Rolf Werning

Professor Rolf Werning serves as Professor for Inclusive School Development and Pedagogy for People with Learning Disabilities at the Institute for Special Education within the Faculty of Philosophy at Leibniz University Hannover. With a career spanning since 1997 at the university, he has established himself as a leading expert in inclusive education, having previously worked as a teacher at a special school in Hagen before his academic appointment.

Werning's research interests focus on inclusive school education, educational support for children with special needs in learning, performance and behavior domains, systemic-constructivist theory in special education, institutional consulting, and research into living environments of socially disadvantaged children. His work emphasizes practical implementation of inclusive education principles within the German educational context, particularly addressing the tension between performance assessment and inclusion.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on digital learning landscapes for inclusive education, graded digital learning aids for science teaching, teacher professionalization in inclusive settings, and the development of diagnostic tools for adaptive teaching. His work increasingly integrates digital technologies with inclusive pedagogical approaches, addressing both theoretical frameworks and practical implementation challenges in heterogeneous learning environments.

Professor Werning actively contributes to teacher education reform, having served on expert commissions for teacher training in North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin and Baden-Württemberg. He was also an advisory member of the authors' group for the National Education Report 'Education in Germany 2014' which included analysis of education for people with disabilities. His teaching includes courses on Digital Learning Landscapes: Inclusive Education, Development of Inclusive Schools, and Heterogeneity in Schools.