Element: Personal Identity magazine

DESIGN BASED LEARNING

EXPLANATIO N OF T HE E L E M E N T :

P ERS O NAL I DENT I T Y

M A K E E D U CAT I O N A N D L I F E O N E

FONTYS PULSED

INTRODUCTION Why

Fontys PULSED

The current Dutch school system is very fragmented. Especially on University level the offer consists of a large number of mono-disciplinary studies. The fast changing world we live in gives people a lot of opportunities: to connect, to learn, to play and to work worldwide. These changes have dramatically changed the game of life. Surprisingly, the place that is supposed to prepare children for society – school – does not seem to be changing at the same pace. That’s why we took action and founded Fontys PULSED. We are an international and interdisciplinary team of educational designers. We are located at the Brainport region, which is known as one of the smartest regions in the world and has a DNA consisting of Technology, Knowledge & Design.

By approaching our teaching profession as designers, we are not only able to improve our teaching on a daily basis, but also to implement various innovations such as just-in-time-learning, assess failures and open-ended challenges that are being assessed by social validation. We justify our actions through a form of action research. We learn from experiments and adjust them accordingly, before we scale them up, just like designers and makers routinely do¹.

DESIGN BASED LEARNING MAKE EDUCATION AND LIFE ONE Education is not a preparation for life. We believe that education is part of life itself. Where “learning” is the connecting factor. During our programs we help students to develop into Self Directed Professionals. These professionals have the ability to work together creatively with people in different fields and across disciplines & cultures. Perhaps the most important thing is that they know how they can and want to take the next step in their personal and professional development.

MISSION & DESIGN BASED LEARNING Our mission is to train students to become professionals with a strong self-directing capacity, so that they can take responsibility for their own development and the world in which they live and work. To this end, Fontys develops various Fontys-wide educational programs and uses the same didactic concept in all its programs: Design Based Learning (DBL). Design Based Learning is the didactic concept that creates learning environments in which an effective and efficient learning process is stimulated and sustainable goals can be achieved. It also creates an ambitious learning climate that challenges students and offers room for talent development and profiling. Formal and informal learning are increasingly intertwined².

READING GUIDE Design Based Learning consists of several elements such as Personal Identity, Design Based Working, Practice Based Research, Self Directed Learning and Learning Outcomes & Assessment.

In this magazine you can read about the scientific insights on which the educational concept is based and how we put this into practice.

PERSONAL IDENTITY

DESIGN BASED WORKING PRACTICE BASED RESEARCH SELF DIRECTED LEARNING LEARNING ASSESSMENT & OUTCOMES

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SUMMARY:

DESIGN BASED LEARNING APPROACH Broadly speaking, DBL can be regarded as an instruction method that involves students in solving realistic (design) problems while reflecting on the learning process. It emphasizes the planning and design of activities that resemble authentic (technical) environments in which students make decisions in the design of cognitive thinking processes while going through iterations in generating specifications, making predictions, experiencing and creating solutions, testing and communicating.

Design Based Learning consists of several elements such as Personal Identity, Design Based Working, Practice Based Research, Self Directed Learning and Learning Outcomes & Assessment some of them have a a clear connection with each other.

03 OUR APPROACH OF DBL IS AS FOLLOWS 1. Self-directed Learning (SDL) is powered by Identity (ID).

2. Design Based Working (DBW) is powered by Practice Based Research (PBR) Self Directed Learning is about learning from your experiences and applying that in your future.

Personal Identity is about the uniqueness of each individual that has been present from birth. We strongly believe in the true identity and potential of a student, regardless of origin, nurture and experience. Fontys PULSED uses the following definition: “Talent is the trait of a person who, if developed and deployed in the right context, leads to pleasure, satisfaction and excellent performances”³.

In addition this talent adds a unique value to the world. This definition focuses on four elements: • Every human being is a unique individual • Every human being has the freedom to choose her own talent • Every human being is able to use this talent to contribute to a better world • Learning is a lifelong process

The purpose of Design Based Working is about creating designs that can facilitate or support initiatives and opportunities for change, and not about creating a particular product or outcome and implement it in a specific context. PBR is about the investigative capability of students to systematically shape the design process of social and technological innovation from different perspectives.

Practice Based Research is inextricably linked to the design process and is not an end in itself: carrying out practice based research is essential for the quality of the design and the design process.

Learning outcomes & Assessment is about making learning development visible and to assess it. In this way, also ensure that the applicable level is maintained. The design of both the learning outcomes and the assessments is aimed at giving students room so that they can take responsibility for their own learning process.

The learning process takes place in an international and intercultural environment where students from all over the world follow the same program; however, coming from a different disciplinary, cultural and international perspective. With the presence of so much diversity and the development of students becoming responsible global citizens, the program exposes the richness of the talents of the individual and the group at the same time.

FONTYS PULSED NARRATIVE

BEATING SLEEPLESSNESS Gilles was a French student, coming from Bretagne, studying engineering, he really wanted to do an international exchange. In the -room, he sat always in the back, listening, yes but talking or asking questions, no. He really stood out on coming late. Not five or ten minutes; often more than an hour. He sneaked into the room and made a silent apology with his hand. Sometimes, he looked really bad as if he felt sick.

In the second coaching session, I asked him why he was coming late so often. Immediately he started to apologize and promised it would never happen again. I asked the question again.

He frowned. “Are you really interested?”

“Yes, of course I am!”

He looked at me, wondering if I really meant it, and then started telling his story. For his whole life he has had severe sleeping problems; there were even nights where he didn’t sleep at all.

His mother had the same and he didn’t want to take sleeping pills like she did. He already tried all obvious solutions like yoga, relaxing, turning off his phone, computer and television in the evening. Nothing had helped. “Most of the time I fall asleep at four or five in the morning. When the alarm clock goes, I only want to go back to sleep.”

Together, we made an agreement. Gilles was allowed to come later. However, he was responsible for the consequences. Would it work? In the background I was there to guide him.

Already after one week things changed. His energy came back, he looked more cheerful and at the start of the project ‘Future solution’ he came across a passionate idea: to design a solution for people with sleeplessness. At first, he did a lot of research and was stunned that 40 percent of humanity had sleeping problems. He discovered that a certain rhythm of breathing in then holding your breath then breathing out was really helpful for improving sleep. Also, a certain level of frequency, one that sounded like a beat, showed some good results of falling asleep much faster.

Yes, Gilles arrived late in the morning, but left the room a lot later than all the other students. In between he was passionate, learned how to work with an Arduino, got help from an ICT-student and integrated the specific frequency and a special light in a prototype of a product that, hanging on the ceiling, would assist any user beating his sleeplessness.

05 CREATE YOUR OWN FLOW According to a survey, done under 3134 Dutch students a quarter of them suffer from burnout complaints.

One in seven experience severe anxiety and depression symptoms⁴. In that same year, the triple helix partners of region Brainport Eindhoven (business, educational institutions and government) signed a talent and skills agreement where all partners made a promiss to put their focus on a region that is prosperous and takes care of the well-being of their residents. Fontys University has translated this agreement in several initiatives, such as “studysuccess” that enables students to develop their talents, offer the opportunity to learn the right skills for their professional future and a lifelong learning program for their employees.

In its educational vision, Fontys PULSED also wants to emphasize that the students’ experience and the development of their professional and personal identity is of great value. This vision requires a repositioning of students and teachers in which students get the opportunity to take responsibility for their professional and personal development. One of the starting points is the personal identity learning line, where talentdeveloping is a keyconcept. Fontys PULSED uses the following definition: “Talent is the trait of a person who, if developed and deployed in the right context, leads to pleasure, satisfaction and excellent performances”³.

In addition this talent adds a unique value to the world. This definition focuses on four elements: • Every human being is a unique individual • Every human being has the freedom to choose her own talent • Every human being is able to use this talent to contribute to a better world • Learning is a lifelong process Fontys PULSED wants to emphasize that “Education and life are one!” Hence, learning is also about having fun.

The personal identity learning line assumes that the uniqueness of every human being is already present from birth. It believes strongly in a student’s potential, regardless of origin, nurture and experiences. The program helps students to acquire the knowledge and skills to become aware of their personal identity.

A didactic and pedagogical learning environment helps to make this uniqueness visible and to connect the students’ talents to the contemporary complex challenges. The learning process takes place in an international and intercultural environment where students from all over the world follow the same program; however, coming from a different disciplinary, cultural and international perspective. With the presence of so much diversity and the development of students becoming responsible global citizens, the program exposes the richness of the talents of the individual and the group at the same time.

LEARNING OUTCOME PERSONAL IDENTITY (EMBRACE TEC)

Based on your own unique personality, you consciously and respectfully

make use of the diversity and uniqueness of others while collaborating.

A You explain your personal view on the world, and how it was shaped by your past experiences

B You describe your talents and the situations in which they flourish

C You describe your limitations and the situations in which you encounter them

D You explain your effectiveness in collaborations and your impact on other people

06 UNIQUENESS & PERSONAL IDENTITY Every person can be seen as unique. People have all sorts of common characteristics, but the focus is on being unique. The behavior of humans in relation to their environment is positioned as an outside layer and the description about what you can do, what you believe, how you see yourself, are like shells that penetrate further and further inside to what is really essential⁵. In that way you get in contact with your ideals, your self-image, your beliefs, your knowledge and skills, your behavior and all other sorts of elements in your environment. The basis of the personal identity learning line is the unique potential of which is not always immediately visible. Fontys PULSED’s vision on talent development, upbringing and education helps students to make this unique potential visible and usable. The start of the didactic and pedagogical environment and guidance is based on the talents of the students. The didactic and pedagogical challenge is on the one hand a talent based development that confirms the students that they are good in their essence and, on the other hand, helps them find out how to make this uniqueness have an impact in the world around them.

A CONTRIBUTION TO A BETTER WORLD Every person benefits from meaningful relationships with others. It is precisely in these relationships that an individual uniqueness is expressed. The tension that can arise between your personal ideas about what a contribution is and the ideas that others hold is an ideal terrain for the development of Personal Identity. As well as the different visions that exist about what a better world might look like. The search for one’s own uniqueness, the discovery of talents of others in collaboration and the way in which this can lead to value in the world is a valuable playing field, certainly in education.

A LIFELONG PROCESS The Personal Identity learning line is the search for the content and meaning of the students’ essence and the practice and experience to have an impact on the world grounded in this essence. This search will always continue.

On the one hand because the environment constantly offers a new playing field to which students can add their uniqueness, on the other hand, because experiences from the world allow them to discover new aspects of their uniqueness. The context of higher professional education is used to support and guide students and teachers in this quest. This means that the role of a teacher is not only an expert in a particular context, but also transforms in a supervisor whose first responsibility is to connect with the student, second to discover her talents and third, how this talent can be further challenged.

LORNA MINKMAN For a long time, Lorna Minkman has been a coach for students in an higher educational environment. She is an expert in talent development in a way that students get the opportunity to really develop their personal identity.

She is convinced of the importance of paying attention in a context of genuine courtesy, without any form judging. In a situation of genuine interest, students are offfered a chance to discover who they really are and who they, in a professional context, would like to become. All students deserve this attention to embark on their adventure in their own way and at their own pace.

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Constructive alignment in our programs PERSONAL IDENTITY

Introduction talent development Discover talents + dragons

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Individual

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Talents + Dragons into practice

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Theme of Life

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Theme of Life

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Theme of Life

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PULSED works with arch plans because we visualize how our programs are built. It also helps us to get ‘constructive alignment’. Constructive alignment is a principle used for devising teaching and learning activities, and assessment tasks, that directly address the intended learning outcomes in a way not typically achieved in traditional lectures, tutorial classes and examinations.

The main arch indicates the overall learning outcome of the program. Under the main arch, we work with sub arches that are always linked to ‘challenges’. These challenges are designed and described in such a way that students can immediately start ‘doing’. This ‘doing’ consists of setting up a design & research process in which they work towards a concrete result.

We call this result an artifact, this artifact is preferably created by going through several design sprints in which the artifact undergoes several iterations (development-oriented) and is therefore getting better and better. Both the learning experiences and the learning activities that students go through in the challenges as well as in the courses contribute to the personal

The application in an educational context takes place on the basis of the following interventions.

1. Talent development program about discovering and applying one’s talents, together with the use of one’s limitations.

There are group meetings about discovering and applying one’s talents and limitations. There are various forms in which students are guided in discovering and naming their essence. After appointing talents, students receive assignments to discover how they recognize their talents, followed by assignments to apply their talents more consciously. These aspects are reflected experiences and in the following process they can be collected in accordance with the uniqueness of the student. It is possible to link an assessment tool to this.

2. Group Coaching Fontys PULSED supports the students in learning to think and act on their own. They are invited and encouraged to be the benchmark of their own actions. The students themselves may become the ones who determine whether the action has been successful and has sufficiently contributed to the goals, some of them set by themselves.

It is very important that attention is paid to discovering and developing their own identity, discovering and developing the way in which they want to contribute to the world. In addition, the students learn to develop the ability to use both their talents and the talents of others in collaborations.

3. Individual coaching aims at deepening and safeguarding new insights and experiences about the student’s talents and limitations. It’s precisely striving to eliminate restrictions that takes a lot of energy and triggers the self-image that an individual is not good enough as a person. In individual meetings, students are guided to a mindset change in which the limitations may also be part of someone’s personality ⁶. Compassion with their own limitations may provide room for growth and development. Students receive guidance from a coach who helps them to make this move. The coach mainly plays the important role in questioning the students so that they discover where the connection between their essence and the environment can be made flexible and where this connection is impeded.

4. Themes of life are developed to draw attention to a number of themes that are related to mental health and well-being.

The students themselves indicate which themes they want to address. For example: ‘how to get my life in order’, ‘food, brains and movement’, ‘social anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out)’. The coaches provide a program per theme in which this component is presented in a unique way, so the chance to reach a personal and communal in-depth experience is maximised.

FONTYS PULSED NARRATIVE

DEFEATING YOUR DRAGONS “Today, I’m going to defeat my dragons,” the student tells me.

“I am very afraid I will fall into the cold water, but I will do it anyway.

Well... even if I fall, it won’t kill me.” While his last sentence sounds less convincing, we walk with two SUP boards to the boarding point of the river near school.

“Is the water cold?” He asks when I step into the water with bare feet.

“It’s not too bad.”

The student rolls up his trousers and steps on the SUP-board, wiggling. His knees are bent, using his arms he tries to find balance. “This board is much more stable than I thought!”

He starts to paddle slowly. After a while, supping on the river, he tells how happy he is that this activity is part of our education. Carried along with the flow he says: “My friends don’t believe I “sup” at school. It’s such a cool experience!”

The sounds of the birds, the beautiful colours of autumn, the tranquillity; he sees it all.

We imagine we are in the Belgian Ardennes. We talk about how to relax, practice a short meditation and turn around back to the boarding place.

The current is strong now; the gap between him and me gets bigger and bigger. “Is everything okay?” I ask. The sweat is on his forehead and he is constantly swinging from left to right.

I let myself down a few times, so that we can continue our journey together.

“Oh, my arms hurt,” he says as the boarding place comes into view again.

“What did you think of our adventure?” I ask.

“Cool. Supping is actually a metaphor for life. If things go wrong, you cannot give up, because then we would have been dropped further along the river.”

I smile.

“It’s also about finding balance. If you have more balance, you are able to go against the counter flow. Today, I didn’t have that balance yet and supped from left to right. Spinning in circles and you won’t get any further. Very exhausting.”

Less than an hour later, he emails me some photos and videos. “Thanks for this experience, I really would like to do this again.”

I reply immediately. “Thanks for your perseverance, courage and wisdom. We are definitely going to do it again. “ - Coach Linda Toonen

Coaching outside the school building.

PULSED uses nature to literally and figuratively break through barriers during (sup)coaching.

SOURCE REFERENCE 1 Troxler, P., de With, E., & Mostert - van der Sar, M. (2014) Dot O&O. Developing research and design skills in the classroom.

2 Geitz G. & De Geus J. (2019) Design-based education, sustainable teaching, and learning. Cogent education 3 Thunissen, M., Bos, P et al. (2019) Talent Mobiliseren. Vakmedianet 4 Dopmeijer, J. (2018) Factsheet Onderzoek Studieklimaat, gezondheid en studiesucces.

5 Melief, K., Tigchelaar, A., Korthagen, F. & Koster, B. (2002). Leren van lesgeven. Soest: Nelissen.

6 Gabriels, K. (2015) De Talentmanager.

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Fontys PULSED MAKE EDUCATION AND LIFE ONE