- We develop a VR toolkit and learning platform to support teachers in secondary education in handling controversial topics in the classroom.
- Objective:
- Teach students to discuss differences with respect.
- Offer tools and skills to make teachers more comfortable in addressing those topics.
- Develop a tool that teachers can use to evaluate student competences.
Contact
mart.doms@kdg.be
+32 3 502 27 93
- Research duration: 01 September2023 - 31 August 2026
- Future-driven Education research centre
- Funding: European Union
- Project partners:
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands)
- National Training Centre (NTC) (Bulgaria)
- DDL – Delft Digital Learning (Portugal)
- Albeda Foundation (Netherlands)
In the Uncontroversial project: Making teachers comfortable with controversial issues, we aim to collaborate with a consortium of five European partners (from the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Portugal, and Belgium) to support secondary education teachers in handling controversial topics in the classroom.
Indeed, teachers at present express a lack of confidence in their ability to manage such topics in the classroom, and it seems challenging for them to assess student skills during discussions on controversial subjects.
Method
After conducting focus groups with teachers, documenting current assessment practices, and developing a digital tool called the Bias Awareness Meter (BAM), the project will lead to a professional development package for teachers.
This package consists of:
- VR toolkit
- Offer to professionalise teachers through lesson plans and training courses
- Digital learning platform
Active and critical citizen
By learning to discuss differences respectfully in a safe (school) setting, finding shared viewpoints, and collaboratively handling controversial topics, students are ultimately better equipped for life in a diverse society as active and critical citizens.
Through the digital learning platform and with the help of teachers participating in Uncontroversial, the tools and skills will be distributed further to other teachers and organisations. The outcomes of this project will also be incorporated in the teacher training programmes of KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts as well as the Erasmus University Rotterdam. In addition, we are considering the option to either accredit the programme for teachers or incorporate it into the offerings of KdG Academy, our training offer for professionals.

Want to know more, collaborate or have a press enquiry?
You can collaborate with our research centre Future-driven Education on topics such as:
- Support for qualitative education starting from the (metropolitan) context.
- Expertise in sustainable education, school leadership, and diversity competences of school teams.
Contact us without obligation
Call +32 3 613 10 78
E-mail haydee.deloof@kdg.be