An Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Approach to Education for Sustainable Development

• Published in: Teaching and Learning Strategies for Sustainable Development Vol. 19; pp. 29 - 40
• Main Authors: Tomkinson, Bland, Tomkinson, Rosemary
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Emerald Publishing Limited 27.05.2020
• Subjects: Education; Inter/multicultural Education; Multicultural Education/Social Justice; problem-based learning; transferable skills; Sustainable development; interdisciplinarity; wicked problems; transformative education
• ISBN: 9781789736403; 1789736404
• ISSN: 2055-3641
• DOI: 10.1108/S2055-364120200000019006

Abstract This chapter is based on the work of Professor Charles Engel who, sadly, passed away early in 2019. Some 20 years ago, Professor Engel was advocating that higher education should take a lead in remediating global challenges, particularly those of sustainability. He took a broad view of the concept of “sustainability,” based largely on the Brundtland (1987) view of global challenges. Engel proposed that successful approaches to address the complex problems of sustainability should be explored across disciplinary boundaries. The University of Manchester developed a series of course modules focusing on these major challenges, largely run on interdisciplinary lines. Initially the concept was explored across science and engineering, with the support of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Charles Engel, a leading authority on its use, advised using Problem-Based Learning as a means of addressing the wicked problems in interdisciplinary groups. The pilot modules were extensively evaluated and reported. Since then the course units have developed and diversified, with extension to other schools, universities, countries, and to postgraduate courses. This transformative concept has also been explored in hybrid online format. The current chapter will re-introduce some of the original ideas and bring together the many threads that have emerged.