Anders Siig Andersen

Learning Environment at Work: Dilemmas Facing Professional Employees

In an effort to increase efficiency and democracy, the modernization of the public sector has involved an increase in market and user control, an increased application of technology, a decentralization of responsibilities and competencies, and more management and personnel development initiatives. The concept of modernization signals a novel use of language and related concepts such as decentralization , self-management, self-government, de-bureaucratization , quality control, and user influence. These terms may sound positive on an intuitive level but constitute a source of uncertainty as to what is actually taking place. The article analyzes the learning environment in two governmental worksites in Denmark and shows how professional employees respond to the dilemmas posed by modernization at work.

Theoretical Foundations of PPL at Roskilde University

This chapter introduces the pedagogical foundation of the Roskilde Model, i.e. the concept of problem-oriented, interdisciplinary and participant-directed project work (PPL). The aims of this pedagogical concept are to support the social relevance of studies, to guarantee high academic standards, to make studies meaningful for students, to facilitate motivation, and to develop innovative and creative skills. The focus will be on the practical and theoretical reasons for introducing the concept, and on a comparison with the related educational concept of ‘Problem-based Learning’. First, we present a brief exposition of the political background for introducing the pedagogical concept. Secondly, we present the didactic and pedagogical ideas that were developed to underpin the concept, drawing inspiration from German qualifications theory and constructivist learning theory. We then explain the concepts of ‘Problem-based Learning’ and ‘Project Work’. Finally we offer a discussion of the common and divergent features of the concept of problem-based learning (PBL) and the Roskilde Model (PPL).

A Critical Review of the Key Concepts in PPL

This chapter discusses the different factors that have challenged the conception of the principles of PPL and the pedagogical practices connected with the concept. The chapter is based on the idea that a continued development of the conceptual understanding of the learning potentials of the Roskilde Model requires that critical factors for development as well as erosion trends are recognized as constituting the point of departure for further theoretical and practical refinement. The concepts have been interpreted in different ways, and have been subject to some controversy at the university. Changes and adjustments have been made in the pedagogical practice due to changes in the student population, government requirements, and the faculty members’ work situation. The changes have resulted in shifts and transformations in the understanding of the pedagogical principles. In this chapter, we will outline some of the conceptual discussions that have taken place by treating each of the concepts separately. At the same time, we will identify a number of areas where further conceptual development is required.

Historical Transformations Within Danish Higher Education

This chapter discusses the development of the Danish higher education system from three perspectives. Firstly, we outline the historical development of the educational structure from consisting of a number of loosely connected institutions, each with its own historical background, to a public educational system with clearly defined types of institutions and distribution of responsibilities. Secondly, we describe the management structure of the sector with particular emphasis on the management of the universities. The management structure has evolved from institutional autonomy to supranational governance and democratization and to the introduction of one-tier management and New Public Management. Thirdly, we describe the development of the management of education. Over the past 15 years, educational management has been characterized by increasing output control and by the implementation of the recommendations of the Bologna Process and EU requirements with respect to educational structure and quality assurance.

The History of Roskilde University

This chapter describes the background for the establishment of Roskilde University, and traces its history over the first four decades. The focus will be partly on the interaction between the university and broader society and partly on the internal developments at the university. Since its inception in 1972, Roskilde University has evolved from being a key innovative creation in the higher education system, in many ways ahead of its time, to become a university that today is recognized as an important educational alternative in the university world. We highlight the historical background of the founding of the university, with a particular focus on the interplay between its institutional and structural framework, and the development of the pedagogical ideas underlying the study programmes. We conclude the chapter by describing the background to the current situation, as the university sets new goals for organizing teaching, as well as for programme structure and content.

Case Analysis of Some Critical Factors in Relation to Learning Outcomes of PPL – The Formation of Flint

The analysis of concepts in the preceding chapters identifies a number of ideals and challenges with regard to the conceptual foundation of the Roskilde University model. We conclude this part of the book by looking at how the key concepts function in practice. The key concepts will be exemplified through the analysis of a concrete project on the formation of flint carried out in 2010 by a group of seven students in their second semester of the basic study programme in natural science.

The Roskilde Model and the Challenges for Universities in the Future

In the concluding chapter Henning Salling Olesen and Anders Siig Andersen elaborate on some of the potentials of the Roskilde Model’s three dimensions, i.e. the PPL pedagogical model, the educational structure, and the academic profile of study programmes. They discuss in what ways the Roskilde Model may be a valid proposal for a radical university reform – recognizing the learning processes and revisions that have occurred over more than four decades. They also highlight some of the challenges that the European harmonization of education represents to the Roskilde Model as it takes place in a political climate that increasingly prioritizes narrow occupational and business considerations in organizing university study programmes. From one perspective, they focus on educational policies, the future of universities, and their roles and functions in society. From another perspective, they view students as a potential driving force in the development of universities in advanced societies, if universities are able to mobilize students’ subjective experiences and expectations for future work career and life prospects. These two perspectives may be joined in the practical development of an educational structure combining problem-oriented and project-based studies and an academic profile characterized by scientific innovation and critical edge.

The Problem-Oriented Project Work (PPL) Alternative in Self-Directed Higher Education

Abstract This chapter introduces an approach to higher education developed and practiced over four decades at Roskilde University in Denmark. Known as the Roskilde Model, the approach is characterized by (1) a special type of self-directed learning (SDL), named “problem-oriented project learning” (PPL); (2) a way of organizing undergraduate education into broad interdisciplinary programs; and (3) an interdisciplinary profile where double-major graduate programs allow students to design their own academic and professional profiles. The chapter first explains similarities and differences between PPL and some related concepts of SDL: problem-based learning (PBL), inquiry-based learning, and project learning. Secondly, it outlines the origins and development of Roskilde University and of PPL. Thirdly, it introduces and discusses the building blocks and workings of PPL: problem-orientation, interdisciplinarity, the exemplary principle, participant direction, and group-based project work. Fourthly, it describes how studies are organized so as to realize PPL in practice. And finally, it outlines the challenges that current educational policy poses to practicing an educational alternative.