Wicked problems and project-based learning: Value-in-use approach

• Published in: The international journal of management education Vol. 18; no. 1; p. 100324
• Main Authors: Kłeczek, Ryszard, Hajdas, Monika, Wrona, Sylwia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2020
• Subjects: Critical incident technique; Metaphor of value-in-use; Process of actors' interactions; Project-based learning; Wicked problems; Wicked problems; Critical incident technique; Metaphor of value-in-use; I23; Process of actors' interactions; O31; Project-based learning
• ISSN: 1472-8117
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijme.2019.100324

This paper contributes to the knowledge about the project-based learning (PBL) aimed at solving “wicked” problems, performed in a collaborative education-enterprise learning environment.
We have identified one pattern in the analysed data: the more the teaching process is focused (by content, time and participants) on the task to be solved, the greater the effects.
The critical incident technique (CIT) has been used to generate data. Unit of analysis is the real process of interactions between students, faculty members, business-partners and project organizers during the work in progress on business originated project challenges.
We suggest changes in PBL project structure aimed at solving wicked problems: introducing more diverse and smaller projects instead of one big project challenge, teaching students how to manage information complexity and dynamic project requirements, allowing students to participate in the selection and organization of students’ teams.
The research is focused on: (1) students' point of view and (2) learning of problem formulation in the design thinking process.
The contribution is the identified pattern: the more the teaching process is focused (by content, time and participants) on the task to be solved, the greater the effects.
•Business-originated projects increase problem understanding and student's enthusiasm.•Team work found the most challenging, students expected external interventions.•Iterative path accepted by students in theory but neglected in practice.•Organizing information from various stakeholders frustrating for students.•Dispersed support did not work, students expected the project supervisor.