The master insert program is an innovative educational endeavor aimed at addressing real-world challenges within health care and sustainability sectors across regional Netherlands.
Design of the Program
The program comprises three key elements:
1. Engagement with various stakeholders on pressing societal issues, allowing for a diverse range of perspectives and solutions.
2. An opportunity for students to develop transdisciplinary competencies, integrating systems thinking, design thinking, leadership, and change management skills necessary for transdisciplinary changemakers.
3. Considerable emphasis on personal development, where students set individual learning objectives within a personal development plan, fostering both individual and collective reflection through portfolio building.
An example challenge, initially technology-focused on designing technologies for elder care, was broadened to address the societal importance of supporting the elderly, illustrating the program’s focus (in collaboration) on higher-level complex societal issues.
Learning Objectives
Students formulate personal learning goals within a personal development plan, constructing a portfolio that encapsulates their learning journey. The program encourages co-construction of single-point rubrics with teachers for the assessment of transdisciplinary project products, promoting a pass/fail system that emphasizes process and personal growth over traditional grading.
Successes and Challenges
A notable achievement is the program’s receipt of the Dutch Higher Education Award, underscoring its significant impact on stakeholders and its contribution to transforming students into changemakers. The joy and fulfillment derived from focusing on societal challenges highlight the program’s success in making education relevant and impactful.
However, embedding the program within existing curricula presents a challenge, as it operates on an elective, full-time basis. Efforts are underway to integrate the modules more effectively into standard academic programs, enhancing narrative clarity to underscore the program’s value.
Scale and Structure
This master insert, offering 30 ECs and running for five years, faces challenges regarding its extracurricular nature and the effort to transition into a curricular framework. The program’s structure, involving a combination of courses and extensive semester-long projects, accommodates up to 30 students who work on challenges in groups, emphasizing the development of transdisciplinary skills and personal learning goals.
Vision for the Future
The program aspires to further involve stakeholders in the educational process, potentially through life-long learning activities and micro-credentials, based on the mutual benefits observed rather than explicitly expressed needs. This approach aims to enhance the learning experience for all participants, fostering a collaborative environment where learning and development are central to everyone involved.
By addressing the complexities of real-world problems through a transdisciplinary lens, the program seeks to not only educate but also inspire students and stakeholders alike, contributing meaningful solutions to societal challenges.
