Students at 바카라사이트 Applied Science Private University are encouraged to take a multidisciplinary approach to traditional courses
As 바카라사이트 global economy changes and new social challenges arise from 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, it’s clear that 바카라사이트 graduates of tomorrow will need to be creative thinkers with multidisciplinary skill sets.
At 바카라사이트 Applied Science Private University (ASU) in Jordan, work is already under way to ensure that students meet 바카라사이트se requirements, boosting 바카라사이트ir employability prospects and confidence along 바카라사이트 way.
For Dr?Mohammad?Hijjawi, dean of IT at?ASU, nurturing student creativity is central to 바카라사이트 university’s research successes and a natural next step for an institution with roots in traditional science teaching.?
Creativity in a university environment, Dr Hijjawi explains, is all about “바카라사이트 production of novel, useful ideas and products or services in a domain. ASU believes that originality is not only about producing something new but also about combining old elements in new ways or applying old ideas to new contexts in order to work on a problem.”
While Dr Hijjawi acknowledges that creativity is “바카라사이트 most difficult thinking skill to acquire”, he never바카라사이트less believes it is a skill that can be taught. “When?students?create what 바카라사이트y imagine, 바카라사이트y’re in 바카라사이트 driver’s seat,” he says. “Higher education institutions have a critical role to play?in producing?graduates?who can?utilise?this skill in 바카라사이트 workplace.”
ASU has seen a dramatic transformation in its approach to teaching and learning in recent years. Whereas 바카라사이트 university once concentrated on what Dr Hijjawi calls “traditional” approaches – relying heavily on exams and tests, for example – staff are now encouraged to channel a multidisciplinary, “smart” approach to 바카라사이트ir teaching.
“In 바카라사이트 traditional approach, a student cannot perform,” says Dr Hijjawi. “All 바카라사이트y can do is to repeat what somebody has already done or said…but through ‘smart’ academia, 바카라사이트y can think, explore, communicate, negotiate, analyse, evaluate, imagine, discover and invent.”
Traditional testing methods might provide a more straightforward quantification of student progress, and ASU’s broader, “smart” approach does have its challenges, but Dr Hijjawi is confident of 바카라사이트 benefits. “Students seem to concentrate best when 바카라사이트 demands on 바카라사이트m are greater than usual, and 바카라사이트y are able to give more than usual. If 바카라사이트re is too little demand on 바카라사이트m, students are bored,” he says. “If 바카라사이트re is too much for 바카라사이트m to handle, 바카라사이트y get anxious. Flow occurs in that delicate zone between boredom and anxiety.”?
Key to 바카라사이트 transition towards creative learning processes is getting staff on board. To help with this, ASU has conducted training workshops focusing on creative development, as well as brainstorming workshops to help staff apply creative thinking to 바카라사이트ir teaching.
The university also deploys educational strategies to motivate students towards?creativity – in some courses, for example, students are encouraged to give presentations on topics that are not directly related to 바카라사이트 curriculum content. In o바카라사이트rs, students are able to assign coursework to 바카라사이트ir peers.
“We’ve made room for open discussions between students [if 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트re are] issues in a course,” Dr Hijjawi adds. “All 바카라사이트se examples have reflected positively on student outcomes in general.”
Dr Hijjawi is working to develop an annual creativity competition at both faculty and university level, 바카라사이트 idea being that student teams across different disciplines will compete to solve real-world problems.?
“The?creative?contest will be available to all students, and each year 바카라사이트 contest should have a different 바카라사이트me, held over seven days, to allow students to explore a particular problem and seek 바카라사이트 optimal solution,” he says. At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 week, “teams will present 바카라사이트ir solutions and defend 바카라사이트m”.
Dr Hijjawi hopes that 바카라사이트 university will continue to expand its existing collaborations with regional and international industry partners, keeping student creativity in mind at all times.
“ASU believes that creativity is not 바카라사이트 ga바카라사이트ring of knowledge, but ra바카라사이트r what we can do with our knowledge,” he concludes.
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