SHIFT: Societal & Historical Innovation for Future Transformative Organisations

Course goals

Teaching method and learning approach

SHIFT will draw on principles from Challenge-Based Learning, incorporating a combination of guest lectures (as needed) and workshops. The primary emphasis will be on interactive, hands-on, in-class activities designed to facilitate active learning and the practical application of key theoretical concepts discussed in both mandatory courses of this master’s program.

Learning goals

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
 

1. Analyze and address real-world organizational challenges: Identify, define, and explore educational or organizational challenges using stakeholder mapping and theoretical frameworks to propose actionable solutions.
2. Apply and evaluate theoretical frameworks: Use relevant theories and literature to frame challenges and guide evidence-based, practical interventions while critically assessing their limitations.
3. Communicate and collaborate effectively: Develop and articulate ideas through pitches, collaborative feedback sessions, and a professional blog post, incorporating insights from external stakeholders and peers.
4. Develop adaptive expertise and reflective practice: Cultivate adaptive thinking and reflective skills to critically evaluate your growth, positionality, and the broader impact of your solutions in complex organizational settings.

Content

Welcome to SHIFT: Where the journey of transformation begins!

In a world increasingly shaped by complex societal challenges like climate change, social inequality, and sustainability, organizations, including schools, must adapt and innovate to remain relevant. SHIFT: Societal and Historical Innovation for Future Transformative Organizations is a course designed to equip you with the skills, tools, and insights to engage meaningfully with these pressing issues. This course emphasizes the critical interplay between individual growth and organizational transformation, challenging you to assess and address societal issues within various organizational contexts, including educational settings.

SHIFT offers a dynamic, hands-on learning experience. You will confront real-world challenges faced by organizations, such as those in education (e.g., teacher shortages, AI integration in teaching), sustainability, and social inequality. You will explore theories and apply them to design actionable solutions. Through structured projects and activities, like stakeholder mapping, theory-driven solution proposals, and collaborative pitches, you will gain both theoretical grounding and practical skills.

SHIFT is structured to balance critical reflection with active problem-solving. You will map organizational ecologies, analyze complex systems, and propose solutions, all while engaging with foundational theories around evidence-based decision-making, active learning, and improving educational practices in the context of organizational and societal change.

By fostering direct engagement with educational and organizational practices, SHIFT aims to cultivate adaptive and reflective leaders. You will develop the ability to analyze challenges critically, collaborate effectively, and design transformative strategies that contribute to organizational and societal resilience. Together, we will foster a community of innovative thinkers capable of navigating and shaping the complex landscapes of modern organizations, empowering you to drive meaningful, sustainable change.