Inez De Florio-Hansen

In recent years Prof. Dr. Inez De Florio has engaged in qualitative and quantitative empirical research about questions of educational psychology widening her research interest from studies into (foreign) language teaching and learning to substantial questions of all subject matters.

Her main focus is at experimental studies which she intends as possible enrichment of existing scientific results. In her newer publications she discusses existing meta-analyses in a critical, but nevertheless constructive way. She does not limit herself to reviews of research and the presentation of her own results, but offers practical advice in form of short narratives and teaching units adaptable to most learning contexts. It is her overall aim to help teachers (and students) find their personal way in their special learning context, i.e. to give them appropriate guidance that leaves space for individual development and decisions.

After her initial teacher training and a PhD (University of Aachen, Germany) Inez De Florio worked as a teacher in different secondary schools and institutions of adult education for many years. Contemporarily, she gained insides into the problems of teaching migrant students in heterogeneous classes at primary and secondary level through her work as scientific advisor and teacher trainer for the state Ministry of Education. This activity reinforced her growing research interest in intercultural communication.

After having earned the postdoctoral degree of habilitation (University of Frankfort, Germany) she gathered considerable experience of scientific approaches to teaching and learning as a university professor at different German universities. Since 1996 she taught in the department of Humanities of Kassel University, Germany (emerita since 2008).