Research field
Critique of Power and Diversity
Educational inequalities, anti-discrimination, inclusion, intersectionality, sensitivity to difference, critique of power and institutions, decolonisation of education and knowledge systems; participation, digital inequality, algorithmic discrimination.
This field of research examines educational processes in vocational, pre-vocational, out-of-school, adult education and higher education contexts, which are shaped by social, cultural, gender-related, linguistic and other forms of difference. The focus is on pedagogical professionalisation, anti-discrimination, inclusion and participation in heterogeneous learning environments. The research adopts a critical diversity perspective that examines diversity within the context of social power relations and considers relevant lines of difference – such as social background, racialised attributions, gender, sexual identity, disability, language, migration and age – in their interrelatedness. These research approaches are closely linked to processes of globalisation and counteract the narrowing of knowledge frameworks to the national context. Current links arise from decolonial educational perspectives, digital inequality, and the analysis and design of data use and AI practices in educational contexts with a critical focus on discrimination.
Research questions
How do intersecting relations of difference such as social origin, gender, migration, disability, language and age affect educational processes and opportunities in vocational education and training?
Which forms of discrimination and exclusion occur in vocational, pre-vocational and higher-education contexts, and how can they be identified and reduced?
How can teachers and training staff be professionalised for a difference-sensitive and discrimination-critical approach to heterogeneity?
Which institutional structures and power relations in companies, schools and universities reproduce educational inequalities, and how can they be changed?
How can inclusion and participation be designed in heterogeneous learning spaces without fixing or essentialising differences?
What contribution do decolonial and global perspectives make to the further development of orders of knowledge in VET and VET research?
How do digital inequality and data-based practices reinforce or reduce existing disadvantages in educational processes?
Projects
All projects-
2025–2028
FinDMB – An educational game on financial literacy for migrants – sensitive to cultural differences, multilingual, career-focused
The ‘FinDMB’ project is developing and testing an educational game designed to promote financial literacy amongst (relatively) recent migrants. The programme is therefore aimed at learners who are acquiring the German language for educational and professional purposes, who face intersectional disadvantages, and who are still finding their feet in the German financial, education and labour markets.
Dr. Franziska Bonna Dr. Julia Tietjen
Department: Prof. Dr. Alisha Heinemann
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2024–2026
FUESE – Strengthening Outreach within the Social Ecosystem of Universities in Central America
In recent years, universities in Central America have undergone profound changes as a result of globalisation, the shift towards a knowledge-based society and advances in information and communication technologies. These changes particularly affect their remit, their governance and their social role. The FUESE project aims to modernise university continuing education by reforming institutional policies and practices in order to strengthen their impact on the socio-economic environment in the region. The project is being implemented in three phases, with all partners involved in the assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation and institutionalisation of a new model designed to improve the effectiveness of university continuing education.
Department: Prof. Dr. Falk Howe
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2022–2023
WB-Deutschkurs – WB German Course – Accompanying research into the pilot project ‘German course for people with cognitive impairments in the State of Bremen’
The ‘WB Deutschkurs’ project is carrying out the academic monitoring of the ongoing pilot project ‘German course for people with cognitive impairments in the State of Bremen’, which is aimed at employees in workshops for people with disabilities. The German as a Second Language (DaZ) courses are being evaluated as part of the accompanying research, and modified teaching approaches are being trialled in order to optimise content and methods with a view to creating a participatory learning environment. The recommendations for action resulting from the accompanying research are intended to support course providers in achieving the goal of greater participation by learners across society as a whole.
Dr. Franziska Bonna Marija Cubalevska
Department: Prof. Dr. Alisha Heinemann
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2022
ZEBO – Working with socio-economically disadvantaged parents in careers guidance
Parents and guardians are the most important reference figures for many young people during periods of career exploration. Nevertheless, significant inequalities and uncertainties characterise cooperation between schools and parents. Socio-economically disadvantaged families, in particular, are overlooked too early. Following the contribution of the previous project, ‘BOGyO – Careers guidance for academic upper secondary schools’, to systematically improving Bremen's careers guidance structures, this work is now being deepened to help schools engage more effectively with socio-economically disadvantaged parents.
Marija Cubalevska Dr. Julia Tietjen
Department: Prof. Dr. Alisha Heinemann
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2022–2023
DUBB – Digitalisation and Inequality in the Context of Vocational Education and Training in the State of Bremen
In the project ‘Digitalisation and Inequality in the Context of Vocational Education and Training’, vocational education and training is used as a ‘magnifying glass’ through which inequalities arising from digitalisation processes can be identified simultaneously at various levels of society, thereby clarifying questions regarding the origins and nature of these inequalities and developing recommendations for action.
Departments: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Maren Petersen Prof. Dr. Alisha Heinemann
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2021–2024
F.IT – Women in IT
More women in IT – but how? The “F.IT Women in IT” project is working to find the answer to this question. Through targeted training and further education programmes, the project aims to create opportunities for women to make a career change into the sector. To successfully achieve this goal, the sector’s needs and the requirements of the target group are being analysed.
Department: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Maren Petersen
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2020–2023
JoinMe2 – Promoting Inclusive Education at Tertiary Level
The JoinMe2 project aims to (further) develop the skills of university lecturers in dealing with students in an equitable and diversity-sensitive manner. To this end, a questionnaire survey will first be used to examine the attitudes of lecturers and students towards various aspects of diversity, and country-specific overviews of the current state of research will be compiled. Subsequently, training materials will be developed and tested to foster a sensitivity to differences and critical diversity competence. Throughout the project, an online portal will also be developed, containing a database of literature and resources that lecturers and students can access on a long-term and sustainable basis.
Department: Prof. Dr. Alisha Heinemann
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2020–2023
SteBs – Structural Development in Vocational Teacher Training
The SteBs project has the overarching aim of structurally strengthening and further expanding vocational teacher training in Bremen, thereby contributing to the vocational education dialogue in Bremen. Based on cross-phase and cross-subject collaboration between the stakeholders involved in vocational teacher training, concepts for promoting teachers’ professional competence are being developed and tested. The project is being carried out in close collaboration between ITB, the IPP (Institute for Public Health and Nursing Education, Prof. Dr Ingrid Darmann-Finck), the Department of English Language Teaching (FB 10, Prof. Dr Sabine Doff) and the Department of Physics Teaching (FB 01, Prof. Dr Christoph Kulgemeyer).
Dr. Claudia Fenzl Dr. Lisa Meyne Myrthe Reinsberg Michael Sander Dr. Andreas Saniter Nils Weinowski
Departments: Prof. Dr. Falk Howe Prof. Dr. Alisha Heinemann
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2020–2023
UMH BerBil/SteBs – Dealing with diversity in vocational education and training
The sub-project ‘Dealing with Heterogeneity in Vocational Teacher Training’ (AP 4) within the SteBs consortium is developing, testing and evaluating a concept designed to prepare trainee vocational school teachers to respond sensitively and reflectively to the challenges posed by heterogeneous learning groups – using learning modules that critically examine power dynamics and discrimination, the p:ier reflection portfolio and the OER learning platform www.berufsbildung-divers.de.
Dr. Claudia Fenzl Myrthe Reinsberg
Department: Prof. Dr. Alisha Heinemann
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2006–2007
Continuing Education Officers for In-Company Training with a Focus on Older Employees
As part of the project ‘Continuing Professional Development Officer for In-Company Training with a Focus on Older Employees’ (BWBB), employees from small and medium-sized enterprises in Bremen and Bremerhaven were trained as in-company continuing professional development officers on a part-time basis whilst continuing to work between 2006 and 2007. The aim was to establish a dedicated role within companies that systematically identifies training needs, plans and evaluates further training measures, whilst focusing on the professional development of older employees. The project, funded by the European Social Fund and run by the Economic and Social Academy of the Bremen Chamber of Employees, received academic support from the University of Bremen.
Department: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Gessler