Make a difference

How can a farm become more energy efficient? Can early warning systems prevent forest fires? How can we reduce food waste in the canteen? It is evident that students will face complex challenges in environmental and resource management in their future working environment. To address these challenges, change agents require a wide range of skills in the field of natural, social and economic sciences, along with a comprehensive understanding of systems. But how can these skills be acquired?

Challenge-based learning

“With the help of new didactic methods,” says Michaela Krummen, co-head of the Environmental and Resource Management degree programme. “Our solution is challenge-based learning.” In other words, learning based on real-life examples and divided into three phases: ‘engage’, ‘investigate’ and ‘act’. “The students engage with a specific topic. From this point, they formulate a task, look for a solution and implement it,” explains Jérôme Wider, co-head of the degree programme. The learning process of this four to six-week challenge is documented and reflected upon. Wider adds: “Not all modules on the programme are structured in this way. Biology or physics, for example, are taught in the traditional way.”

The big picture

But what does this look like in practice? Let’s take a look at the ‘Challenges and opportunities in the food system’ challenge. Instead of learning more in face-to-face instruction, new students can experience a specific area in groups – for example in a canteen. “In the first phase, the students get an overview, gain an understanding of the operational processes and identify areas of improvement in relation to sustainability,” says Jérôme Wider. They then work on a task for which they will need to find a solution. For example: is it possible to reduce food waste in the canteen? This marks the start of phase two: investigate!

Investigating the whole system

“Knowledge transfer is less important now that we have constant access to all the information,” asserts Michaela Krummen. The idea is to let students practise independently: how can I find important information? What skills do I need and how do I acquire them? In the search for food waste solutions, this means going back to the canteen, asking other caterers and interviewing consumers, for example. “From sage on the stage to guide on the side”: challenge-based learning also changes the role of lecturers, taking them away from the blackboard to stand at their students’ side. “They provide documents, plan sequences on site and accompany learning processes,” stresses Krummen. The place of learning is also changing and is no longer confined to the seminar room or to the lecture hall. Nevertheless, one space remains essential – for group work. According to Jérôme Wider, this is a fundamental aspect of the new learning concept: “Social skills are extremely important for the transdisciplinary work of future change agents.”

Making the difference

In the third and final phase, the students get into action. This is where they put their solutions into practice, where possible working directly with partners in the field. Wider: “Experiencing self-efficacy is hugely motivating for students.” True to the credo of challenge-based learning ‘Take Action. Make a difference.’ The two heads of the degree programme agree that the bachelor will equip graduates to make a lasting difference in society.


This article was first published in focusHAFL 1/24