Context / probleemstelling of aanleiding

Thema:

Many students today feel disconnected from real-world problems that are kept outside of the academy, problems such as the climate disaster and political unrest. Health professions education has struggled for ages with giving the context of the patient’s life a proper place in the curriculum. Instead, when students predominantly work with pre-defined ‘problems’ this may enhance feelings of disconnection. Educational theorists such as Biesta are calling for a radical rethinking of how education is done, while scholars such as Barnett argue that the task for academics and students in the 21st century is to develop ‘feasible utopias’; i.e. imaginaries of how the university and the world may reconnect in a more meaningful way. Although health professions education more generally has moved towards ‘real world’ scenarios in ‘problem-based’ or ‘challenge-based’ education, we believe that this still keeps the messiness of the world at bay.

In this roundtable we build upon current theoretical and empirical developments in educational research concerning the need for authentic learning situations in which formal and non-formal learning are blurred and in which the messiness of the real world is embraced. We believe that by offering learning that happens with or in local communities, health professions students will see their education’s relevance, maintain their passion and develop their personal role in society. Learning alongside others outside the academy, in messy, “wild” conditions provides the optimal conditions for students to confront the transdisciplinary aspects of translating and applying knowledge to real-life problems while developing generic skills. To elicit ideas, discussion, debate and next steps, we begin by offering two case studies for consideration: a case of 1) health professions students and arts students learning how to develop agency in the anthropocene on a regenerative farm and 2) medical students doing ‘history of learning medicine’ in gardens.

Doel:

To share ideas about learning-in-the wild educational scenarios, to explore what opportunities and challenges this approach will bring for healthcare professions students and healthcare professions teachers.

Doelgroep:

Teachers, educators, curriculum designers from educational contexts across the healthcare professions. The session will be given in English.

Opzet: activiteiten en opbrengst:

Two case studies, group work and discussion (see submitted script)

Referenties (max 2.):

Max aantal deelnemers :

N/A