Design thinking as Digital Transformative Pedagogy in Higher Sustainability Education

There is an increasing emphasis on using transformative learning approach through pedagogies to make Higher Sustainability Education (HSE) more effective. The capacity-building event will focus on discussing Design thinking as Digital Transformative Pedagogy in Higher Sustainability Education while elaborating on a case from Japan. Design Thinking (DT) is a cognitive process that uses human-centered problem-solving approach to deal with wicked challenges. DT as a pedagogy can be conducive to transformative learning in the digital settings, in HSE, by incorporating the critical components of the Digital Transformative Pedagogy (DTP) framework.

The webinar with Sadaf Taimur will specifically focus on:

• Framing DT as DTP elaborating on its components, i.e., content, perspectives, process, context, digital tools, and facilitation.
• Describing the design and implementation of a hybrid (mix of face-to-face and digital) field exercise course using DT as pedagogy at the University of Tokyo, Japan.
• Discussing the participants' perspectives on their experiences of the course, captured using semi-structured interviews, reflections, and observations.

The webinar can offer concrete practice, pathways, and lessons, subject to case-inspired generalizations, for curriculum development to bring transformative learning into digital teaching practice in HSE.

Sadaf Taimur is currently a Doctoral candidate at The University of Tokyo, Japan, and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Research Fellow. Her research is on transformative learning approaches to reform pedagogies in Higher Sustainability Education, where she is exploring the transformative potential of design thinking as a digital transformative pedagogy in both hybrid and digital settings. Sadaf is interested in investigating learning processes and environments conducive to transformative learning in higher sustainability education. Apart from her independent research project, she has participated and worked in multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams during all the research-based global field exercises at the University of Tokyo. In 2020, she was awarded the Green Talents Award from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Under this award, Sadaf conducts her research stay at Leuphana University, Institute for Sustainable Development and Learning (ISDL), from 10th January until 28th February.

To register, please contact Jasmin Dietzsch (jasmin.dietzsch@stud.leuphana.de). You will receive the Zoom link shortly before the webinar.