The challenges we collectively face, such as climate change, are characterized by more complexity, interdependence, and dynamism than is common for educational practice. This presents a challenge for (university) education. These transition challenges are often described as wicked or VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) problems. In response, educational innovations that are inspired by ecology such as living labs are starting to emerge, but little is known about how learners engage within and with these more ecological forms of education. This work is an exploratory study into how learners navigate VUCA learning environments linked to tackling sustainability transition challenges, with a focus on the positive qualities of these experiences. This is done through interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of seven students (using semi-structured interviews) of the MSC Metropolitan Analysis, Design and Engineering program, a joint degree from Wageningen University and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The main findings, which are both psychological and educational, of this exploration include openness to new experiences (1), flexibility (2), a process appreciation of learning (3), a desire to create a positive impact on one’s direct biophysical environment (4) and society (5). In addition, we discuss the potential limitations of the malleability of these different qualities and propose future avenues for research into ecological learning for universities. This work closes by highlighting recommendations for educators to consider when designing or engaging in ecological forms of higher education that connect students to sustainability transitions.
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Presentation 2nd International New Business Model Conference 2018In current society, we observe the emergence of new collaborative forms of organising on a regional scale in which civilians, organisations, and institutions engage in processes of collective action (Ostrom, 2009, 2010a). We refer to these novel forms of organising as communities. We set out to understand how constituents in these communities collaboratively determine their strategic objectives aand subsequently plan and engage in multiple value creating activities that address wicked problems (Faber & Jonker, 2015; Weber & Khademian, 2008). The aim of this contribution is to develop a typology of regional communities trying to address wicked problems through collective action.
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We live in an increasingly complex world, characterised by interconnected and intractable wicked problems. Systems mapping offers a visual approach for collectively understanding and envisioning how to coordinate the addressing of these problems. The agri-food sector is facing severe problems and systems mapping could be particularly instrumental in helping it navigate these difficulties.
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This paper addresses the following question: What is the current opinion and conception of ordinary Dutch people regarding the influx of refugees from the Middle East, and how can local government formulate a policy on this issue?
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Sociale innovatie gaat om de bundeling van menskracht met als doel uiteenlopende maatschappelijke kwesties aan te pakken. Sociale innovatie heeft betrekking op nieuwe arrangementen van burgers, overheden en/of bedrijven die ‘maatschappelijke energie’ opwekken om bijvoorbeeld armoede of sociale ongelijkheid tegen te gaan, arbeidsparticipatie te bevorderen of ‘alternatieve’ initiatieven te ondersteunen. Het gaat daarbij om het scheppen van publieke meerwaarde. De verwachtingen over sociale innovatie als oplossing voor hedendaagse maatschappelijke problemen zijn vaak hooggespannen. In Sociale innovatie in de praktijk vragen auteurs zich af of en in hoeverre deze verwachtingen in de praktijk worden waargemaakt. Wat wordt onder sociale innovatie verstaan? Hoe werkt ze en wat is de praktische betekenis ervan? Vragen als deze worden van diverse, en soms ook ontnuchterende, antwoorden voorzien. In deze essaybundel wordt vanuit twee disciplinaire perspectieven (sociologie en bestuurskunde) en drie praktijkgerichte perspectieven naar sociale innovatie gekeken. Terwijl de eerste twee perspectieven in belangrijke mate conceptueel zijn, richten de praktijkgerichte perspectieven de blik op het sociale, het beleids- en het onderwijsdomein. Sociale innovatie in de praktijk is een boek voor mensen die werkzaam zijn in het sociale domein, in de beleidspraktijk evenals voor zowel docenten als studenten in het hoger onderwijs. Sociale innovatie in de praktijk is meer in het algemeen een boek voor iedereen met belangstelling voor maatschappijvraagstukken en hoe daarop innovatieve reacties zijn te geven. De auteurs zijn verbonden aan verschillende hogescholen. De redacteuren hebben alle drie een werkrelatie met Hogeschool Inholland.
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In het hoger onderwijs zijn diverse hybride leeromgevingen ontstaan op het snijvlak van onderwijs en werkveld. Dit artikel verkent hoe deze leeromgevingen adaptief vermogen, zelfsturend leervermogen en multidisciplinair samenwerken stimuleren. Bij 12 hybride leeromgevingen zijn 42 interviews afgenomen, waarin drie categorieën van interventies zijn geïdentificeerd: 1) coaching gericht op het stellen van doelen, monitoren van voortgang, en reflectie dat zelfsturing ondersteunt (2) structureren van taken zodat planvorming en reflectie elkaar kort-cyclisch opvolgen, en (3) inzetten van werkvormen gericht op leren kennen en benutten van elkaars kwaliteiten en perspectieven zodat deze perspectieven worden ingezet in besluitvorming. Deze interventies in combinatie met kenmerken van de leeromgeving zoals het werken aan wicked problems, verantwoordelijkheid krijgen, tijd om te leren en diversiteit aan stakeholders, lijken adaptief vermogen, zelfsturend leervermogen en multidisciplinair samenwerken te stimuleren.
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Societal actors across scales and geographies increasingly demand visual applications of systems thinking – the process of understanding and changing the reality of a system by considering its whole set of interdependencies – to address complex problems affecting food and agriculture. Yet, despite the wide offer of systems mapping tools, there is still little guidance for managers, policy-makers, civil society and changemakers in food and agriculture on how to choose, combine and use these tools on the basis of a sufficiently deep understanding of socio-ecological systems. Unfortunately, actors seeking to address complex problems with inadequate understandings of systems often have limited influence on the socio-ecological systems they inhabit, and sometimes even generate unintended negative consequences. Hence, we first review, discuss and exemplify seven key features of systems that should be – but rarely have been – incorporated in strategic decisions in the agri-food sector: interdependency, level-multiplicity, dynamism, path dependency, self-organization, non-linearity and complex causality. Second, on the basis of these features, we propose a collective process to systems mapping that grounds on the notion that the configuration of problems (i.e., how multiple issues entangle with each other) and the configuration of actors (i.e., how multiple actors relate to each other and share resources) represent two sides of the same coin. Third, we provide implications for societal actors - including decision-makers, trainers and facilitators - using systems mapping to trigger or accelerate systems change in five purposive ways: targeting multiple goals; generating ripple effects; mitigating unintended consequences; tackling systemic constraints, and collaborating with unconventional partners.
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Land subsidence in areas with weak soils affects a large part of the Netherlands and causes manyproblems. To solve them diverse and specialized knowledge of possible measures to prevent, mitigate or reverse land subsidence is needed. This knowledge is fragmented over many agencies, companies and individuals. Here we show how data and knowledge are related and we stress the importance of implicit knowledge for knowledge transfer on land subsidence. It is demonstrated that land subsidence in the Netherlands is a “wicked problem”.This makes its solution cumbersome. However, we show that self-learning digital environments can help considerably in knowledge acquisition, storage and retrieval. We give an inventory of research questions that have still to be answered to make an digital environment really effective for a wicked problem like land subsidence.
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