Educational Myths Debunked. Insights into the Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Course for University Faculty

Stefan T. Siegel

doi:10.21240/zfhe/20-1/03

This article discusses Educational Myths Debunked 101 (EMD101), a further education course designed to help university faculty identify, analyze, and debunk myths about teaching and learning in higher education. Based on educational psychological findings, EMD101 covers the theoretical basics such as characteristics, causes, consequences of, and dealing with educational myths. Through an emancipatory, transfer-oriented, and reflective approach the course enables faculty to critically evaluate potential questionable teaching beliefs and practices in higher education. The paper details the course objectives, content, and includes a critical review of its strengths and weaknesses, suggesting areas for future improvement.

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The authors of our issue 20/1 address psychological aspects of planning and implementing courses, discuss teaching methods in this regard and analyse the role and function of performance assessments at a high level. In this context, the reflection of teaching - by teachers and students -, the concrete use of language in teaching and the promotion of personal resources are also the subject of debate. In particular, the emotional aspects of learning are thematised in terms of the social integration of learners and their possibilities for pedagogical self-regulation. With all these perspectives on our topic, it is therefore more than clear that the findings of psychology are of eminent importance for the development of higher education.

Authors

Dr. Stefan T. Siegel BIO WWW

University of St Gallen

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7065-1306

Dr. Stefan T. Siegel

Education

From February to March 2021, research stay at Moray House School of Education and Sport (Prof. Gert J.J. Biesta) at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and study visit at Hilderstone College in Broadstairs, England; both supported by a scholarship of the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes e.V.).
Since November 2018 PhD scholarship holder of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes e.V. (German National Academic Foundation) and PhD student within the framework of the program „Empirical Educational Research“ of the Graduate School for Humanities and Social Sciences (GGS) of the University of Augsburg
Certificate for "Teaching in Higher Education of the Bavarian Universities" basic level (graduation: 2016) and advanced level (graduation: 2020) with a total of 595 work units (2013-2021)
Study of Education ('Erziehungswissenschaft') in the Master Degree Program Heterogeneity in Education at the University of Augsburg (2014-2017) with study abroad at the Università degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy as a scholarship holder of the Erasmus+ program (February to July 2016).
Study of Education ('Erziehungswissenschaft') with minors in psychology, sociology and political science, the additional study of education through responsibility and specialization in experiential and intercultural education at the University of Augsburg (2011-2014)

Professional Career

Since November 2021 research associate at the Competence Center for Educational Development And Research in Higher Education ( CEDAR) of the Institute of Business Education and Educational Management ( IWP) of the University of St.Gallen ( HSG), Switzerland
Since August 2021 junior coordinator of the Special Interest Group Higher Education (EARLISIG4) of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
Since January 2018 overall coordinator in the project „Promoting Teacher Professionalism in Dealing with Heterogeneity“ (LeHet) of the Quality Offensive Teacher Education at the Department of Education at the University of Augsburg, Germany
Since April 2017, research associate at the Department of Education (Focus: Adult and Continuing Education) at the University of Augsburg, Germany
Personal assistant to the director and the management of the Center for Continuing Education and Knowledge Transfer (ZWW) of the University of Augsburg (September 2016 to March 2017), Germany
Research assistant and tutor at the Department of Pedagogy of Childhood and Youth and the Center for Teacher Education and Interdisciplinary Educational Research at the University of Augsburg (2013-2016), Germany

How to Cite

Siegel, S. T. (2025). Educational Myths Debunked. Insights into the Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Course for University Faculty. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung (Journal for Higher Education Development), 20(1), 45–66. https://doi.org/10.21240/zfhe/20-1/03

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