The Change Making program is an innovative educational model designed to empower students as agents of change by tackling complex societal challenges. It serves as a nexus between scientific inquiry and practical application.
Design of the Program
The program operates on a transition-based framework, utilizing the transition cycle method to address critical themes that resonate with the university’s overarching goals. Students work on a challenge by participating in the iterative process of the cycle which consists of four phases (imagine, connect, act and assess). Challenges are presented by professionals who join the program as co-learners. For example, how to make Amsterdam a zero-waste city, or how to optimize education by developing feedback applications. This collaborative approach is vital, with societal partners actively engaging as co-learners in the educational process.
Learning Objectives
The program is focused on shaping students into changemakers who are capable of both being and acting as catalysts for transformation. The primary learning objective is to instill students with the knowledge and ability to enact change within systems, emphasizing the journey of learning and the process of transformation over the final product. The learning experience is designed to be deeply introspective, encouraging students to reflect on their development as collaborative and adaptive change agents.
Successes and Challenges
A major success of the program has been the enthusiastic participation of co-learners, significantly enhancing the learning experience for all participants. Additionally, the introduction and application of the transition cycle have been well-received, fostering a structured approach to enacting change. However, the program faces challenges, particularly in terms of structuring and scaling the educational model. In interdisciplinary projects like this the integration of in-depth disciplinary knowledge remains a difficult task.
Scale and Structure
Currently, the program is small-scale, making it manageable and allowing for a personal immersive learning experience. The course, designed for undergraduate students in their third or fourth year. Initially starting with one group, the structure is set to expand by adding one group each year. After four years, the program aims to establish four distinct thematic groups. A critical aspect of the program is the development of a clear pathway to integrate the course into the broader curriculum of the university.
Vision for the Future
The Change Making program aspires to create a learning trajectory that prepares students for changing demands of society. The long-term goal is to nurture students’ desire to contribute to societal transformation and meet the rising demand for changemakers in various professional fields. As the program matures and expands, it envisions becoming an integral part of the educational landscape, fostering a new generation of professionals equipped to address the pressing challenges of our time.
