Fictional methods as innovative assessment or pedagogical approach

  • Dates: 18 March 2024, 12:00 - 13:00
  • Venue:
  • 18 March at 12-1pm

This session explores using fictional methods like design fiction and social science fiction as an approach to learning or assessment across various disciplines. By crafting research-informed narratives, students can tackle complex topics in society, like climate change, new technology, social change, identity and ethics. By doing so, students can develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking in a creative, future-proof way. As an extra benefit, fiction is easy to implement and engaging.

In this session, we will cover some examples of fictional problem-solving methods such as social science fiction and design fiction. These fictional methods all involve students writing research informed narratives or stories – which can be applied to most disciplines as a low-cost assessment method or pedagogical approach.

Fictional approaches are especially useful to explore topics with elements of uncertainty, or to better relate abstract topics to real-world impacts. Some potential topics include climate change, introduction of new technologies or products, ethics, or social change.

The benefits for students are that they can be better prepared for the future, develop agency in their own learning and understand complex topics where there may not be a right or wrong answer. In doing so, students can build problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

In this session you will learn to:

  • Identify types of fictional problem-solving approaches and their associated benefits.
  • Explore some example approaches that can be used with students.
  • Discuss what might work for your students.

Contact [email protected] for joining instructions.

  • Dates: 18 March 2024, 12:00 - 13:00
  • Venue: