The Ultimate Challenge: an Organic Development Rosemary Tomkinson, Faculty of EPS Helen E. Dobson, School of MACE C. Bland Tomkinson, School of MACE Fumi Kitagawa, MBS Alexander Clark, Residences Directorate Veronica Sanchez, MBS Anna Hiley, School of MACE Delivering Practical Education for Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility through Interdisciplinary Problem Based Learning Introduction by Bland Tomkinson: Audio: 5.56 to 7.40 The slides link to the presentation recording which you can access from here: Presentation Audio Relevant slides indicate speakers and timing (bottom left). Thank you to Alex Dunedin of Ragged University for recording this.
Transcript
The Ultimate Challenge:an Organic Development
Rosemary Tomkinson, Faculty of EPSHelen E. Dobson, School of MACE
C. Bland Tomkinson, School of MACEFumi Kitagawa, MBS
Alexander Clark, Residences DirectorateVeronica Sanchez, MBS
Anna Hiley, School of MACE
Delivering Practical Education for Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility through Interdisciplinary Problem Based
Learning
Introduction by Bland Tomkinson: Audio: 5.56 to 7.40
The slides link to the presentation recording which you can access from here: Presentation Audio Relevant slides indicate speakers and timing (bottom left). Thank you to Alex Dunedin of Ragged University for recording this.
The Ultimate Challenge• Economic burden of large national debts;
• Reduction of biodiversity;
• Pollution of air, soil and water, with detrimental influences on the environment;
• Growth of the world’s population, accompanied by increasing poverty in the developing world;
• Competition for limited water supplies, resulting in threats of armed conflict;
• The threats and consequences of climate change.
These developments stimulate extremism, terrorism and migration that affect social stability
References: Brundtland GH (1987) Our Common Future New York, United NationsChristobal F, Engel C & Talati J (2009) The Ultimate Challenge Education for Health
Rosemary Tomkinson: 7.40 to 12.22: Empathy, creativity and Common sense
The Ultimate Challenge• Governments and Businesses have too short a time horizon
The professions need to take responsibility for– Expert, non-partisan support to governments;– Underpinning research as well as ameliorative interventions;– Collaborating on exploring the causes and consequences of major
global problems;– Working in outward-looking, collaborative, proactive, inter-
professional and inter-sectoral ways.
• Universities need to provide scholars, researchers and graduates who can meet these requirements.
The Ultimate Challenge• Higher Education needs to promote:
– Active learning, inter-disciplinary thinking and creative problem-solving;
– Teachers as enablers of learning rather than as knowledge-givers;
– Learning in context; not isolated from the real world.
Royal Academy of Engineering project on developing the Interdisciplinary Problem Based Learning Course at The University of Manchester
Background to PBL Sustainability Units• Innovative elective course
was developed in 2006 by a multidisciplinary team of staff for Engineering students: ISD or “Interdisciplinary Sustainable Development”
• Course-units were designed to develop skills and capabilities to meet the “ultimate challenge”...
...what do graduates need in order to be effective in contributing to change towards sustainable development in their future professional careers?
ISD: Highly Commended 2008
Helen Dobson: 12.22 to 14.13
Problem Based Learning ApproachTraditional Didactic teaching:• “I’m the expert - listen to what I tell you and
follow my instructions”• “Absorb my knowledge – learn these facts and
principles…”• “This is the right or wrong answer / approach.”
Problem Based Learning:• “Here is a complex situation - What do you think
you need to know to understand or tackle this?”• “I don’t know the solution – you will have to find
that out for yourselves”• “There is no single right or wrong answer – you
must justify your reasoning and approach”• What did you learn from this experience?
TEACHER - LED
STUDENT - LED
RESEARCH-BASED
FACT-BASED
Helen Dobson: 14.13 to 16.02
Classroom-basedTeamwork Challenges
• A one page briefing• A “live” problem• No supporting information• A tight deadline• A diverse team
Helen Dobson: 16.02 to 16.53
What is a wicked problem?• No definitive formulation• No clear end• No ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer• No test of resolution• Consequences to every solution• No well-described set of solutions• Unique• Symptomatic of another problem• Causes with no unique explanation• ‘Owner’ expected to find the ‘right’ answer
Rittel and Webber: 1973
Helen Dobson: 16.54 to 17.40
A Three Dimensional Curriculum?THEORETICALASPECTS
INDIVIDUALASPECTS
COLLECTIVEASPECTS
“IT”
“I” “WE””
Helen Dobson: 17.41 to 19.09
Engagement with current research and practising companies: authentic real-world challenges Interactivity:
transformational, experiential learning
Creativity: how to innovate and improve on current practices
Theoretical Aspects
CollectiveAspects
Individual Aspects
PBL aims to incorporate...
Gaining first hand experience of collaboration issues and people management skills
Reflective practice to develop self-awareness and greater cultural sensitivity
Consideration of wider social, environmental and economic impacts
Helen Dobson: 19.10 to 20.08
“Grand Challenge” PBL Units – Connecting with the World and each other
• Authentic “complex” challenges from the real world – “wicked problems”
• Facilitated teams managing their own team projects collaboratively
• Focusing on growing skills and confidence, not just superficial knowledge
• Developing cultural awareness and understanding diversity
• Experiential learning – reflective practice and critical analysis
• Building on and sharing students’ prior experiences as part of the learning
• Preparing students for lifelong learning and independent learning
Helen Dobson: 20.09 to 20.50
2008: From Pilot into the Mainstream“Sustainable Development for Engineers and Scientists”
BackgroundStaff mobility and Knowledge exchange - Helen Dobson used to run ISD in parallel to MBS units- Cases in Sustainable Development (CSD) – MBS BSc in Management final year elective, Semester 1, - Sustainability and Social Responsibility (SSR) – MBS
MSc in Management, compulsory to over 100 students, Semester 2 – Scaling up issue
PBL ethos – student groups acting as consultancy teamsResources - Social Responsibility flagship award (Faculty of Humanities) in 2012/13 – Live Projects started
This survey will be used to monitor ways to increase the uptake and raise awareness of the Think Sustainability Tool.
Strongly Agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
I consider how my actions impact sustainability within Oak House
2 18 13 3
A lot of the things I buy end up as waste 3 19 7 5 2
I am eager to make my money go further 19 17
I am concerned about where the things I buy come from
10 8 15 2 1
Financial constraints impact my sustainable behaviour
4 23 4 3
I am conscious about my energy consumption in Oak House (Electricity and water)
5 20 8 5
I always travel in Manchester using public transport
25 6 6
Yes No
I would be interested in volunteering on environmentally sustainable projects with Manchester University
4 32
I am aware of green initiatives in Oak House 16 20
Would you consider documenting your sustainable and unsustainable behaviour?
8 28
Have you heard about the Make a Difference: Think Sustainability Tool? (A tool used to document an individual’s behaviour in order to gain a better picture of your impact on sustainability)
6 30
Lack of interest
Lack of time
Lack of convenience
Lack of incentive
Other
What factor (if any) would most discourage you from documenting your actions using this tool?
8 28 30 12
Additional comments: How could we best engage you to support environmental action in Oak House and start using the sustainability tool? “Free food and drink” “More awareness about what the tool is” “Formal recognition that I can use for my CV” “Events that combine socialising and helping the environment in a fun atmosphere” “Working on a project where we can see the impact develop over our time at University” 36 people total
Use of Social Media & Poster FlyersLink to the tool
Alexander Clarke and Fumi : 33.14 to 34.02
Short term, mid term solutions
• Individual competition with prizes
- Incentivise individual student participation
- Voucher to a local sustainable business
• Flat driven competition with prizes
• Long term, 3 year plan
• Integrated “Make a Difference: Think Sustainably Tool” app
• Easy to use
• Constant access
• Takes Twitter and Instagram a step further
Alexander Clarke and Fumi : 34.06 to 34.25 Now go back to slide 24
Benefits to the project• Students engaging with
Environmental Reps in halls• Supporting reps to develop
ideas for the Think Sustainability Competition
• Campaigns could start early within halls
• Residents awareness of the tool increased, resulting in increased sign ups
• Project gave an insight into how best to use the tool and what needed to be improved
• Research fed back to the Sustainability Team and Residential Services, in order to improve the tool for future year.
• Provided a stronger link between PSS and MBS, resulting in a positive partnership in helping to develop projects that aligned with the University’s key goal of Social Responsibility.
Alexander Clarke and Fumi : 35.50 to 39.00
Facilitator -> Leader
• The facilitator as learner.• Developing from facilitating
groups to leading and designing course units
Veronica Sanchez : 39.05 to 41.56
Facilitator -> Leader• Developing the concept in other areas:
– School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (SoEEE):
• Open-end projects based on SoEEE research areas (Humanitarian de-mining and energy and food supply)
• Scale up issues (cohort 250+!!!)
– Chemistry (Chemistry and Industry module Y1):
• Driven by employers feedback:
– Lack of sustainability awareness (especially within a business context)
– Lack of multidisciplinary “view”
• 2014-2015: Introduction of sustainability concepts
• MSc Management of Projects• Managing Humanitarian Aid Projects• The aim of the programme unit is to:• develop professional skills in students and to• introduce them to the main concepts of, and barriers
to, humanitarian aid projects in a complex world. • Students study the concepts of stakeholder
engagement and the interaction of economic, environmental, legal, political, social and technical aspects of setting up humanitarian aid projects, with a view to developing abilities and skills for assuming professional responsibilities in their future careers.
Bland Tomkinson: 51. 57 to 55. 19
Morphed into Managing Emergency Projects
Kymenlaakso University of Applied SciencesSummer School
Professional Development in
Multi-disciplinary Teams
Based on ‘ISD Programme’ and ‘Real-world Problem-
solving’ units
33Bland Tomkinson & Anna Hiley: 55.20 to 56.15
Focus of Summer SchoolProfessionalism and continuing professional development
in multi-disciplinary context
The development of Professional attributes to support, for example:
• Creative problem-solving;• An ethical approach;• Reasoned judgement and decision-making;• Teamwork (collaboration and contribution);• Reflective practice.
34Anna Hiley: 56.16 to 57.05
‘Learning’ to address today’s problemsThe need for a multi-disciplinary approach to open-ended and ‘wicked’ problems?
• The complexity of current real-world problems
• Not all problems have a unique solutionand
• The dynamism of explicit knowledge• The value of tacit (implicit) knowledge
Source of photograph http://www.windenergyplanning.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/blyth-offshore-wind-turbine.jpg
35Anna Hiley: 57.10 to 1.04.08
The benefits of Reflective Practice?• Hindsight used positively to inform future practice• Thinking critically about what has been done and using the
knowledge gained to inform the future• Getting feedback to ‘feed forward’ good practice
– Reflective practice underpins professional practice
Reflective practice allows us to:“Reframe complex or ambiguous problems, question our original interpretation, come up with alternative interpretations and use this knowledge to modify future actions.”
Hatton & Smith (1995) http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/learning/reflecting.html [accessed 5.2.07]
36Anna Hiley: 1.04.08 to 1.05. 20
37
A conceptual diagram
Anna Hiley: 1.05. 20 to 1. 10. 30
Students Comment on their PBL experience
• "This unit gave me the opportunity not only to learn new things, but to apply this knowledge in a dynamic way." "I have learned a new an effective way of tackling problems."
• "My preconceptions regarding sustainable development included assumptions that it was relatively easy to implement wherever it is needed. This course has shown me that this is not the case."
• “I have learnt how big an impact sustainable development can have on the world and how far reaching it is”.
• “Some group members were pretty quiet to begin with but as the discussion progressed, so did everyone’s contributions.”
• “The biggest change is making sure we understand the task completely and what the objective is before undertaking it”.
• “It is obvious to me that the more I contributed effectively to the team, the higher the level of confidence the team had in me”.
• “My advice: Praise your team members. Do not presume to know the strengths and weaknesses of someone from a different discipline or culture”.
• “In this module, I have learned how to learn”.Helen Dobson: 1.10. 35 to 1.15.00
Students Comment on their PBL experience
• "This unit gave me the opportunity not only to learn new things, but to apply this knowledge in a dynamic way." "I have learned a new an effective way of tackling problems."
• "My preconceptions regarding sustainable development included assumptions that it was relatively easy to implement wherever it is needed. This course has shown me that this is not the case."
• “I have learnt how big an impact sustainable development can have on the world and how far reaching it is”.
• “Some group members were pretty quiet to begin with but as the discussion progressed, so did everyone’s contributions.”
• “The biggest change is making sure we understand the task completely and what the objective is before undertaking it”.
• “It is obvious to me that the more I contributed effectively to the team, the higher the level of confidence the team had in me”.
• “My advice: Praise your team members. Do not presume to know the strengths and weaknesses of someone from a different discipline or culture”.
• “In this module, I have learned how to learn”.
Students Comment on their PBL experience
Dear Veronica,I hope you are well and that the next batch of eager Sustainable Development students is just as enthusiastic as our group was last year.I am currently in Brazil working for Renault on vehicle emissions and the creation of start-stop systems for automatic and CVT transmissions. In parallel, I am taking courses at a local university (PUCPR) in Environmental Engineering in order to continue pursuing my sustainable future! Next week, I will be starting volunteering in opportunities within this country that is so diverse and full of opportunities for development. I am unsure if you are aware of the impact that the Sustainable Development course has had on my future but, now, at every crossroad, I like for the sustainable path. Ideas constantly spring into my mind for new social innovations, for green businesses or for possible sustainable alternatives. I attended conferences on this very topic and can now only imagine my future career to take this path as well...
Helen Dobson: 1.15.00 to 1. 17.00
In Summary...(1)• Taking a holistic “problem based learning” (PBL) approach
avoids delivering a single-dimensional and fragmented perspective of the topic, and enables sharing of diverse experience and accumulated knowledge to co-create ideas and solutions across cultural and disciplinary boundaries.
• Skills developed are useful for problem-solving, professional effectiveness and employability, self-awareness and cultural awareness more generally – not only for sustainable development.
• Technology has changed the way students tackle problems – how they access and share information and communicate and collaborate with each other, but it also creates frustration!
Bland Tomkinson: 1. 17.00 to 1,18.50
In Summary...(2)• Teamwork under pressure in a foreign language requires high
level social skills and professionalism to work well. This can create conflict, so requires intervention by facilitators.
• There could be benefits to developing international collaboration – for virtual PBL working across geographic boundaries – but is the technology robust and effective enough to cope, and what form would facilitation take?
• Are collaborative virtual simulation games, or something else, a better alternative to attempting PBL without any face to face contact?
Bland Tomkinson: 1,18.50 to 1. 20.50
Questions
• Any questions?
Bland Tomkinson: 1. 20.51 to 1.21.30
Questions
• Any questions?
• Some general questions:– Should we look at ESD in the wider context of
CSR/global citizenship?
– Do EBL approaches work for everyone?
– How can we run student-focussed sessions without extra resources?
