Rhetoric in teacher training for scientific and technical professions (116/G03)

Abstract

The goal of the project was to handle conflicts in teacher training between teaching styles and expectations of students with a technical background. A clash between different ways of looking at knowledge manifested in different ways of speaking e.g. by using different metaphors and value words. We wanted to use rhetorical theory to articulate these differences. But we soon discovered other tensions: between the trainers and the theories and between the theories and the curriculum. On a general level, these tensions were seen by the students as a mismatch of theory and practice. We consider this a structural problem not easily removed, but believe that a topical didactic approach can contribute to deal with it in a constructive way.