This project aims to study how to co-create content-wise open, yet time-bound engineering curricula that are constructively aligned, and balance and support the development of transformative competencies within the new rationale of addressing societal challenges. The focus is on the internal logic and interplay between competencies, learning activities, and assessments, leading to constructively aligned curricula with a new rationale. To achieve this, two interlinked sub-projects are devised to answer the three sub-questions. The first sub-project; a PhD track, focusses on the characteristics of transformative competencies to be achieved as learning outcomes, and pathways to identify that set, in co-creation with stakeholders (RQ1). The second sub-project, a postdoc track, focusses on pedagogies or structures for guiding students in selecting competencies to be achieved as learning outcomes, through learning activities and assessment processes fitting these learning outcomes (RQ3). Together both researchers focus on aligning at curriculum level learning outcomes, learning activities and assessment when the set of learning outcomes is non-predefined (RQ2).
Both sub-projects will adopt educational design research (van den Akker et al., 2006; Bakker, 2018), specifically a development study aimed at 鈥渄eveloping research-based solutions for complex problems in educational practice鈥� (Plomp and Nieveen, 2013, p.16). This approach allows for systemic analysis of the problem, iterative design and evaluation of practice-oriented solutions, and the advancement of knowledge (Plomp and Nieveen, 2013). Our research design will follow the generic design research model of Wademan (2005), as outlined in Plomp and Nieveen (2013, p21).
Research process
Both sub-projects will have independent tracks but connect and integrate throughout the project (See Figure 1). The research will begin with an initial investigation of the problem, context and approaches by consulting experts (e.g., curriculum designers) and practitioners (e.g., program directors), analyzing the practical context, performing a focused literature review, and analyzing promising examples. Specifically, we will analyze the current situation, identify bottlenecks, and inventory the needs of various stakeholders around our problem. This will result in a first version of a solution and design principles for each sub-problem. Design principles are heuristic statements, meaning experience-based suggestions for addressing problems (Plomp and Nieveen, p24).
Following this, three consecutive iterations involving formative evaluation, reflection, and redesign and refinement of solutions and design principles in co-creation with all stakeholders will take place. Iteration 1 focuses on relevance (content validity) and consistency (construct validity); Iteration 2 focuses on practicality; and Iteration 3 on effectiveness. Each iteration is a separate study with its own research cycle, sub-research questions related to the chosen focus, and methods. The final phase will integrate all three RQs in a curriculum redesign process, thereby validating and evaluating at curriculum level the solutions and the complete set of principles developed. This will inform about the why, what, how, when, and for whom the principles work as intended or not. The wider applicability of the solutions and design principles will also be evaluated in other technical universities and higher education contexts outside engineering by including the perspectives from other disciplines (e.g. geography, social sciences) throughout the project.鈥�