Promoting Critical and Design Thinking Activities to Tackle Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education

Abstract

Since 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) came into force, and for the first time they include higher education. Therefore, higher institutions are finding ways to incorporate them into their teachings and research activities. This paper contributes to the literature on engineering education by providing new insights on how to implement the SDGs at the course level. It argues that combining core and transversal skills, along with case studies targeting the SDGs, is an efficient way to prepare the next generation of engineers to tackle the challenges of our society. Moreover, promoting critical and design thinking activities increases the desire of university students to put their technical knowledge and skills at the service of mankind and the planet. Finally, this paper reflects on the pedagogical changes induced by COVID-19.

Integrated Model for Comprehensive Digital Education Platforms

“…In the framework of a class on social media taught at EPFL, students are required to carry out a collaborative design thinking activity [10]. To support this activity, the educators ask the students to create their own shared online folders to carry out the five sessions dedicated to design thinking.…”

Developing Transversal Skills and Strengthening Collaborative Blended Learning Activities in Engineering Education: a Pilot Study

“…They are mixed between programs for group activities. Teachers are assisted by Teaching Assistants (TAs) who come from EPFL and Université de Lausanne (UNIL) [13].…”

“…They have to prepare a poster which tackles a global issue related to communication. It has to include the definition of the selected issue, its technical and societal dimensions, as well as the current and potential future solutions to tackle it, with the relevant scientific references [13].…”

Introducing Alternative Value Proposition Canvases for Collaborative and Blended Design Thinking Activities in Science and Engineering Education

“…Master students in computer and data sciences, as well as PhD students from a doctoral program in learning sciences specializing on Human Computer Interaction (HCI) can select this course [9]. The first part of the course is dedicated to lectures and the second part to teamwork.…”