Sex education meets interculturality – German biology teachers’ views on the suitability of specific topics and their personal competencies

Abstract

ABSTRACT Current developments such as globalisation, migration and the movement of refugees have led to an enhanced cultural diversity of learners globally. Consequently, teachers in schools are faced with the growing demand to integrate interculturality into their teaching practices. Fifteen biology teachers in Germany were interviewed regarding the opportunities and challenges presented by sexuality education, especially taking into account learners’ cultural diversity, to assess the resources available to them for managing the intercultural dimensions of sexuality education topics. Interview data were analysed using a mixed methods approach that combined qualitative content analysis and quantification of codes. The results revealed a high degree of homogeneity in the assessment of sexuality education topics’ intercultural potential among teachers who attached the highest level of importance to sexual self-determination. However, a comparison between teachers’ attribution of the topic’s intercultural potential and their corresponding self-assessment revealed the opposite. The implications for future teacher education are discussed.