Phenomenon-based Learning for Age 5.0 Mindsets: Industry, society, and Education

Abstract

Sustainable education requires developing transformative competencies for rehumanizing education at the age of smart machines. This article will examine how a next-generation learning model that manifests through smart technologies may thrive within the Age 5.0 educational framework. To realize this practice, the converging phenomenon of sustainability has been addressed within its subset smart power grid by piloting processing learning style and systems thinking pedagogy that incorporates student active participation in tasks like design modules and real-world projects facilitated by guidance, feedback, and critique. The process utilizes the University of Ottawa campus buildings as a “real-space sustainability lab” for developing learning content and collecting data for projects as part of teaching a fourth-year undergraduate course on power systems. This not only facilitates a practical and experiential approach but also provides a great exposure to real entities thereby minimizing the gap between industry and academia. Gathered data from the questionnaires, interviews and observation clearly show that unleashing engaging activities into phenomena-and project-based learning may significantly improve student analytical thinking, knowledge creation, reflective judgment, self-efficacy, and importantly graduate employability.