This article reports on a study where we used a novel method to work with university students at a media technology and design programme to innovate on questions related to futuring in an educational context. Participating students used creative methods, paper crafting and design methods to “hack” the university campus in a post-COVID-19 scenario. This study situates hackathon as a design method that can be used to foster problem-solving and critical thinking skills in the context of current challenges. The students were asked to identify possible challenges in a post-COVID-19 return on campus and consider solutions to these challenges. They were tasked to shape their solutions in the form of a “sustainable artefact” meant to facilitate a smoother, safer, and welcoming return to campus life. In this study we reflect on how they engaged critically with the campus green and built infrastructure and how have they considered changes that would make their return to campus life a positive experience. Through the analysis of students’ assignments, we demonstrate how this method allowed for space in finding one’s own voice, how the design material supported students’ work on future design, and how aspects of future design are helping students finding a way of acting upon current calls to re-work our cities.

In spatial planning of urban areas, there is a need for new methods for meaningful inclusion of less represented voices as those of young people. This study focuses on how participatory design, design fiction and sound design can be combined to engage youth in urban planning processes. This is investigated by developing and testing a method called participatory sound fiction. The method was tested with a group of young residents in a suburban area in Sweden. Sound fictions of the suburb in 2170 were created and discussed among the youth participants. The results show that through discussions and speculations about the future, important insights were revealed about the youths’ reality, which can be of value in spatial planning processes as well as in understandings of how the youth experiences their living area. Furthermore, the study found that sound can broaden youths’ perspective on their immediate environment, that participatory sound fiction has the potential to engage youths, and that youths prefer to discuss the present to feel that their voices are being heard.

In spatial planning of urban areas, there is a need for new methods for meaningful inclusion of less represented voices as those of young people. As the United Nations Act on the Rights of the Child became law in Sweden in 2020, children and youths have the right to form, express and have their own opinions in all matters concerning them, including participation in societal development such as urban design and urban planning processes. Methods used in participatory spatial planning are most often aimed at well-educated adult audiences and tend to focus on rational argumentation about short term needs, leaving out the effect the sensory and embodied experiences of our surroundings have on our well-being. Here we suggest that there could be benefits to integrate approaches where more space is given to sensory modalities such as urban soundscape and noise levels. As sound is a prevalent element in cities, the study aims to contribute with an analysis of how sound can be used in urban design processes with a special interest in the inclusion of children and youth. 

The study proposes and evaluates a method called participatory sound fiction, based on the intersection of three methodological approaches: participatory design, design fiction and sonic interaction/sound design, and how they can be combined to engage youth in urban planning processes. The participatory sound fiction method aims to be a collaboration between urban planners, designers, and youth, and consists of three main activities: 1) a workshop with participants, where sound cues are used as a basis for discussions, 2) the design of a “sound fiction” envisioning the future, and finally, 3) a presentation of and discussion about the sound fictions with the participants. Drawing on participatory design, the method highlights learning from the participants being experts in their own situation, and the opportunity to create empowerment for the participants is elaborated. Design fiction contributes with envisioning of the future as a means to create opportunities for discussion about real problems, challenge current situations and look at everyday life from new perspectives. Sonic interaction and sound design bring to the fore the ability of sound to arouse imagination, emotions, and discussion. 

The method was deployed and tested in a suburban area in Stockholm, characterised by low socioeconomic status and criminality, and low level of trust for the local government and public institutions. The study included eight youths aged 15-16 years old, recruited through the local youth centre. As part of the process a sound fiction envisioning the area in year 2170 was created. Through the activities, the participants reflected on their current situation and everyday lives in their local neighbourhood, as well as on their visions of the future.  

In conclusion, the study shows how the method, participatory sound fiction, could be useful to engage youth in urban planning processes. The results show that through discussions and speculations about the future, important insights were revealed about the youths' reality, which can be of value in spatial planning processes. Furthermore, the study found that sound can broaden youths’ perspective on their immediate environment, that participatory sound fiction has the potential to engage youths, and that youths prefer to discuss the present to feel that their voices are being heard.

This abstract is submitted to SDG+Target: 5b, and relates to the conference theme by providing insights on how art and design can be used to encourage sustainable development of young people in their own social and urban environment.  

Intergenerational justice (IGJ) has long been utilized in academic contexts such as philosophy and political theory. However, IGJ has increasingly become politicized. That is, it has been translated into more tangible ideas and discourses for public scrutiny, contestation, and action. This politicization is strongly represented by youth activism, which has utilized the concept to demand urgent political action and to defend the right to be included and represented in decision-making processes, particularly regarding climate change-related issues. The central topic of discussion in this perspective article is the strategic identification of youth inclusion with IGJ, and specifically the risks involved in accepting this identification. In this article we focus on urban environmental planning and argue that it is important to separate the practice of youth inclusion and the concept of IGJ to address these concerns and explore alternative strategies for incorporating IGJ in urban environmental planning. We then proceed to explore potential urban environmental planning approaches that are more intergenerationally just and conclude by critically reflecting on how the current political economy enables or hinders a more intergenerationally just approach to urban environmental planning.

Didaktiska digitala dilemman är en antologi som möter de utmaningar som uppstår där en ny värld väntas återskapa kunskap med ny teknik. Genom inblickar i dagens förändrade lärarpraktik presenteras färsk forskning och aktuell empiri som lärare och lärarstudenter kan känna igen sig i.

I boken ställs frågor som: Hur ser utmaningarna ut? Vad säger forskningen om dessa utmaningar? Hur kan lärare arbeta för att hantera dessa digitala klassrumsdilemman?

Kapitlen är indelade i fyra teman som speglar didaktiska dilemman som berör digitaliseringens utmaningar som lärare stöter på i sin vardag:

Det digitala klassrummetAtt organisera digital undervisningMakt och demokrati i det digitala klassrummetTeknik och medier i klassrummet

Frågeställningarna och insikterna i Digitala didaktiska dilemman uppmuntrar till kollegial reflektion och diskussion och passar alla lärarkategorier och lärarstudenter från förskolenivå till universitets- och högskolenivå.

Denna presentation kommer att fokusera pågående forskning om digitala didaktiska dilemman i Sverige. De didaktiska dilemman som kommer att presenteras är relevanta för lärare och forskare inom högre utbildning. Den forskning som presenteras är hämtad från en kommande bok om digitala didaktiska dilemman som kommer att ges ut i maj 2022 (Lundmark & Kontio, Natur & Kultur). Boken samlar texter som rör didaktiska dilemman och digitalisering författade av några av Sveriges främsta forskare inom olika aspekter av pedagogik, medier och teknik och deras färska forskning kring digitala didaktiska dilemman. Boken behandlar forskning som rör både grundutbildning, gymnasie- och högre utbildning. Forskning kring digitala didaktiska utmaningar inom högre utbildning är i fokus för den här presentationen. 

Om allt det här stökiga med Corona och den i skrivande stund rådande pandemin har lärt oss pedagoger något, så är det ju hur lite vi egentligen kan om digitalisering när vi alla plötsligt tvingades att skapa digital fjärrundervisning. Alla är experter på Zoom, ingen är expert på Zoom. Därför bedömer vi att det ligger i tiden att skapa ett forum där pedagoger kan läsa om, lära om och diskutera den digitala omställningen/digitaliseringen och de utmaningar för pedagoger som följer med den. De utmaningar som lärare har i och med digitalisering av skolan är många. Kan vi utan vidare föra över vår traditionella undervisning och köra den via skärmen? Vad händer med mötet med våra studenter när undervisningen sker digitalt? Vad ersätter eller tillför de digitala verktygen när vi exempelvis byter ut böcker mot skärmar? 

I presentationen kommer vi att behandla olika exempel på hur man som lärare kan möta de utmaningar som kommer där en ny värld väntas återskapa kunskap med ny teknik, dels genom att ge inblickar i hur den förändrade utbildningspraktiken ser ut, genom att presentera färsk forskning som tar utgångspunkt i faktisk och aktuell empiri. Dels har vi ambitionen att lärare och kollegor vid högskolor och universitet i Sverige ska kunna känna igen sig i de utmaningar som vi synliggör och i de olika lärarpraktiker som presentationen återspeglar, och att presentationen kan utgöra en grogrund för samtal kring hur vi kan utveckla undervisningspraktiken inom högre utbildning.

Referenser:

Lundmark, S. & Kontio, J. (2022). Digitala didaktiska dilemman. Stockholm: Natur & Kultur.