Ingrid Mulder and Alberto Magni
pp. 119 – 140, download
(https://doi.org/10.55612/s-5002-052-007)
Abstract
An increasing number of social innovators are leveraging cities as urban learning ecosystems in order to experiment with design approaches to tackle societal challenges at a local level. However, the scale and complexity of these challenges force them to constantly acquire new capabilities to advance the local experimentation towards systemic change. We introduce co-design as a transformative community-driven design method to facilitate innovators to continuously identify, connect, co-define, and share with other peers their learning journeys to build capacity over time for addressing societal challenges. The current article elaborates upon a capacity-building framework that not only resulted in elaborate training activities for urban transformations, but also fostered a community of practice that was instrumental to self-sustain a learning network. Results highlight the importance of developing a collaborative learning infrastructure capable of expanding the pool of societal actors contributing to the further diffusion and co-creation of knowledge for urban transformations.
Keywords: Capacity building, Co-design, Collaborative learning, Learning ecosystem, Reflection, Self-development, Urban innovators, Urban transformations.
References
1. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Available online: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
2. Grin, J., Rotmans, J., Schot, J. Transitions to sustainable development: new directions in the study of long term transformative change. Routledge, New York (2010).
3. Morris, L., Cruickshank, L.: New design processes for knowledge exchange tools for the New IDEAS project. In: Proceedings of the Knowledge Exchange: an interactive conference 2013 (2013).
4. Concilio, G., Tosoni, I.: Introduction. In: Concilio, G., Tosoni, I. (eds.) Innovation Capacity and the City. The enabling role of design, SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology, pp. 1-14. Springer, Cham (2019) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00123-0_1
5. Concilio, G., Cullen J., Tosoni I.: Design Enabled Innovation in Urban Environments. In: Concilio, G., Tosoni, I. (eds.) Innovation Capacity and the City. The enabling role of design, SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology, pp. 85-101. Springer, Cham (2019) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00123-0_5
6. Mulder, I., Magni, A.: Design and Engineering as agents of change: A capabilities framework. Forthcoming in: Proc. of EPDE 2022, International conference on engineering and product design education, 8–9 September 2022, London South Bank University, London, UK (in press)
7. Giovannella C.: At the Root of the Smart Cities: Smart Learning Eco-systems to train Smart Citizens. In: Fitsilis, P. (ed.) Building on Smart Cities Skills and Competences – Human factors affecting smart cities development, Springer (2022)
8. Mulder, I.: Sociable smart cities: Rethinking our future through co-creative partnerships. In: Proceedings of Distributed, Ambient, and Pervasive Interactions, DAPI 2014, pp. 566-574. Springer (2014) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07788-8_52
9. Rajagopal, K., Joosten-ten Brinke, D., Van Bruggen, J., & Sloep, P. B.: Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday, 17(1) (2011). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v17i1.3559
10. Schon, D.A.: Educating the reflective practitioner. Toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. The Jossey-Bass series in higher education. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco (1987)
11. Gray, D.E.: Facilitating management learning: Developing critical reflection through reflective tools. Management learning, 38(5), 495-517 (2007)
https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507607083204
12. Helyer, R.: Learning through reflection: the critical role of reflection in work-based learning (WBL). Journal of Work-Applied Management, 7(1), 15-27 (2015)
https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-10-2015-003
13. Dorst, K., Cross, N.: Creativity in the design process: co-evolution of problem–solution. Design studies, 22(5), pp.425-437 (2001) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0142-694X(01)00009-6
14. Magni A., Calderón González A., Mulder I.: Supporting Urban Innovators’ Reflective Practice. In: Mealha Ó., Dascalu M., Di Mascio T. (eds) Ludic, Co-design and Tools Supporting Smart Learning Ecosystems and Smart Education. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 249. Springer, Singapore (2022).
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3930-2_2
15. Mulder, I.: A pedagogical framework and a transdisciplinary design approach to innovate HCI education. IxD&A, 27, 115-128 (2015)
16. Mulder, I., Swaak, J., Kessels, J.: In search of reflective behavior and shared understanding in ad hoc expert teams. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 7(2), 141-154 (2004) https://doi.org/10.1089/109493104323024410
17. Designscapes.eu: Design-enabled Innovation Training Modules. Available online: https://designscapes.eu/dei-training-modules/ Retrieved April 30, 2022.