scholarly journals STE(A)M+: Transforming Higher Education through Collaborative Play

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Ilse Vranken ◽  
Dominique Troost ◽  
Raad Sharar ◽  
Pieter Hanssens ◽  
Simon Van Espen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Board Game ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Reflec Tions ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Learning Path ◽  
Missing Element

Our world is facing various wicked problems, such as climate change and extinction. These complex problems require an in-depth understanding. STEM disciplines in higher education play a crucial role in preparing students to solve such problems in their career. Yet it can be questioned whether STEM in higher education offers all the elements required to prepare students for a sustainable future. Additionally, a sole focus on STEM fields may not contribute to finding solutions to these problems. With STE(A)M in higher education, we explore what the missing element in higher education is and how higher education can be improved. We addressed this question within the Honours Programme Transdisciplinary Insights of the Institute for the Future at KU Leuven. Within this programme, a team of students, PhD researchers and coaches from various disciplines examined the educational system and explored how students can be better prepared to co-create a more sustainable future. This learning path was supported by reading books about systems thinking, watching documentaries, following co-creative workshops, and engaging in team discussions. In this process, we found that the following four key elements could be given a greater emphasis in education: transdisciplinarity, systems thinking, co-creation, and critical thinking. To promote this, we created a board game that aims to make learning about the importance of these elements engaging. While playing this game, we learned that we can bring students from different dis ciplines together and foster critical thinking and reflec tions. These insights illustrate how creative tools (e.g. board games) can be used in higher education to foster important skills that can prepare students for a sustainable future. Since this game, developed by students for students, is entirely learner-driven, it departs from the current educational system in which knowledge is mainly transferred by professors. An important advantage of such initiatives is that they foster co-creation and learning between students. Our findings have been summarised in a small video.

Student Engagement, Collaboration and Critical Thinking through a Board Game Module in an Architecture History Class

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-86
Author(s):  
Mayamin Yuhaniz ◽  
◽  
Nor Syamimi Samsudin ◽  
Iznny Ismail ◽  
Mohd Zikri Mohd Zaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Board Game ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
History Class ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Architecture History

A module of producing and playing board games was piloted to increase students’ interest towards an architecture history class. Five classes adopted the module but only one class was studied for student engagements, the collaboration between peers and the presence of critical thinking. The investigation was collected through a questionnaire survey, in-depth interview and observation. The study concluded students were more active and engaging towards the class and outside of class. It was found the students to build and appreciate the collaborations developed between their classmates. The students were also observed to promote a creative synthesize of the subject on the product of the board game. It was concluded a board game module is able to trigger the interest of students towards a dense informative class. Keywords: student engagement, collaboration, critical thinking, history class, board game

scholarly journals Changes in Thoughts and Actions as Requirements for a Sustainable Future: A Review of Recent Research on the Finnish Educational System and Sustainable Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Hofman-Bergholm
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Sustainable Future ◽  
Global Action ◽  
Action Programme ◽  
Published Research

Abstract In numerous UN policy documents, a sustainable future through education is set in a key position; the UNESCO Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development (UNESCO, 2018) is no exception. Therefore, it is of great importance to examine and report how different UN member countries work towards the implementation of sustainability at all levels of education. This article is a review of recently published research in Finland, with a focus on sustainability in the educational system. Specifically, the article deals with teacher education, combined with theoretical research around sustainability and systems thinking, to find a pathway forward. The main finding is that higher education in Finland cannot guarantee that student teachers are prepared enough to teach about sustainability. This issue is discussed and addressed in the last part of the article.

EL PENSAMIENTO CRÍTICO EN LA EDUCACIÓN DE POSGRADO: PROPUESTA DE UN MODELO PARA SU INTEGRACIÓN AL PROCESO EDUCATIVO

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Manosalvas Vaca ◽  
Luis Manosalvas Vaca ◽  
Ruth Barba
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Educación Superior ◽  
Educacion Superior ◽  
Educational Processes ◽  
Palabras Clave

La presente investigación, analiza los conceptos más importantes del pensamiento Crítico, así como su importancia y utilidad en los procesos de formación profesional a nivel de Posgrado. Se hace un análisis detallado de los conceptos más ampliamente aceptado y de los factores inmersos en el desarrollo y aplicación de este tipo de pensamiento. Finalmente se propone un modelo que engloba los conceptos y factores analizados y como se interrelacionan entre ellos; el objetivo final es brindar a los docentes y directivos de Instituciones de Educación Superior, una herramienta que posibilite la inclusión de este tipo de pensamiento en sus procesos enseñanza-aprendizaje con el fin último de mejorar la calidad de los procesos de formación. Palabras Clave: Pensamiento Crítico, Educación Superior, Educación ABSTRACT This research analyzes the most important concepts of critical thinking as well as their importance and usefulness for the educational processes at graduate level. A detailed analysis of the most widely accepted concepts and factors involved in the development and application of this kind of thinking has been made. Finally, a model that includes the concepts and analyzed factors and their interrelations is proposed; the ultimate goal is to provide teachers and directors of Institutions in Higher Education, a tool that enables the inclusion of this type of thinking in their teaching and learning processes with the ultimate intention of improving the quality of the training processes. Keywords: Critical thinking, Higher Education, Education Recibido: mayo de 2016Aprobado: septiembre de 2016

Integrating Disciplines in a Plant Chemistry Laboratory Module to Enhance Interdisciplinary and Scientific Thinking in Undergraduate Students

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Busta ◽  
Sabrina E. Russo
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Medicinal Plant ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Chemistry Laboratory ◽  
Scientific Thinking ◽  
Written Communication ◽  
Plant Chemistry ◽  
Hands On

Here, we describe a hands-on medicinal plant chemistry laboratory module (Phytochemical Laboratory Activities for iNtegrative Thinking and Enhanced Competencies; PLANTEC) for undergraduates that targets the development of core competencies in (i) critical thinking and analysis of text and data, (ii) interdisciplinary and systems thinking, (iii) oral and written communication of science, and (iv) teamwork and collaboration.<br>

A Compass During the Storm: Offering Students Critical Rigor for Polarizing Times

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Wender ◽  
Valerie J. D’Erman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Objective ◽  
First Year

ABSTRACT Teaching and learning in higher education is occurring, unavoidably, within the broader civic context of today’s extraordinarily polarizing political times. We seek to help students situate themselves with respect to and, above all, thoughtfully assess others’ as well as their own perspectives on issues of profound contention, without contributing to exacerbated polarization ourselves. Specifically, we offer students in our first-year exploratory political science course a vital tool—critical rigor—for navigating but not being inundated by the storm. This article discusses our experiences in teaching the course titled, “The Worlds of Politics,” as we attempt to help students deeply engage in cognitive processes of critical thinking and analysis, without undue infringement from their own—and least of all our own—personal political biases. Our focal learning objective is the cultivation of critical-thinking skills that promote students’ drawing of distinctions between advocacy and analysis, as well as their discerning civic engagement.

Fostering Critical Thinking Skills in European and Asian Higher Education Institutions

2021 ◽  
pp. 138-150
Author(s):  
Svetlana Antonova ◽  
Tatyana Pletyago ◽  
Anna Ostapenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
University Education ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Professional Activities

There is a demand for transformation in higher education. Undergraduates need to be taught critical thinking, an essential skill that should be central to the mission of all educational institutions. Critical thinking is a key focus of academic interest among researchers in the field of pedagogy and methodology. Despite this, there is still a lack of sufficient information on approaches, methods, techniques, and means of incorporating critical thinking skills in the classroom environment at the tertiary education level. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the hands-on experiences of some European and Asian universities in promoting critical thinking education using a range of academic models. The review shows that critical thinking has already been integrated into many major tertiary education programmes in both European and Asian universities. Further, majority of the academic models implemented are transferable and flexible. The results confirm that in terms of content, methods, and technologies, university education is focusing on cultivating the higher order skills necessary for innovative professional activities in modern world.

Problems and perspectives of state regulation of system of education in the context of provision of Russia’s national security

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 462-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin V. Vodenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Policy ◽  
National Security ◽  
Educational System ◽  
State Regulation ◽  
Modern State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Central Trend

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current problems and the main perspectives of the development of state regulation of the Russian system of higher education in the context of the provision of Russia’s national security. Design/methodology/approach The research of formation of the system of national security in Russia and the problems of the development of education is based on the methods of Russian and foreign Institutionalists (D. North, S.G. Kirdina, R.M. Nureev, Y.V. Latov, etc.). The research is also based on the theory of inequality in the system of education (D.L. Konstantinovsky), the idea of cultural aspects of social inequality (Pierre Bourdieu) and the theory that connects the problem of the development of the educational system with the system of national security and social inequalities (A.V. Vereshchagina, S.I. Samygina, etc.). Findings The modern state and perspectives of state regulation of higher education in the modern Russian conditions are analyzed in this paper. A complex analysis of risks of the modern state of Russia’s educational system is performed, and educational inequality as a risk to national security is studied in this paper. Perspectives of state regulation of higher education in view of the national model of socio-economic activities and principles of national security are viewed in this paper. The main directions of improving the educational system in the context of the provision of national security of the state are given in this paper. Research limitations/implications The results of the research could be used for correcting the main directions of Russia’s socio-economic policy in the long term. The central trend of this policy is the reformation of the development of the sphere of education as a factor of the formation of the system of Russia’s national security. Practical implications The results of the research could be used for correcting the main directions of Russia’s socio-economic policy in the long term. The central trend of this policy is the reformation of the development of the sphere of education as a factor of formation of the system of Russia’s national security. Social implications The ideas of the research could stimulate the reconsideration and harmonization of perspectives of the development of social policy of the state, which includes the interaction of the development of higher education and system of national security. Originality/value Originality of this paper consists in setting the problem of the implementation of social senses of the development of state policy in the sphere of higher education into the discourse of theoretical and practical consideration of the problems of national security.

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