Workshops

Workshop 1 Dr. Britta Ostermann (Bremen)

Cooperative Learning in the Inclusive Classroom – Experiencing, Reflecting on, and Applying Didactic and Methodological Approaches

During the workshop you will explore how cooperative learning can be implemented in inclusive settings and which didactic and methodological approaches ensure that it is truly inclusive, allowing all learners to contribute, interact, and succeed together. At the same time, you will identify the conditions you, as a future teacher, must create at various levels to support this. Various methods of cooperative learning will be shared, and you will have the possibility to design a first draft of cooperative learning in an inclusive classroom.

Workshop 2 Dr. Flora Woltran (Wien)

Relationship building between teachers and students

Teacher–student relationships are among the most important aspects of our work. While many elements shape these relationships, at their foundation is reflective attunement: discerning potential triggers, projective processes, and behavior patterns in the classroom, and examining our own responses. A basic understanding of psychoanalytic theories offers a useful lens for teachers to recognize and respond to these dynamics with clarity and care. In this session, we will explore core concepts such as Projection, Container and Contained and Endurance. Through hands-on activities, including individual reflection and group exercises, we will develop practical strategies for attuning to dynamics in interactions between students and teachers and strengthening relationship-building in everyday teaching.

Workshop 3 Dr. Tamara van Woezik (Nijmegen)

Sense of Belonging in Collaborative Learning Activities

A strong sense of belonging is a key factor in students’ well-being and academic success. It reflects students’ experience of social support, relatedness, and mattering within their academic community, as well as their identification with peers and the learning environment. Sense of belonging can have various elements of importance: social, self, academic, and place. Drawing from research on sense of belonging, we will explore the importance of sense of belonging for collaborative learning and vice versa. Through exercises and discussions, we will get insight into our own sense of belonging. Then we will design assignments or instructions for collaborative learning that draw upon our insights from these experiences.

-> PowerPoint Presentation

-> Results workshop assignment

Workshop 4 Esther Mestebeld MA MSc (Nijmegen)

Project based learning, naturally inclusive?

A common pitfall in PBL is throwing students into a complex project without adequate preparation. (Spencer, 2025)

During this workshop, we are going to explore the ins- and outs of project- and inquiry based learning, how PBL/IBL can lead to deeper learning as well as the development of (amongst others) effective problem-solving skills, self-directed learning skills, effective collaboration skills, and intrinsic motivation (Hmelo-Silver, 2004), and what it takes to make sure it benefits all learners. Various examples of (cross-disciplinary) PBL projects will be shared and, time-permitting, you may get to brainstorm on a first draft for an inclusive PBL project within your own subject area.