Teaching and learning to support climate-neutral transitions: Exploring opportunities and challenges for interdisciplinary design courses

Students’ individual and collective learning processes in interdisciplinary teaching and learning activities that integrate prototype-oriented courses present an opportunity for further exploration. This is particularly relevant given the broader need for capacity-building to support climate-neutral transitions. This contribution draws on an exploratory workshop-in-workshop (WiW) approach to understand and evaluate students learning experiences in an experimental and interdisciplinary design course setting. This experience was embedded in the ENHANCE Alliance, a European network cooperation to innovate research and education in science and technology. The inductive analysis and results from the WiW approach draw upon surveys, group discussions, mapping exercises, and reflections with students. These indicate strong appreciation for problem-based and prototype-oriented teaching along with learning experiences as a part of their individually differentiated but collectively shared learning trajectories. The final insights acknowledge the method as an effective way to enhance instructor-student relationship dynamics and interdisciplinary opportunities. Future improvements to the interdisciplinary design format are discussed and highlight students' desires for open and safe learning environments that are more transdisciplinary in nature.