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Added value for WUR education

Society Based Education (SBE) is dedicated to integrating real-life learning into WUR’s education. In this page, you will learn more about why real-life learning is important and relevant for education and for the university.

To take their responsibility in the design of solutions for real-life problems, it is important that students learn different skills. SBE strives to strengthen real-life learning and boundary crossing, by connecting society with university.

SBE's role within the Teaching & Learning Centre (TLC) is to provide support to teachers, in relation to real-life learning. We're here to bridge the gap between theory and practice, by incorporating real-life learning into WUR-courses where students tackle complex, real-world challenges. This approach transcends traditional (societal, disciplinary and cultural) boundaries and equips WUR-students with the tools needed to investigate wicked problems – challenges that demand innovative, interdisciplinary solutions.

By fostering collaborations among individuals from diverse practices and perspectives, we empower students to (co-)create innovative solutions. This prepares them to learn and develop in complex, uncertain environments, where sustainability challenges and other wicked problems demand dynamic thinking and adaptability.

Through workshops, guidance, and resources, we support teachers to embed real-life learning into their curricula. This approach hopes to empower the next generation of leaders and change-makers, equipping them with the skills to make a meaningful impact in a rapidly evolving world.

Graph summarizing the main benefits of real-life learning for students and for teachers. The benefits for students are more motivation and a positive learning attitude, developing (non-) cognitive skills,b understanding and retaining information, preparation for future careers and life-long learning, and developing a sense of social responsibility. Benefits for teachers are: making teaching more enjoyable, developing new skills and knowledge, recognition (higher visibility), enriching their research agenda, and a decreased change of Chat-GPT use.

References:

K. P. J. Fortuin, Judith T. M. Gulikers, Nynke C. Post Uiterweer, Carla Oonk & Cassandra W. S. Tho (2023): Developing a boundary crossing learning trajectory: supporting engineering students to collaborate and co-create across disciplinary, cultural and professional practices, European Journal of Engineering Education, DOI: 10.1080/03043797.2023.2219234
Gullikers, S. & Oonk, C. (2019). Boundary-crossing in Education: The Interdisciplinary Learning Outcomes of Undergraduate Students. Higher Education, 77(2), 225-240
Tassone, V.C., den Brok, P., Tho, C.W.S. and Wals, A.E.J. (2022), "Cultivating students’ sustainability-oriented learning at the interface of science and society: a configuration of interrelated enablers", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 23 No. 8, pp. 255-271