SPPA conf 2023 - Diversity-Reflexivity: an approach towards provoking diverse thinking within social work and social pedagogy training, by Robert Koglek, MCI, Innsbruck, Austria

Teaching diversity in social pedagogy and social work training is vital for promoting inclusivity, cultural competence, empathy and effective practice. It supports students in their personal development and equips them to navigate today’s interconnected world. Inspired by bel hooks’ ‘Teaching to Transgress – Education as the Practice of Freedom’, this presentation (1) describes diversity-reflexivity, an approach that invites diverse thinking of students and teachers and how this could be implemented in preparation for and delivery of diversity training for future social pedagogues and social workers and (2) explores why it is important to embrace diversity as an aspect in professional reflection. Finally, this presentation introduces further aspects of teaching diversity including the need for lecturers to exercise professional and personal reflection and how the teacher’s diversity influences preparation and delivery of diversity training.