Testimonial
Boundary crossing competence development in Data Science for Smart Environments course (GRS-35306)
In the course GRS-35306 Data Science for Smart Environments, students have to work in groups. In order to trigger students' boundary crossing competence development, one of the course teachers, Holly Mellor, took the initiative to design a learning activity specifically on the boundary crossing learning mechanism of identification.
Students are better able to identify their needs and find other students to help them. The teacher also has a better overview of the strengths and weaknesses of groups, can help them in finding each other and also identify common ‘lacking expertise’ that should be given attention to in the course.
Holly Mellor, a teacher in the GRS-35306 course, used the boundary crossing knowledge clips to introduce BC to the students. Then she asked students to identify their own: knowledge (K), skills (S), attitudes (A) and lacking expertise using different coloured sticky notes on a digital Mural Board. Within groups students make an overview of their K, S, A and lacking expertise and on the Mural board all groups can see this from all groups.
Student groups were then asked to take action to overcome their group's ‘lacking expertise’. This can be done by looking at the K, S, A of the other groups and making connections to these groups and ask for help. So, Holly used an “identification assignment” and build on that by setting up “Coordination” activities with (members of) other groups. The Mural Board was revisited several times during the course, also in class and by the teacher and coach of the groups.
In the end portfolio, all students were asked to incorporate two concrete examples of the boundary crossing activities they did, how they used the Mural Board assignment for this and how these activities were helpful in what way.
This set up stimulate boundary crossing across student groups within a course. Students are better able to identify their needs and find other students to help them. The teacher also has a better overview of the strengths and weaknesses of groups, can help them in finding each other and also identify common ‘lacking expertise’ that should be given attention to in the course.