Research Focus: Didactics of the Subjects of Philosophy and Values and Norms

The Philosophy Didactics research group at the Institute of Philosophy is committed to a broad conception of the didactics of philosophy. As a sub-discipline of philosophy, the didactics of philosophy aims to engage critically with philosophical concepts of justification, with methods and media, with theories of education, and with the implicit basic assumptions underlying relevant concepts. Equally fundamental is the guidance and reflection on the practice of teaching and learning. Based on this broad understanding, this research area addresses various key areas.

Philosophy didactics draws upon and is guided by the practice itself. For this reason, there is close co-operation with various institutions such as schools, teacher training colleges, professional associations and the NLQ. Close co-operation with schools makes it possible to conduct seminars and projects using the ‘inquiry-based learning’ approach with pupils of different age groups and learning backgrounds. To meet the requirements of engaging in philosophy together with school pupils and university students, the department has its own dedicated space designed to combine theory and practice – the Ethics Workshop.

As part of research into subject didactics, extracurricular learning environments such as the Universum Bremen or the State Museum of Nature and Mankind are also examined. Philosophising with children also plays a central role in Oldenburg’s philosophy didactics.

The Philosophy Didactics research group critically engages with studies, findings and practical experience, using these to examine and expand various teaching methods and approaches, or to explore entirely new approaches. Among other factors, differing learning prerequisites, resources and inequalities play a role in this research.

The research conducted by the department is complemented by a critical engagement with various traditions, positions, schools of thought and philosophical schools. This serves both as a touchstone for the research and as a foundation for the transformation of original approaches.

Participants

• Prof. Dr Christa Runtenberg (on leave of absence)
• Prof. Dr Tobias Gutmann
• Paul Blattner
• Sarah Huck

Networks

• Forum on the Didactics of Philosophy and Ethics
• North-West Academy Network – Children Philosophising
• Professional Association for Philosophy, Values and Norms in Lower Saxony
• Oldenburg Research Centre for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
• GINT – Learning in Informal Spaces
• OLE+
• Institute of Philosophy at the University of Rostock

Projects

• see Participants

Events

• World Philosophy Day, always on the third Thursday in November
• Symposium organised by the Oldenburg Research Centre for Children’s and Young Adult Literature as part of KIBUM 2020, 7–17 November 2020 in Oldenburg
• Project Day for the GHR300 project groups, always at the end of October
• Philosophy Café in collaboration with the Wolfgang Borchert Theatre, Münster
• Oldenburg Children’s University

Publications

• see Participants