Flexibility in teaching to attract new students (Flexwin)

At a glance

For: teaching students, prospective students, lateral or career changers, non-traditional students, students with non-university obligations

Topics: teacher training, flexibility, part-time study, permeability, student success, quality development

Location: University of Kassel

Flexibility in teaching

The Flexwin project “Flexibilization in teaching to attract new students” was created in cooperation between the Core Studies Commission and the Center for Teacher Training at the University of Kassel in order to increase the attractiveness of the five teaching courses at the university (teaching at primary schools, at secondary and secondary schools, at high schools, at vocational schools and, from the WS 2024/25 onwards, teaching qualifications for special needs education). The target group addressed by the project primarily includes professionally pre-qualified, non-traditional students who, for example, are interested in studying to become a teacher as lateral or career changers, but also enrolled students who regularly have non-university commitments parallel to their studies (e.g. employment, care time). Both groups of people have a proven high need for flexible study conditions and formats. To date, however, the possibilities of studying to become a teacher when there are restrictions on individual time commitment have not been comprehensively known and systematically prepared.

Examination of flexible study options

As part of an internal university survey, flexible study options are examined in the context of the five degree programs and both existing and promising flexibility-promoting measures below the degree program level are taken into account. This includes, among other things, determining the potential and challenges of microcredentials - shorter learning and study programs with evidence of learning outcomes that serve professional or personal further training needs - as a university qualification offer (e.g. for lateral and career changers). With the aim of clearly depicting flexibility options in studies, the findings gained in the Flexwin project will ultimately be bundled in the transparency tool “Flexibilization Navigator”, which will include a handout and an internet presence.