challenged-based-learning

Challenge-based Learning

Challenge-Based Learning in more Detail

Challenges start with a big idea

Challenge-based learning offers many possible benefits from establishing new teaching and learning practices which are aligned with work-life environments and increasing employability for students. Authentic learning experiences allow students to explore, discuss, and meaningfully construct concepts and relationships in contexts that involve real-life challenges and projects that are relevant to the learner.

The Challenge-based learning approach follows a specific structure, which consists of three main steps: engage, investigate and act.

STEP1: ENGAGE

The engagement phase begins with a Big Idea. This is a broad theme or concept that can be explored in multiple ways and is important to the learner and a larger community, for example health or public transportation. Next, all the participants, teachers, students and external partners make sure that they agree on the final question to work on. The challenge turns the final question into a call to action to learn deeply about the subject.

STEP2: INVESTIGATE

Investigation phase makes sure all participants of the challenge contribute with their knowledge and skills concerning and conduct activities to create a foundation for actionable and sustainable solutions. Activities could include: simulations, experiments, projects, problem sets, research, and games. The Investigation phase concludes with reports and presentations that demonstrate the learners have successfully addressed all of the questions and developed clear conclusions that will set the foundation for the solution.

STEP3: ACT

Solutions are developed and implemented with an authentic audience and the results evaluated in Action phase. Here partners can use gained and shared knowledge to actually design and prototype new solutions. The implementation of the prototype and the evaluation is desired. A final presentation in public makes sure a difference is made.

Teams OF LEARNERs are the core of CBL

The challenge-based learning approach enables the creation of a co-learning environment, where the learners are the students, the teachers and the partners. Building partnerships with industries, companies, the public sector and NGOs is the core of designing challenge-based learning.
In planning phase the structure of the student project teams has to be considered so that it serves the purpose of the learning experience in the best possible way. Student teams can be formed in different ways:

  • student teams are predetermined based on project needs and individual competencies

  • student teams are organized based on students’ preferences

  • student teams are self-organized

Whichever path is taken at the beginning, it is absolutely crucial to allow students to take ownership of the challenge – and take over responsibility for team composition, too.

By overcoming challenges, students learn and demonstrate what they are capable of, plus they can imagine themselves in careers that they never considered before.

Find some examples here:

Stanford Student Space Initiative (2017)

In the past, only governments and large corporations could afford the high cost of earth observation and atmospheric data collection. A high-altitude balloon system called ValBal flies for days at a time at a cost under $1,000, putting it within reach of start-ups and even hobbyists. More information

ECIU university: Challenge Platform

ECIU University is an innovative educational project on a European level. It is open to students, scientists and society across national borders to work together on solutions to relevant societal challenges.
The key element is the learner-centered learning format “Challenge-Based Learning” (CBL). The focus of teaching/learning opportunities in ECIU University is on addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Collaboration in the cross-university, interdisciplinary and intercultural teams is supported by the online-platform.

CHALLENGE-BASED LEARNING INNOVATIONS @ TUHH

Since 2019, TUHH offers its students the opportunity to study and research in interdisciplinary courses in the format of Challenge-Based Learning. This happens in connection with the ECIU University, as independent courses, as part of the non-technical courses, embedded in the degree programs or as an additional project in addition to the master’s thesis.  An overview of all past challenges can be found here.

Support

Learning and working with teams in CBL

Challenge-based learning (CBL) is a team-based approach: Students, experts and external partner are working as a team of learners. The quality of their team-work depends on a lot of decisions and needs a careful constructed scaffolding system. You as the teamcher are the center of the whole process. Students have a lot of freedom in CBL. That makes it even more important to think abaot how you can help the teams to reach their learning goals. Here we want to make you aware of your role as a teamcher.

“Tell me how your project started and I’ll tell you how it ends.”  This piece of wisdom describes the fact that building trust is essential at the beginning of a work phase with a newly formed group. If you fail to establish clear agreements and rules at the beginning and you do not take enough time for the task at hand, the students will get bogged down during the teamwork and go round in circles.

Especially in intercultural and interdisciplinary contexts, it is very important to clarify what expectations exist. This is especially true when dealing with the external partner, with whom clarifying roles at the beginning is crucial for the success of the challenge.

– Who has what prior knowledge/timeslots/framework conditions?

– How do we want to organise the collaboration? When can joint meetings take place? How often?

– What should the desired form of communication look like? Is there a platform that everyone can access?

– What do the various stakeholders offer and want? What options are already available in the team? Which others do we still need? How do we take care of this?

– How should decision-making processes work? Is there a willingness to participate in a different challenge than the one personally favoured?

If you manage to be clear about these questions, you will have a fantastic experience and your teams will work efficiently.

With time for feedback and reflection, it is possible to keep an eye on the group dynamics and support them if necessary. It also prevents your own misjudgements from becoming entrenched. It is therefore an essential component of CBL to reflect on processes both as a team and as individuals. The following tools have proven their worth in facilitating this reflection:

    Target: A target that covers different aspects of group work (template is available from ZLL and in the handout “assessment”). This target can be used both online and in person. It serves as an indicator of any underlying conflicts or dissatisfaction.

    Written reflection: It has proven useful to have the working and learning process regularly reflected on by both the team and each student. This reveals progress and consolidates possible courses of action for the future.

    Structured final discussion: An essential and very personal framework enables the team to discuss their own performance and role at the end of their collaboration and also to give feedback to the teachers. A template for structuring this can be found in the Assessment Handout, that we can send to you if you are interested.

“Nothing is as certain as change.” In line with this motto, it would be naïve to believe in a predictable and controllable situation when dealing with a challenge. It is therefore essential to think in advance about what can be done to minimise the impact on the students’ learning success if the worst comes to the worst.

– The team loses members. It is not uncommon for the group size to be reduced in the course of a challenge. Here it is important to support the students in reorganising the challenge accordingly in order to prevent them from being overwhelmed. If the team grows, a new team-building unit makes sense.

– The external partner changes their role. Contact persons leave the company or fall ill, other fields of activity require more attention: there are many reasons for a role change. Depending on how this could affect the student teams, it is important to consider which roles the team leader can take on and which tasks the external partner can fulfil elsewhere. Perhaps there is a colleague who could take on the role or at least partially fulfil it?

– Technical problems. Whether the internet connection is unstable or the 3D printer for building the prototype fails, technical problems are part of everyday life. The teamcher’s role here is to have backup options “up their sleeve” to ensure continuous collaboration.

In CBL, it is crucial that students are able to realise their own paths and courses of action and learn from mistakes. It is therefore not about preventing these mistakes with perfect preparation, but about being there when needed. Being there at the right time means that the teamchers are interested in the work of the teams and are always approachable. For example, a team that experiences chaotic team meetings and breaks up again without reaching agreements can be greatly helped if the teamcher suggests using an agenda and a results protocol at that moment. It would be wrong to underestimate the students from the beginning. It is about implementing a support framework that only help students when they ask for it or when a problem is already recognisable.

Any other intervention in the team dynamics is a hindrance and weakens the team’s self-confidence.

(You can also learn about the principle of minimal help here: LINK will be here soon)

As a teamcher, you don’t know what your teams will present at the next meeting? You have no idea how the teams will organise the collaboration with the external partner? You don’t know what is happening in detail during this phase? That’s fine! Trust the students. Offer your support as a teamcher, but don’t force yourself into the teams. This uncertainty is sometimes difficult to endure, but it is necessary because it is the best way for students to learn that it makes sense to ask for help. A study has shown that CBL has two positive effects:

  1. Students are encouraged to complete their studies.
  2. The relationship between teachers and students improves.

It is therefore worth holding back and simply showing interest and signalling your willingness to help.

Tools and working space supporting CBL teams

Every use of a method or tool means additional work and should therefore be targeted and coordinated with the learning objective. If you want to try out a new method or tool, the effort and benefit should be in a reasonable ratio. Whether offline or online we will find the right one.

Benefit from our many years of experience with a wide variety of projects, problem-based learning formats and group sizes. Take advantage of the benefits when booking the K1520 or the rooms in Channel 4 (ideal for teaching with short inputs in combination with classroom group work). We are very familiar with all rooms and their advantages and disadvantages.

We are happy to support you. Please contact us!

Preparing student teacher assistants (tutors) for Challenge-Based Learning

We offer to support you in the preparation of your student teacher assistants (tutors). Often it is possible to integrate your tutors into an existing PBL tutor training course. Or we prepare a short interactive input especially for your project and your tutors, which we then design together.

In any case, our goal is to prepare tutors for their task in the best possible way. Especially for larger classes, the success of CBL depends crucially on the tutors.

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Don`T STand alone - Be part of a network

PraxisDuo

The ZLL offers you a setting in which you can spend a semester working with other lecturers on your ideas for developing your teaching. More information (in German only)

Workshop: Basic-Principles in Challenge-Based Learning

This workshop takes place at least once, often twice a year at the ZLL. All interested teachers of the TUHH, who would like to get to know the format and its special features as well as discuss a transfer to their own teaching, are cordially invited.

The next workshop will take place on 20.07.2023 from 9 am – 4 pm. Further information and registration can be found here.

Teamcher Kick-Off

Two times a year ECIU cordially invite you to get to know the other teamchers with a Challenge in upcoming term in a one-hour online Kick-Off meeting.

  • Welcome and background information about ECIU university and Challenges
  • Getting to know each other, exchange and networking between the teachers
  • Best practice presentation from ECIU ecosystem.

Next teamcher Kick-Off will take place in September 2023. Please contact Dorothea Ellinger for more information.

LINKS And Addional ressources

Litrature Recommendations

Useful Links

Challenge Based Learning, A White Paper. published by Cator, K. & Nichols, M. (2008) . Cupertino, CA: Apple, Inc.

Challenge-Based Learning Guide published by Tecnologico de Monterrey (2015)

Challenge-Based Learner User Guide published by Nichols, M., Cator, K., Torres, M. and Henderson, D. (2016) .

Introduction to CBL published by Aalto univserity

Kohn Rådberg, Kamilla; Lundqvist, Ulrika; Malmqvist, Johan; Hagvall Svensson, Oskar (2020): From CDIO to challenge-based learning experiences – expanding student learning as well as societal impact? In: European Journal of Engineering Education 45 (1), S. 22–37.

Stanford Student Space Initiative (2017): Low-Cost High-Altitude Ballooning. In: Computer 50 (7), S. 26–28.

Challenge-Based Learning @ ECIU university published in ECIU magazin 03/2020

Get more informations on webpages: informative videos about challenge-based leanring on youtube and vimeo: Challenge Based Learning Explained and Challenge Based Learning
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Your Challenge-Based Learning experts @

Siska Simon – About me

As an urban planner who graduated from the , I am very interested in interdisciplinary cooperation.
So it’s no wonder that I was involved in the creation of the Interdisciplinary Bachelor Project, starting 2012.
As a trained photographer, I look closely and illuminate your project from different perspectives. Many years of self-employment in the trade parallel to department management in an engineering office also taught me what project management means in practice.
During my work as an expert for real estate valuation I enjoyed writing court-proof facts. I gained my first teaching experience at a dual university and, among other things, I accompanied the development of a new course of studies.

Your contact:


Siska Simon

Phone:

040 42878 4628

Send e-mail

Your contact:


Dr. Dorothea Ellinger

Phone:

040 42878 4819

Send e-mail
Dr. Dorothea Ellinger – About me

Hello, I am a specialist for Research-based Learning at the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the . Together with Siska Simon I will support you in any form of Challenge-Based Learning and teaching innovation projects.
I studied biochemistry and at the Martin-Luther University of Halle, then did my doctorate at the Ruhr University of Bochum, and most recently worked as a post-doc at the Biozentrum Klein-Flottbek at the University of Hamburg. In my projects concerning energy production from and with plants and algae I enjoyed working with bio- and process engineers. Parallel to my post-doc time I completed my Master of Higher Education at the University of Hamburg. Since the end of 2014 I am now out of the laboratory and working as an expert in teaching and learning in higher education, first at the Leuphana in Lüneburg and since January 2016 here at the .

This informational webpage about Challenge-Based Learning is part of an Innovation of Ecucation lab of ECIU university and a product of workpackage 3.

The European Commission’s support for the production of the ECIU University content does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.