GOOD PRACTICE TEACHING EXAMPLES Winter Semester 2025/26
“The lecture ‘Social History of Upbringing, Education and Socialisation’ is structured around four didactic principles: relevance to everyday life, research as a process, connection to the present, and engagement with archival sources.
Working with everyday sources enables students to engage with history on a personal level – rooted in the region, tailored to their age group and relevant to their lived experience, for example when we examine diaries written by young people at the beginning of the 20th century. Furthermore, by involving researchers who provide insights into ongoing projects in the field of historical educational science through ‘workshop reports’, research is experienced not as a finished product but as an open-ended process. The examination of historical lines of argument also reveals that many patterns of interpretation which shape social debates today have a long history – thereby sharpening students’ perspective on the present. Perhaps the most immediate impression is left by a visit to the university archives: in the atmosphere of historical collections, students hold files and artefacts in their own hands and encounter the history of their educational institution as a tangible object."
“It is clearly difficult to define the vast Sahara and its peripheral regions (the Sahel) geographically and politically with any certainty; sometimes they are classified as part of North Africa, sometimes as part of West Africa. They are often regarded as transit zones, as if there were no inhabitants here and as if the aim were simply to cross them as quickly as possible. Since the turn of the millennium, however, the Sahara and the Sahel have been receiving increasing media attention as areas of operation for rebels, smugglers and jihadist groups. Under the question: ‘The Sahara and the Sahel, a hotspot of globalisation?’, this seminar will explore the distinctive features of the Sahara and the Sahel. As in all my courses, I aim to use empirical descriptions as a basis for developing theoretical questions. At the same time, the methodological and epistemological characteristics of an anthropological approach will be highlighted where appropriate."
“In this seminar, students were introduced to the process of sports science research early on in their degree programme and developed their own research project. The initial sessions focused on formulating a research question based on their own ideas and selecting an appropriate theoretical and methodological approach. This involved linking the theoretical foundations with insights into existing research, as well as planning phases for their own study design. As the course progressed, the focus shifted increasingly towards the individual research projects. Brief content-based inputs alternated with individual work phases, alongside opportunities for questions and discussions. The students learnt to critically examine decisions made during the research process, to present their approach and to communicate their findings in an academic manner. It was particularly important to me to create a learning environment in which questions are expressly welcome and academic work is understood as a collaborative development process. Through close supervision and mutual exchange, the students were supported in overcoming uncertainties and becoming increasingly confident in their academic work. The resulting projects were compiled into a research report and presented at the parallel seminar ‘Sports Science Congress’. Selected projects were also submitted to a sports science conference and accepted. This has enabled some students to present their projects to a wider specialist audience."
(Seminar and practical session)
"The seminar ‘Multi-perspectivity in individual-based sport’, part of the module ‘Exploring fields of physical activity from multiple perspectives and reflecting on them from a didactic perspective’, aims to explore different individual-based fields of physical activity from various perspectives and to reflect on their significance for designing diverse and motivating physical education lessons. Students put content into practice, reflect on it collectively and discuss its potential and challenges for physical education. The focus is on the question of how physical education can be designed to be motivating, anxiety-free and accessible to all. The course is also structured around current research findings (Pfeifer et al., 2026), which indicate that positive emotions on the part of the teacher are associated with higher quality teaching – particularly through supportive teacher-pupil relationships, effective classroom management and greater cognitive engagement on the part of the learners. These correlations are also reflected in the students’ feedback. The teacher’s emotional attitude is described as ‘friendly and motivated’, with a ‘good mood [that] is infectious’; students say they ‘look forward to going to the class before it starts’. The way relationships are shaped is evident in the fact that students do not feel ‘exposed’, that ‘differences, fears and insecurities are respected and taken into account’, and that there is a ‘very pleasant atmosphere’. At the same time, the combination of theory and practice, reflection sessions and ‘learning something new every week’ is experienced as cognitively stimulating. The insight that a supportive, emotionally positive and, at the same time, cognitively stimulating learning environment promotes participation, the ability to reflect and openness to new learning content – even when dealing with topics that are initially unfamiliar or challenging – appears particularly applicable to other courses."
"I have been teaching Imagining Hindutva – Hindu nationalism and Democratic Politics in India since 2016 as a way of understanding and communicating the rapid social transformations in Indian society and politics.
Offered by CeMIS (the Centre for Modern Indian Studies) and taught in English, the course begins with a section on the genealogies of Hindu nationalism as we read texts written by its primary ideologues (Savarkar, Golwalkar, Upadhyaya). We study the ideology and the structure of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), the organization that spearheads Hindu nationalism. We examine the mobilizational strategies orchestrated by the RSS family of organizations – the Ram Temple movement in the 1980s and 1990s, and the Gujarat violence of 2001-2002, that galvanized Hindu nationalism and placed it at the center-stage of Indian politics. In the context of the Narendra Modi led BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) coming to power in 2014, the final section looks at Hindu nationalism as State power in the present, detailing the manifold institutional and ideological changes and critically assessing the implications for the future of Indian secular democracy. As a film practitioner and as a student of cinema, I make extensive use of documentaries as a pedagogical tool and try to create a dialogue between text and image in the seminar and exercise sections of the course."
“A fantastic week. A great atmosphere, fun and humour, plenty of content, flawless organisation – thank you so, so much for the whole week and for your commitment and dedication.” – this is how one participant described our “Winter Sports” excursion. During the excursion, participants were able to acquire basic skills in skiing or snowboarding, choosing one of the two sports depending on their interests. In addition to teaching technical fundamentals – from edging, weight transfer and turning to short turns – the methodological and didactic design of beginner lessons was also discussed. Topics such as sustainability in snow sports, the planning and organisation of field trips, and first aid in the mountains were also covered. Furthermore, through team teaching supported by two student assistants (Stina Ludwig and Klaas Wolken) and with the active involvement of the students, we succeeded in creating a motivating learning atmosphere. Thus, the combination of practical sports training, experiencing nature, very hospitable accommodation and a sense of community within the group proved to be a rewarding experience not only for the students but also for us as lecturers."
“Multilingualism is becoming increasingly important in the wake of globalisation and is recognised by society as a resource. Whilst it is often limited to foreign language teaching in the school context, the integration of real-life multilingualism across all subjects is central from an inclusive perspective. The seminar drew on current research approaches and methods in inclusive education and introduced students to the independent development of teaching research projects on linguistic diversity and heterogeneity in school-based learning processes. The blended-learning format used enabled a particularly beneficial integration of self-study and face-to-face work for a block seminar: Theoretical foundations were explored in advance via digital learning modules in ILIAS (reading materials, videos, podcasts, reflections) and were perceived by the students as engaging and purposeful preparation. The students collaboratively explored the current state of research by analysing various studies and organising them on a TaskCards pinboard. The division of labour made it possible to cover the full breadth of the current state of research in terms of both content and methodology, and to lay a solid foundation for the research projects. This intensive preparation formed the basis for highly interactive face-to-face sessions and high-quality student research projects. The combination of structured self-study, collaborative knowledge synthesis and research-oriented learning is particularly transferable.”
"Colloquia are very popular with lecturers because they are primarily a forum for students to give talks and present their work (e.g. project ideas for final dissertations, outlines for research exercises), whilst the lecturer can limit their role to offering insightful comments, asking constructive questions and acting as a skilled moderator. This was no different in the case of the ‘Follow-up Colloquium for Student Practical Projects’ in Ethnology, which has been honoured here, and that is why this award belongs first and foremost to the students themselves! It is they who, through their accounts of work placements in a wide variety of practical fields both at home and abroad, demonstrate the diverse and often critical applicability of their ethnological knowledge – and not infrequently surprise both themselves and their audience with the skills and abilities they have already acquired during their studies and the challenges they have overcome!
Nevertheless, a few modest general lessons can be drawn: many subjects offer the opportunity to have work placements recognised for credit, but lack a format in which their students can report on them. This means a great opportunity to showcase career prospects is being missed: “I found the event very exciting; it was lovely to learn more about other students’ work placements and to discuss our impressions together – I am very grateful for this opportunity” (open-ended evaluation comment). For colleagues who run similar events, where an entire working day is filled with student presentations: A 10-minute break after a maximum of two presentations (and a longer lunch break) has proved its worth, as has creating a conference-like atmosphere with a beautifully laid-out refreshment table offering hot and cold drinks, snacks and fruit! One participant praised this as ‘thoughtful hospitality’, even though the students themselves contribute to these refreshments."
“In this seminar, we examined contemporary dynamics in the Horn of Africa. This is a culturally diverse and geostrategically important region on the Gulf of Aden, opposite the Arabian Peninsula and south of the Sahel. Tensions between ‘in-groups’ including clans and ethnic groups, the emergence of militant Islamic groups, conflicts between states over regional power and (scarce) resources, as well as global influences, characterise the current situation in the Horn of Africa. Added to this are years of ongoing migration and refugee flows, which have led to the emergence of diasporas across the globe and to transnational relationships that, in turn, influence events in the Horn of Africa. Drawing on the literature, we discussed specific case studies relating to the topics mentioned in greater depth. We focused in particular on the Somali context, a subject on which I myself, as an ethnologist, have conducted research for many years. This enabled me to enrich discussions with ethnographic details and provide the students with in-depth insights, which they in turn were able to use to better understand the texts they had read. The students contributed to the seminar’s content through short presentations. Overall, there was a lively atmosphere of discussion."
"The course ‘Introduction to Sociology’ is the first point of contact for many students with the subject areas of sociology at university. The aim of the tutorial is to examine the basic concepts and topics presented in the corresponding lecture using a selection of classical and modern texts, and to explore certain points in greater depth. In the tutorial, this is achieved through group discussions based on texts that the students have prepared individually beforehand. As a student tutor, I see my role here as not only providing academic support but also, in particular, fostering an open and egalitarian atmosphere for discussion. From my own experience, I know that, particularly in the first few semesters of a degree programme, it can be very helpful to identify and discuss topics that are challenging from a student’s perspective. In this sense, I also see myself as a tutor acting as a link between the students and the lecturer. Furthermore, in the introductory tutorial, I believe it is important to provide a space not only for questions about the subject matter, but also for more general enquiries about the degree programme, exams, other modules or the students’ personal experiences. This helps to provide an accessible introduction to the fascinating fields of sociology, thereby laying the foundation for a successful degree programme.”
In addition, the Faculty of Social Sciences congratulates the following lecturers, who have already distinguished themselves in previous semesters through examples of good teaching practice and who once again delivered exemplary teaching (with the same title) in the winter semester 2025/26:
