My teaching philosophy is grounded in the constructivist understanding that good teaching is not based on a single objectifiable truth, but on individual and multilayered realities of experience. I understand teaching as an active, multilateral, and practice-oriented process that combines knowledge transfer with reflection, dialogue, and intellectual curiosity.
At the center of my teaching is the conviction that successful university teaching depends on a double perspective: clearly structured, motivating, and interactive knowledge transfer on the one hand, and the promotion of independent learning processes on the other. In my courses, knowledge and method are therefore closely linked with problem-solving tasks and the critical examination of texts.
Especially in modularized and constantly evolving degree programs, self-directed learning becomes increasingly important. I aim to create learning environments in which students actively engage with material, develop their own questions, and strengthen their ability to think critically and independently.
Particularly in B.A. and teacher education programs, I consider it essential that teaching concepts remain closely connected to the realities of students’ lives and to their future professional fields. Knowledge transfer should be meaningful, applicable, and related to pedagogical practice.
I have worked extensively with interactive teaching formats in both in-person and digital settings, including group work, breakout sessions, impulse lectures, role play, fishbowl discussions, and learning circles. These methods are highly effective not only in conveying theoretical knowledge, but also in motivating students and encouraging active participation.
My teaching is shaped by continuous reflection and by an ongoing interest in new methods and formats. Innovative approaches I have implemented include student conferences, the publication of collected student papers in a peer-reviewed journal, interactive exam preparation tools, peer-review apps, and a range of digital conferencing formats.
I see the ongoing development of teaching competencies as indispensable. Exchange with colleagues, engagement with new teaching methods, and reflection on one’s own role as a teacher all contribute to responsible, responsive, and effective teaching.
I worked with blended learning scenarios well before the rapid digital transition of 2020 and have long integrated Moodle-, OpenOLAT-, and ILIAS-based platforms into my teaching. Properly used, digital learning environments expand teaching through interactive feedback, forum discussions, learning paths, and flexible opportunities for participation.
I regard digital spaces as democratic learning environments that are independent of time and place. In my teaching, digital tools support collaboration, transparency, and student engagement. They make it possible to develop responsive and participatory course structures in which students can contribute in diverse and creative ways.
What I value most about teaching American Studies is its interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary character. The field opens up ways of understanding literature, culture, and society across local and global contexts. I want students not only to learn what American Studies examines, but also how to think like Americanists: analytically, contextually, comparatively, and critically.
This includes encouraging students to move beyond familiar assumptions, to question what appears self-evident, and to engage with omissions, inequalities, and hidden structures in texts, images, and cultural spaces. It also means learning across disciplinary boundaries and drawing on methods from fields such as media studies, art history, political science, law, technology, and the medical and environmental humanities.