It’s a pedagogical approach through which learners are actively involved in identifying, analyzing and designing a solution that solves a challenge on current problems and real issues.
Challenge Based Learning
Challenge-Based Learning - CBL is the new way of doing research, education and innovation at the University of Trento.
Companies and institutions
Propose challenges that are relevant to their organizations.
Student and professionals
Define the problems, manage their teamwork and acquire the knowledge and skills needed to solve the challenge.
Professors and researchers
Are guides rather than experts and facilitate the learning process.
The learning experience is multidisciplinary and engages teams composed different stakeholders and their perspectives.
In the CBL perspective, all these stakeholders are equally learners, in the sense that they build a knowledge community and are aligned in the quadruple helix approach where university, industry, institutions and civil society collaborate for the innovation.
ECIU University's approach
The ECIU University’s challenge-based learning approach follows a specific structure consisting of three main steps.
1. The Engagement phase
The phase begins with a Big Idea, a broad social, economic, or environmental theme. All the participants define the problem to be solved, ask the right question, and agree on the final challenge to work on.
2. The Investigation phase
It includes activities, such as interviews, surveys, fieldworks, simulations, experiments, projects, problem sets, research, and games, and develops clear conclusions that will set the foundation for the solution.
3. The Action phase
It supports the design and the prototype of new solutions, starting from the gained and shared knowledge. The implementation of the prototype and the evaluation is desired. A final presentation in public makes sure a difference is made.
