YOGYAKARTA (12/11/2022) Teaching Diversity-Diversity in Teaching (TDDT) is an educational program funded by DAAD and a collaborative project between Germany and Indonesia. Launched in 2021, the project falls under the "University Dialogue with the Islamic World" funding line. The team involved in this project are Juliane Stude and Kordula Schulze from the German Institute WWU Münster, as well as Drs. Widiastuti Phurbani who serves as Deputy Director of the Postgraduate Department at Yogyakarta State University.

A total of 18 students from the University's Graduate School and Master's students from the University of Münster, along with two undergraduate students from the German Language Education and Research Program at the Faculty of Language Arts and Culture of Yogyakarta State University were invited by the TDDT learning project organizers to participate in this activity. Chayyu Zalena Hawie and Felisius Octavianus Bowe are students from the German Language Education Study Program at FBSB UNY who participated in the program for two weeks.

Professor Sulis Triyono, a lecturer in German Studies at FBSB UNY explained that the purpose of this activity is to improve professional language skills related to aspects of heterogeneity in bilateral exchanges, as well as to develop an understanding of aspects and problems of heterogeneity in the educational context. According to Prof. Sulis Triyono, a concept to address diversity in the classroom has been developed through small group collaboration in five schools in Yogyakarta. The approach was implemented through learning groups after the Intensive Summer Camp and evaluated in light of existing standards. The results of this endeavor show that diversity-responsive teaching strategies not only consider students' cultural, linguistic, religious and gender variables, but also take into account other factors such as learning styles and individual interests in the learning process. Despite the use of cooperative learning methods, there are additional positive benefits anticipated from diversity and multiculturalism in a group learning environment.

Kordula Schulze, who acted as project coordinator from the University of Münster Germany, was pleased with the interest shown by the students, and she provided support to them within the German Language Education department to present activities from the camp and to initiate exchanges with German language students and lecturers in Yogyakarta. (Astri/Fabian)