Diversity in teaching
Universities bring together people from different backgrounds who have different interests and capabilities. Despite all these differences (e.g. aspects relating to education/biographies, age, gender, religion, body and health or language/culture), all persons have equal rights. The University of Vienna is committed to supporting all students to enable them to perform their best and increase their chances of successfully completing their studies. The aim is to create a framework in which all people can fully develop their potential and talents in a joint endeavour to extend their knowledge.
In this spirit, valuing diversity in teaching will benefit from:
- knowledge of suitable teaching/learning approaches (e.g. a rich variety of methods, cooperation-based learning modes, differentiating);
- reflection and responsibility;
- knowledge of relevant legal stipulations (e.g. about the right to alternative modes of assessment to offset disadvantages experienced by students with impairments).
Guidelines for lecturers give you tips on how to deal with diversity in your courses. Further information about methods is available in the Infopool better teaching.. The CTL provides lecturers with workshops and advice in this field: there are offers that are part of the Teaching Competence programme and also tailor-made offers that are developed based on the needs of individual lecturers or disciplines.
Materialien
Better teaching Info pool
- Diversity in Teaching: (1) Einführung, (2) Geeignete Lehr-/Lernkonzepte, (3) Reflexion & Verantwortungsbewusstsein (in German)
- Differenzierung in der universitären Lehre - aber wie? (video in German)
- Teaching in Non-Native English
- Mehrsprachigkeit in der universitären Lehre (expert interview in German, Prof. Dirim)
- Social origin and university teaching (expert interview in German, Prof. Nairz-Wirth - in preparation)
New offer
Tailor-made teaching development
- The CTL offers tailored support for individual teachers and teams of lecturers to support the further development of diversity in teaching.
- Flexible format: workshops, individual and group advice
- Orientation and key subject areas can be freely chosen according to requirement.
- Further information
Origin of the guide
To be able to better assess the potential and challenges of diversity, the University of Vienna was the first Austrian university carrying out a student survey on diversity (in German) in 2014. In order to learn from the results and develop a common understanding of diversity in teaching, a Sounding Board chaired by Vice-Rector Christa Schnabl was convened in the summer semester of 2018. The aim was to develop suitable support offers, suggestions and recommendations for action for teachers.