Today I’ve been reading a really thoughtful paper by Valentina Tassone and her colleagues about redesigning higher education curricula in the context of the Anthropocene. The authors argue persuasively for a transition in higher education toward more responsible forms of research and learning in relation to wicked problems. They point out how important it is to prepare learners and professionals for the ‘grand challenges’ facing our societies. Taking an action research approach, the authors developed a set of educational design principles and learner competences which can underpin curriculum development in higher education.

I particularly like this point from the paper:

“The challenging conditions of our time call for human values that return us to our basic obligation to care for others and the earth, and to permeate our endeavors with that sense of care, within and beyond the specific role one plays in society at a given point in time.”