ACIT4200 Interdisciplinary innovation and complex problems Emneplan

This course aims to train students to face the complex challenges faced by society including issues related to the ageing population, human rights, climate change, sustainable development, and the rapid growth in industrialization 4.0.

The course will focus on experienced-based learning where students from multiple fields work together on a real-life local challenges with global implications. Students will work in collaboration with external partners organizations and businesses who struggle every day with producing innovative solutions While specific topics will vary, students will have the opportunity to choose among a variety of topics related to technology, innovation and society. Teams will be required to leverage their collective skills and experiences to effectively collaborate and produce new solutions to today's most complex challenges.

No formal requirements over and above the admission requirements.

A student who has completed this course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

Upon successful completion of the course, the candidate has:

• an in-depth understanding of innovation processes
• an advanced understanding of relevant social challenges as articulated by the United Nations, European Union, and national governments including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Skills

Upon successful completion of the course, the candidate can:

• critically reflect on the role of personal experience, implicit bias, disciplinary traditions, professional background, gender, culture, and other social identities and characteristics in innovation
• participate in innovation processes and critically identify and analyze social, organizational or technical problems
• use creative processes to suggest innovative solutions to complex challenges.
• identify and put into practice mechanisms for ensuring ethical, professional conduct, and diversity in teams.

General competence

Upon successful completion of the course, the candidate:

• has an advanced understanding of how innovation and design frameworks and processes can be implemented in interdisciplinary teams
• can critically explain and debate creative processes.

Students will be working together in groups of up to 5 students on a complex problem that requires innovation. The final exam is an individual submission based on group work activities.

The course will include a variety of online and in-person workshops and fieldwork, which may include short presentations, discussion, product development, games, data collection, simulations, and other forms of group collaboration.

Active efforts with pupils in school settings can prevent non-attendance and drop-out from school, and represents a new work arena for social workers. Research shows that the number of pupils with socio-emotional difficulties is increasing in Norwegian schools, and that the school system can maintain or amplify existing social differences. The number of schools that employ a social worker has increased but appointing a social worker is not yet legally required. This course is about how we can achieve a more inclusive school, with room for and safeguarding of the diversity of pupils, by combining the expertise of several professions in the school. It is important for our students and for social workers and educators employed by a school to know how social care expertise can be implemented in an educational arena.

The student must have passed all exams in the first and second year of the programme. 

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student:

• has knowledge of applicable curricula, the Norwegian Education Act and relevant white papers

• can recognise the different phases of a group process/class formation process in schools
• is familiar with relevant theories of importance to social work in schools
• is familiar with the teaching profession’s ethical platform and the Code of Ethics for child welfare officers, social workers, social educators and welfare officers

Skills

The student can

• analyse curricula based on the theories raised in the course
• use their knowledge of class formation processes in cooperation with the educator
• use their social care knowledge in work with pupils, parents/guardians, educators and other partners

General competence

The student:

• has both theoretical and practical knowledge of how social care expertise can be used alongside educational expertise in primary and lower secondary school
• can describe cooperation at the system level, in the classroom, in school-home relations and in pupil-teacher/social worker relations
• can reflect on challenges that can arise when a new occupational category is added to an arena traditionally belonging to another occupational category

No coursework requirements/compulsory activities.

An individual written home exam over 48 hours relating to a given topic/issue. The exam paper must have a scope of 8-10 pages. Font and font size: Calibri 12 point. Line spacing: 1.5. The approved citation style APA for assignments must be complied with. 

Students who were absent for a valid reason or who fail the exam may take a resit/rescheduled exam in the same format as the ordinary exam. A new exam assignment will be given.

Grade scale A-F.