Masterclass #23: Learning Beyond Borders: Problem Solving Through Tinkering, Agency and Empathy

Brief Description

This talk delves into the intersection of experiential learning and engineering education, beginning with insights from my PhD research on tinkering to address ill-structured problems in design. The research highlights how maintaining learner agency, fostering creativity, and leveraging mentor guidance can uniquely empower students to approach complex challenges. The discussion transitions to my experiences as an instructor in Grand Challenges courses, where the courses are designed for the students to learn by engaging with complex sustainability challenges in the real world, focusing on observation and empathy rather than emphasizing or prioritizing solutions. Through these very initial offerings of such courses, learners are seen to cultivate a deep understanding of problem spaces and develop the ability to ask critical questions stemming out of empathy, helping them build essential skills for understanding future engineering challenges. Such an approach has shown changes in confidence and engagement through open-ended exploration, which we believe will ultimately prepare learners for the unpredictable nature of real-world design problems.

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Masterclass #23: Learning Beyond Borders: Problem Solving Through Tinkering, Agency and Empathy

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Description

Brief Description

This talk delves into the intersection of experiential learning and engineering education, beginning with insights from my PhD research on tinkering to address ill-structured problems in design. The research highlights how maintaining learner agency, fostering creativity, and leveraging mentor guidance can uniquely empower students to approach complex challenges. The discussion transitions to my experiences as an instructor in Grand Challenges courses, where the courses are designed for the students to learn by engaging with complex sustainability challenges in the real world, focusing on observation and empathy rather than emphasizing or prioritizing solutions. Through these very initial offerings of such courses, learners are seen to cultivate a deep understanding of problem spaces and develop the ability to ask critical questions stemming out of empathy, helping them build essential skills for understanding future engineering challenges. Such an approach has shown changes in confidence and engagement through open-ended exploration, which we believe will ultimately prepare learners for the unpredictable nature of real-world design problems.

Date and Time: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Pre- Requisite(s): None

Key Objective(s): Prepare learners to learn from the real world, Observing and asking the right questions.

Instructor: Dr. Ashutosh Raina
Learning Designer and Independent Ed Researcher

Brief Bio

Dr. Ashutosh Raina is a distinguished expert in Educational Technology, holding a Doctorate from IIT Bombay. Renowned for his innovative contributions to pedagogy and curriculum design, he specializes in active learning and sustainability-focused education. As a Visiting Assistant Professor at Plaksha University, he led a redesign of the Sustainability Development Studio course for engineering students. Beyond academia, Dr. Raina has significantly impacted over 10,000 schools across India through AI module development for ATAL Tinker Labs. His collaborations with Next Education Pvt. Ltd. enhanced computer education curriculums, while his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic ensured seamless online education transitions for engineering students. With a strong research background in learning environment design, Dr. Raina advocates for inclusive, technology-driven education practices, with notable work in environments for students with visual impairments and teacher training workshops.

Speaker’s LinkedIn Profile Link 

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rainaashu

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