Engineering of Self A Radical Constructivist Approach to

Engineering of Self: A Radical Constructivist Approach to Engineering Education Carlos Vignolo 2010 World Engineering Forum Singapore, 17 -21 October 2010

FIRST MOVEMENT: THE ACADEMIC ARGUMENT

THE CHALLENGE • Innovation is not an easy task, particularly in conservative organizations as is the case with universities. Much more difficult when innovations challenge “scientific” paradigms. Few institutions are so conservative as the universities about their own affairs while their members are so liberal about the affairs of others” Clark Kerr

THE PROYECT • Twenty-five years ago, a process of pedagogical innovation was started in the Industrial Engineering Program at the University of Chile, based on Biology of Cognition and Radical Constructivism.

• The main innovation introduced in compulsory and elective courses was and obsessive focus on student’s self design and management of the learning process. • Awareness of the role of emotions, moods, paradigms and focus of attention in the learning process and in the invention of the self are central part of this pedagogical approach.

TUNING IN NAME: DATE: 1. What are your moods (or emotions) at the beginning of this session? Select three from the following list or add other distinctions ___ Enthusiasm ___ Interest ___ Confusion ___ Acceptance ___ Peace ___ Restlessness ___ Ambition ___ Resentment ___ Gratitude ___ Expectation ___ Resentment ___ Skepticism ___ Confidence ___ Apathy ___ Anger ___ Indifference ___ Tranquility ___ Impatience ___ Curiosity ___ Preoccupation ___ Prudence ___ Hope ___ Happiness ___ Anxiety ___ Euphoria ___ Resignation ___ Distrust OTHER: ___________________ 2. Do you think these are good moods to obtain the best from this session? If not, What can you do here and now to improve them? 3. What Interests, Breakdowns and Worries will you bring to the construction of this session? 4. What question or proposal would you like to make now to the facilitator?

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF ACTIVE LISTENING AND BUILDING REALITY PARADIGMS IDEALS VALUES EMOTIONS & MOODS FOCUS OF ATTENTION ACTIVE LISTENING “OBSLISTENING” LEARNING LEADERSHIP INNOVATION REALITY

RESULTS • Good evaluation of the Introductory “Soft” Course: 6. 1 vs. 5. 8 Average for all courses (2001 to 2005) (Grading system from 1. 0 to 7. 0) • Good assessment of former students of the course with 50% High and Very High evaluation of Impact of the course in their training. • An increase in the number of courses and credits with a constructivist and entrepreneurial approach. From an average of 10 “hours course” per year in the 80’s to 35 in the 90’s to 55 since 2000

RESULTS • Learning centered courses have increased students’ willingness and ability to initiate and conduct a wide variety of ambitious and relevant projects, such as: -The reactivation and empowerment of the Industrial Engineering Student Union - The “Construyendo Mis. Sueños” (Building my Dreams) program aimed at a coeducational process between students and low income micro entrepreneurs. 100% invented and run by students. - The “World Class” Annual Meeting of Industrial Engineering students from all over the country (Chile)

FINAL RESULTS • Industrial Engineers Rank Top 1 in Chile in prestige and salaries and they have leading positions in industry, public institutions and politics. • The constructivist student centered approach is expanding to other spaces of the School of Engineering.

INTERPRETATION OF SUCCESS 1. Robust Theoretical basis for innovative proposals: Biology of Cognition, Radical Constructivism, New Tendencies in Management, Innovation Theory. 2. Long Term Horizon 3. The 10 P´s Entrepreneurial Approach ( Passion & Purpose, Patience & Perseverance, Plastic Planning, Priority & Practices, Prudence & Power) 4. Internal Engineering based Leadership

Interpretation of Success 5. Focus on Students Self Design and Management Learning avoids pressure on research oriented academics to improve their learning capabilities, 6. A tradition of respect and promotion of pluralism and critical, autonomous and pioneering thinking at Faculty and Department level. and, most important than all that: 6. An emotional, cultural and political understanding of innovation

SECOND MOVEMENT: THE CONSTRUCTIVIST PROVOCATION

OBJECTIVES OF THIS SECOND MOVEMENT -PROVOKE YOU -TAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE -MAKE A MODEST CONTRIBUTION TO OPEN YOUR EYES, MIND, HEART AND SPIRIT TO ATTEND THE URGENT NEED TO INNOVATE IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND IN OUR LIVES

§DO NOT TRY TO UNDERSTAND §DO NOT PLACE YOURSELF IN THE POSITION OF AGREEING OR DISAGREEING §JUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE PROVOKED THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED IN THE MIDDLE OF A PARADIGM REVOLUTION

PROVOCATION 1 • Innovation is not an option but just… ¡ Evolution in the Human Space of Self Consciousness! • Revolution is Human Innovation in periods of deep and rapid changes like the ones that we live today. ¡Today we need revolutions in our institutions and in our lives!

PROVOCATION 2 • Globalization, Digitalization, Biologization, Easternization and other profound changes are making Western Traditional Paradigms obsolete. • We are living a Paradigm Revolution: The Third (and final !) Great Crisis of Western Civilization.

PROVOCATION 3 Aristotelian Essencialism, Cartesian Racionalism, Friedmanian Individualism Are structural obstacles to built societies and educational systems that allow human beings to be free and creative, to live their Passion and sense of Mission. They hamper ENTREPRENEURSHIP and INNOVATION. They made ACCEPTANCE, RESPECT and LOVE an impossible dream.

PROVOCATION 4 A Radical Constructivist Approach is a good philosophical platform to establish a new Human Paradigm: It allows us to set love and peace and all the eternal values of humanity in the center of life “Let's establish love as a supporting point and we will move mankind towards humanization”

PROVOCATION 5 Human Beings are Socially Produced! That is the reason why Engineering of Education, Human Engineering, Social Engineering and Engineering of Love will be the most relevant engineering in the Third Millennium

The Tree of Knowledge H. Maturana y F. Varela

PROPOSITION 6 “Eastern Cultures are ancestrally constructivist” “The essence of innovation is to re-create the world according to a particular ideal or vision. To create new knowledge means quite literally to recreate the company and EVERYONE in it in an ongoing process of PERSONAL and organizational self renewal” The Knowledge Creating Company Nonaka, I. , Takeuchi, H. 1995

PROPOSITION 7 “Western Management is going into a Humanistic Revolution” Let’s learn from that process! “The term “breakthrough leadership”, as we define it, is multivalent – it points in several directions at once. Certainly, it involves breaking through old habits of thinking to uncover fresh solutions to perennial problems. It also means breaking through the interpersonal barriers that we all erect against genuine human contact. ”

Managing Oneself Peter Drucker 5 th Level Leadership Jim Collins Meaning, Not Money Guy Kawasaki The Enpathic Civilization Jeremy Rifkin

My questions for you? 1. What is the main resistance you have to face to accelerate innovation in Engineering Education in your academic institutions? 2. What are you doing to overcome that resistance?