and argumentation.

See also: Aufgabe, Übungsaufgabe, Problemstellung.