Some of our most time consuming activities of the last few months have been related to Design Thinking and creativity. We would like to tell you about our two Erasmus+ projects where we explore the Design Thinking method.
BIOERA+ Bioeconomy in University Agile Teaching with Erasmus+
The BIOERA+ project has evolved from the need to develop, reinforce and make teaching methodology in the field of bioeconomy more flexible. Bioeconomy remains crucial for sustainable development of Europe. The Covid-19 pandemic confronted academic community with the necessity to adapt rapidly to the demands of online work.
For many lecturers and students, the lack of face-to-face contact resulted in less effective and less engaging classes. However, this experience can also be treated as an opportunity to enhance teaching methodology, alter the approach to the methods of motivating, activating as well as evaluating students’ work.
Workshops at universities
Until the end of June 2022, M-Powered will be conducting Design Thinking workshops for each of the partner universities. Lecturers and students will not only have the chance to learn the method, but they will implement the method while working on specific problems that emerged during the pandemic years in the following areas: teaching methods and techniques, motivation, assessment in online and blended learning.
The effects of these workshops will form the basis for writing a manual of best practices in teaching methodology, envisaged as one of the Project results.
Project number: 2021-1-PL01-KA220-HED-000027536
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Imaginarium – Creative Youth for Sustainable Futures
Climate change, future of work, food, sustainability and environmental pollution : What can we expect?
Many dark narratives are being created and even if the situation is for sure dramatic, some young people are feeling overwhelmed and are losing the belief in being able to create change by themselves.
In this situation the citizens, entrepreneurs, teachers but especially young people need to be assisted with different ways of thinking where creativity and creative problem solving plays a central role. We need to revive the imagination of young people for inventing positive future scenarios as well as support their creative courage to be able to be the protagonists of the imagined future. How to proceed?
In the project “Imaginarium”, we are introducing creativity using Design Thinking and Futures Thinking methodology. By “teaching” the future, you can engage young people in thinking and projects that motivate them to learn, equip them to face uncertainty and challenge, empower them to envision a preferred future, and develop agency to bring it about. Therefore futures thinking competence is becoming a necessity today, and not just an interesting intellectual exercise.
Project no: 2020-1-LU01-KA227-YOU-078059
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