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School of Medicine and Psychology · ANU College of Science and Medicine
Expression of Interest is required. EOI opens 1 May and closes 30 June. Link is “Other information section” below. Wicked problems are complex, but not insoluble, problems that address important social and cultural issues. They require intensive cross-boundary collaboration to develop solutions to this problem, in this context, for this population. This course is designed to develop the ability of students to work together in a transdisciplinary fashion to understand the debates and challenges underpinning a selected wicked problem. Examples of wicked problems addressed in this course include antimicrobial resistance, anti-vaccination movements, effects of climate change on health, gender-based violence, and racial health disparities. Students will learn to identify a wicked problem, and to articulate together different ways of understanding the wicked problem and possible approaches to solving. Skills developed will include dialogic methods to appreciate different disciplinary perspectives; problem-setting as a problem-solving approach; recognising emergent new wicked and tame problems. While learning about wicked problems, they will also be able to learn from a series of introductory lectures by experts describing exemplar wicked problems. Finally students will work in transdisciplinary groups to develop a contextualised approach to problem-solving for an assigned wicked problem.
Annotated bibliography
Learning outcomes 1
Key papers presentation
Learning outcomes 2
Research plan
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
Presentation
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Exegesis
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Group collaboration
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including: - Face-to face component which may consist of 2 x 2 hours seminars per week for the first four weeks (total 16 hours) and 1 x 1 hour consultation per week over 8 weeks (total 8 hours). - Approximately 106 hours of self-directed study which will include preparation for presentations and other assessment tasks. Other Information A quota will apply to admission to this course. Students must register an expression of interest to enrol. Selection is based on (i) the quality of the EoI, demonstrating those students whose transcripts indicate a willingness to explore learning outside their majors/minors, and (ii) relevant disciplinary and sub-disciplinary knowledge bases. The final participant list is drawn from all colleges of the university. The intent is to select students who show potential to engage actively in the course, and also bring with them diverse sets of academic, social and cultural knowledge, adding richness to the cohort’s learning.
There are no prescribed texts. Preliminary Reading Relevant material will be provided to students.