Since the launch of the KI Pedagogical Fund project Teaching for Tomorrow (TfT) earlier this year, course leaders from four biomedical programmes have taken important steps towards integrating sustainability and transformative learning into their curricula.
In the spring, course directors worked collaboratively to map their curricula using a newly developed curriculum-mapping tool. The exercise helped them identify where sustainability-related themes are already present and where there may be opportunities for further development.
I find social science topics are cognitively demanding in the minds of biological scientists, the tool helped me see beyond that. But I still need time to sit with these complex notions.
Bringing the student voice into the conversation
A key feature of the workshop was the inclusion of student perspectives through a film created to stimulate reflection and discussion among course leaders.
Why sustainability education matters to students?
Most of my classmates, we were deeply motivated by that. We don't just want the outperforming models. We want inclusive predictive models and methods that help people in need and actively promote well-being. (student, anonymous)
What supports student engagement with complex, uncertain, and often challenging sustainability-related topics?
It was very meaningful because we had an open discussion, an open dialogue. Everyone brought something new to the table and it was very diverse. (student, anonymous)
Students encouraged course leaders to consider sustainability not only as content to be taught, but also as a way of preparing students to navigate real-world complexity and contribute to positive change in healthcare and society.
Reflecting on transformative teaching practices
Workshop participants also engaged with a self-diagnostic instrument designed to support reflection on the integration of transformative learning in teaching and learning practices.
The tool invited course leaders to consider how their courses currently support critical reflection, student agency, systems thinking, engagement with uncertainty, and opportunities for meaningful action, to name a few. The exercise generated valuable discussions about both existing strengths and potential areas for development across programmes and courses.
What I understood is that we have engaging teachers who also value sustainability a lot. Their challenge is to see their own topics/field through the lens of sustainability. Each person has their own "eureka" and "aha" moments.
Next step: From reflection to action
The next TfT workshop will take place during the Course Director Retreat later in the Fall. Building on the insights generated so far, course leaders will work hands-on with course-level action plans and engage in collaborative reflection and co-design activities.
The TfT project has facilitated valuable discussions amongst course directors, helping them to identify aspects related to sustainability that are relevant for their courses. The next step of the project supports both course directors and programme leadership in implementing these concepts in the programme's courses.
Curious to learn more?
Join us at the KI Educational Congress on 8 October, 13:30-15:00:
WS 191: Teaching for Tomorrow: Supporting Course Leaders to Integrate Agenda 2030 through Transformative Pedagogies in Biomedical Education
The workshop will provide an opportunity for you to try our tool and reflect on your competences for integrating sustainability perspectives within education at KI. We look forward to seeing you there!
Read the previous article: Launching Teaching for Tomorrow (TfT), an education project funded by KI Pedagogical Fund.
