Gender Research in Teaching

Inclusion of Gender & Diversity in Quality Management

An important project to improve teaching by implementing gender and diversity aspects at Goethe University is the systematic inclusion of gender & diversity in the quality management aspect of teaching. The Equality and Diversity Policies departments are responsible for this. Thus, gender & diversity form an independent point in the teaching mission statement, which is also underpinned by concrete indicators. Gender and diversity aspects are also systematically included in the preparations for system accreditation (e.g. in the evaluation regulations already approved by the Senate). The demands on those responsible for the study programs and the teaching staff to promote gender and diversity competence and gender-sensitive teaching are thus increasing. This is especially true for teacher education, as this is where multipliers are trained who will have an influence on future generations and their potentials and competencies.


Conveyance of Gender and Diversity Competencies to Teachers, Tutors and Advisors

The sensitization and strengthening of gender and diversity competences in teaching is of great importance. In close cooperation between the Interdisciplinary College of University Didactics (IKH), "studiumdigitale" and the faculties, gender and diversity competence training for teachers and tutors are offered every semester, with the aim of increasing awareness of heterogeneous life situations and learning styles and incorporating gender and diversity aspects into teaching. The IKH has also conducted "train-the-trainer" seminars for its trainers. These activities are coordinated by the Diversity Policies unit of the Equal Opportunities Office.


"GENDERkompetent - Integration of Gender the Teaching at Hessen Universities"

In Hessen, the womens' representatives of the LaKof in cooperation with the HMWK, as well as the Hessian university administrations, have dealt thoroughly with the implementation of gender research and gender aspects in teaching and research. In several workshops, processes and structures in which the cross-sectional topic of gender should be integrated in order to improve the quality of teaching were jointly identified.

In the process, common objectives were identified:

  • The targeted teaching of gender (and diversity) competencies in university didactics at Hessian universities.
  • The concrete inclusion of gender aspects in teacher training.
  • Improving the quality of teaching and research, especially in the STEM subjects, by integrating the results of gender research; at the same time, this should further promote the attractiveness of STEM subjects for female students.
  • The anchoring of gender aspects in accreditation as well as in the evaluation of teaching.

Synergies between the universities are to be generated and utilized trough the implementation of these objectives. The overarching goal is to jointly identify processes and structures in which the cross-cutting topic of gender must be integrated in order to increase the quality of teaching at Hessian universities. At the same time, sensitivity toward this topic is to be increased among university management and among all those involved in the design of teaching curricula and other programs. The results of the workshop series can be used for planning further activities. As spokesperson of the LaKof, the womens' representative of Goethe University was the leading force here.

As a result, the LaKof Hessen has published a brochure with all projects for the integration of gender research or gender aspects in teaching: Brochure "GENDERkompetent" (German).


Recommendations for Gender- and Diversity-sensitive Teacher Training at Goethe University

Gender- and diversity-sensitive teaching is particularly important in teacher training: not only does the diversity of student teachers form a challenge for teaching, but so does the far greater diversity of the students graduates will encounter later in their careers. In order to deal productively with the diversity of their students, it is important for students to be able to learn gender and diversity competencies themselves.

Following "Teaching Diversity Consciously," a collaborative project between ABL and the Equal Opportunities Office, the ABL Board of Directors adopted recommendations for gender- and diversity-sensitive teacher education in the summer semester of 2016. The recommendations were developed on the basis of an inventory as well as discussions with university members of all status groups, in cooperation with an accompanying working group. The aim is to use them for an expansion of gender- and diversity-sensitive teaching in the field of teacher education.

Recommendations for gender- and diversity-sensitive teacher training at Goethe University (German)


Other Projects at German Universities

Contact

Visiting address

Goethe University Frankfurt a.M.
Equal Opportunities Office

SKW-Building
Rostocker Str. 2
60323 Frankfurt am Main

Tel.: +49 69 798-18698
Email: gleichstellungsbuero@uni-frankfurt.de


Postal address
Equal Opportunities Office
Goethe University Frankfurt a.M.
Postbox 227
60629 Frankfurt am Main