Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• explain what (unconscious) biases are and how they arise through the interplay of fast and slow thinking (System 1/System 2 according to Kahnemann),
• identify key biases relevant to higher education teaching and recognise them in their own observations,
• understand how these biases can influence their perception and assessment of students, and interaction with students,
• reflect more critically on their own thought patterns and decisions in a teaching context,
• apply specific strategies and reflective questions from four areas of action (knowledge & attitude, lesson planning, methodological practice, assessment) in their own teaching practice in order to reduce the influence of bias.

• Unit 1: Thinking and Decision-Making – Understanding Bias: An Introduction to the Basics
  What are biases, and how do they work? Using a brief thought experiment and Daniel Kahneman’s model of System 1 and System 2, this unit demonstrates how unconscious cognitive biases arise.
• Unit 2: Encounters and Impressions – Perceiving People
  Various biases relevant to higher education are presented using real-life scenarios to illustrate how biases can influence our perception of people.
• Unit 3: Diversity and Stereotyping – Understanding Categorisation
  The focus is on social attributions that shape our perception of others. Further biases are presented, showing how these categorisations occur unconsciously and how they can influence students and their career paths.
• Unit 4: Experience and Conviction – Examining Your Own Assumptions
  This unit is dedicated to biases that affect the assessment of one’s own abilities and judgement.
• Unit 5: Planning and Practice – Dealing with Bias in Teaching
  The conclusion of the course is practical. Four areas for action are presented, enabling teachers to actively counter the influence of bias in their teaching. For each area of action, there are reflection questions as well as practical tips for immediate implementation in one’s own teaching practice.