Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21
None
Available as a Free Standing Elective
No
`¿Wicked problems¿ are those that are complex, intractable, open-ended, and unpredictable.¿Alford & Head (2017) Wicked and less wicked problems: a typology and a contingency framework. Policy & Society 36(3):397-413In this module, you will develop your understanding of how the Liberal Arts, the Natural Sciences, and interdisciplinary practice relate to the broad range of complex challenges faced by society - and be able to communicate that effectively. This includes engagement with the Grand Challenges lecture series at Keele¿s Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences and is underpinned by conceptual frameworks such as ¿wicked problems¿ that formalise how we think about major societal challenges.
Aims
This module aims to develop students¿ understanding of how the Liberal Arts, the Natural Sciences, and interdisciplinary practice relate to human society and the complex challenges faced by the world and the people in it. Exploration of a broad range of societal challenges involving interdisciplinary approaches will include formal engagement with the Grand Challenges lecture series at Keele¿s Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This will be underpinned by explicit engagement with conceptual frameworks such as ¿wicked problems¿ that formalise how we think about difficult and complex problems considered major societal challenges. Students should therefore be able to communicate their understanding of societal challenges effectively using explicit reference to conceptual frameworks and evidence.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Evaluate how interdisciplinary practice in the Liberal Arts relates to complex societal challenges: 1Discuss academic conceptual frameworks on societal challenges and interdisciplinary practice: 1Critically evaluate information in evidence-based arguments: 1,2Effectively communicate evidence-based evaluations: 1,2
20x 1hr lectures or workshops (= 20 hours)Attendance at Grand Challenges lectures and receptions 5x ~1.5 hours (= 8 hours)Lecture preparation - 20 hoursSeminar preparation - 20 hoursAssessment preparation - 82 hours
Description of Module Assessment
1: Essay weighted 70%Essay1500 word essay evaluating the role of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing key major societal challenges.
2: Review weighted 30%Review500-word review of a Grand Challenge lecture, written as if for an arts brochure (e.g. ArtsKeele)?