Higher Education Didactics
As part of the Certificate of Teaching Competence, academics build up teaching-relevant competences and expand them in a targeted manner. By working on practical research questions, the professional development of their own teaching is pushed forward. The findings are communicated in dialogue with the scientific community.
Zertifikat "Lehrkompetenz" (German version only)
This two-day workshop prepares young academics specifically for their first teaching position.
Hochschuldidaktische Basisqualifizierung(German version only)
The series of methodological and didactic tips accompanies interested university lecturers in the organisation of their teaching over the course of the semester. It covers the relevant topics from the beginning of course planning to the design of the dialogue with students and the conclusion of the course, including self-evaluation.
Prof. Dr. G. Spieß
Gender-sensitive university didactics
Some practical and simple rules for gender-equitable teaching1
- Female students need female role models. Bring them to life in your teaching! Mention female researchers, important women and female scientists in your subject and quote them.
- Provide gender-differentiated literature lists (i.e. with first names).
- Address students in a gender-appropriate way, i.e. also use female functional terms in your oral or written speech. Language socialises us.
- Have the same confidence in students, regardless of their gender! Do not make any ‘gender-specific’ or gender-stereotypical differences.
- Distribute your attention in the various teaching situations according to gender.
- Encourage and challenge regardless of gender (despite neutrality: think about what you would like your daughter or son to learn from those involved).
- Do not give advice that picks up on gender stereotypes (e.g. ‘For the job interview, dress particularly smartly and feel free to show your legs.’)
- Behave neutrally, be objective in your dealings. Do not allow yourself to be pushed into gender stereotypes or get carried away (playing the dad, the Casanova or the mum ...).
- Avoid sexual innuendo, keep your distance, praise performance (and not, for example, appearance).
- Check your use of media for overt and covert ‘doing gender strategies’ and for hidden images of women or men.
- Think about: which examples do I choose to illustrate? Which gender roles are thereby reinforced or dissolved? Are the lives of women and girls also reflected?
Laughter is welcome! After all, amusement promotes learning - but do not laugh at the expense of one gender and avoid jokes that are only orientated towards the male world.
1 Spieß, Gesine, Rentmeister, Cillie (Hrsg./eds.) Gender in Lehre und Didaktik. Gender in Teaching and Didactics. Eine Europäische Konferenz in Erfurt. A European Conference in Erfurt. Peter Lang Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien 2003
Gendersensibilität(German version only)
The internal training programme offers a wide range of courses. In addition to introductory events, lecturers can solve specific problems with the ‘Individual counselling on the design of teaching’.