Multiple Research Perspectives as a Paradigm to Co-Create Meaningful Real-life Experiences

Abstract

"Multi-perspectivism as a philosophy of education" has a predominant role in the mission statement of Ghent University [1]. It opens up a path towards a critical and active participation into the society of today and the future. Within the framework of multi-perspectivism, a novel course has on "Co-creation" been set-up that is offered as an elective course in all educational programs of the university [2]. The course focuses on methods for creativity, transdisciplinary research, entrepreneurship, communication and collaboration, system thinking and design. The leading lecturers are members of the department of "Industrial Systems and Product Design" of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. Students, researchers and lecturers from different faculties are actively participating in a transdisciplinary project to solve a real societal need. Each project brings all involved stakeholders – experts from different specialisms, designers and end-users – together in an iterative collaborative change process (using cocreation methods). Prototyping real-life experiences in a living space plays a central role as integration and communication method throughout the development cycle. During every iteration, a co-experience is obtained by all involved stakeholders through direct interaction with the prototype in a real "make" or "use" context. These interactions gradually reveal affordances and disturbances by iterative adaptations. This particular education method is illustrated by ongoing student project cases in the domain of health-care and societal problems. An overview will be given on how to identify and set-up projects, how students perform these projects, and on how the obtained knowledge and results are valuated and transferred back to society.

Keywords

• co-creation
• multi-perspectivism
• multidisciplinary research
• double-loop learning
• system design
• education