If you answered yes to one or more of the questions...
...can you redesign or transform the method, paying attention to gender and diversity, in a way that changes the answers to no?
- You can try to minimize certain risks or offer options or withdrawal from the group.
- You can mark participation in the method as voluntary.
- You can consider unintended effects in advance and try to prevent them or reduce them.
- You can openly address problems that come up.
- You can design the method in a way that protects individuals or does not expose them.
- You can temporarily divide up the group in a gender- and diversity-conscious way.
- If needed, you can solicit support or help with certain aspects.
...or refrain from using the method and select another, more suitable one.
Note: As a university lecturer, you are in the difficult position of both guiding a learning process by giving input, moderating the class, and perhaps also steering and discussing group processes from the standpoints of gender and diversity – and at the same time grading your students’ performance. This conflict of roles cannot be resolved. A clear position and discussion with other lecturers may help you untangle complicated situations and find possible courses of action. You have to strike a balance between experimentation and caution. Remember, once again: error-friendliness applies to lecturers too: there is no perfect method!