Teaching concept

For me, teaching means first and foremost the classic transfer of knowledge and competence. However, it is also important to me to impart meta-knowledge and an understanding of the underlying teaching strategy and methodology. In the sense of self-determination theory of Ryan and Deci (2000), teaching can be understood as autonomy-promoting social support. This improves intrinsic motivation and the experience of control through processes of a shared learning experience that contributes to the student's emancipation. From this perspective, learning does not lead to an unchallengeable status as an expert, but means representing one's own strengths with self-confidence as well as developing problem awareness and the ability to question oneself constructively. Ideally, this leads to the ability to develop oneself independently beyond the immediate teachings, using meta-knowledge and the guidance provided by scientificity methodology as a tool for quality-management. To achieve these goals, I consider the intensive discussion in direct contact to be indispensable.


For the practical implementation, I see potential in the integration of innovative teaching concepts into the canon of traditional formats, as formulated e.g. by Reinmann-Rothmeier, G. & Mandl, H. (1998):
"Learning for and through the reality of life; Self-determined and self-regulated learning. [...] teacher-independent learning motivation, teacher-independent learning instruction [...] from individual to cooperative learning, from systematics to situational context [...] "From instruction to challenge" or "From passive knowledge transfer to active knowledge construction" (so-called constructivism)" with the components: "1) Self-direction and lifelong learning [...] 2) Cooperation: promotion of teamwork. 3) Problem solving: Acquisition of specific problem-solving skills. 4) Authentic learning environment: application reference, proceduralization." (translation by SMS)
I have been using possibilities offered by digital formats (digital course room; chat and discussion forums; online tools for discussion and (opinion) voting; submission of seminar papers in the form of a website, video, or podcast) for several years now and have definitely experienced them as enrichment. However, the switch to purely digital teaching last year, which was born out of necessity and was strongly influenced by the use of video conferencing and streaming of teaching videos, shows clear limits here. Nevertheless, it is positively surprising what is possible with committed students.
Furthermore, in my view, the process of acquiring knowledge cannot happen in isolation from a conscious reflection on the responsibilities involved, especially when that knowledge directly affects how we deal with people. Therefore, I always want to encourage a critical examination of content, inclduding probing it in light of one's own values and attitudes.

In doing so, I use e.g. techniques of active listening to reduce sender-receiver interference, and enter into active dialogue to sharpen the plurality of views on a topic at the high standard of scientificity with its criteria of reliability, validity, objectivity and evidence-orientation, without concealing their limits. The goal is to convey this standard, but also to relate it to one's own canon of values in order to develop one's own attitude and to make it conscious and thus explicitly discussable. My own basic attitude is based on central values of psychotherapy: appreciation, empathy, genuineness, transparency and the emphasis on evidence over "eminence".

Literature
Edward L. Deci, & Richard M. Ryan (2008): Self-Determination Theory: A Macrotheory of Human Motivation, Development, and Health, S. 183. In: Canadian Psychology 49, 182–185.
Reinmann-Rothmeier, G. & Mandl, H. (1998). Wissensvermittlung. Ansätze zur Förderung des Wissenserwerbs. Enzyklopädie der Psychologie. Kognition Bd. 6: Wissen. Göttingen. Hogrefe.