Teaching transdisciplinary competencies for sustainability transformation by co-producing social learning videos

Film has great potential to initiate social learning processes. Therefore, working with film is suitable as a teaching format that enables co-production of knowledge and transformative learning. Through participatory filmmaking, students can acquire transdisciplinary competencies, which are necessary for sustainability transformations. We discuss how transdisciplinary competences can be acquired by building on transformative teaching by co-producing social learning videos.

Dealing with complex societal problems requires transdisciplinary approaches and competencies. Inspired by debates on transformative teaching and participatory filmmaking, we show how we used the social learning video method to teach transdisciplinary competencies in a university setting. Using the design of future railway stations as an example, students interacted with external practice partners in real-world problem situations. As part of this process, they became aware of their own professional perspectives and critically reflected on the perspectives of their practice partners and the differences in their understanding of sustainability. In addition, they developed numerous transdisciplinary competences, such as defining a problem together, conducting group discussions and interviews, mediating among different viewpoints, allowing a common language to develop, and triggering “AHA!” moments in joint film screenings. As part of transdisciplinary and transformative teaching, it is important to provide access to external practice partners and working environments, enable students to engage and reflect, and provide nurturing and challenging framework conditions.