Dissertation - Details
Dissertation of Simon Burandt
Future orientation in ESD. Advancement of cross-linked thinking, coping with uncertainties and complexity by using Scenario Analysis. Communication and educational processes investigated on the example of climate change (Arbeitstitel).
Short description:
Complex (sustainability related) problems like climate change have become urgent topics on the agenda. Important decisions have to be taken already today by key actors regarding mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Environmental and Sustainability Communication, Risk Management and ESD are intending to offer relevant content, to foster the development of competencies, to integrate different stakeholder interests and to strengthen capabilities of different actors to take action in this complex and uncertain situation.
Scenario Analysis has been used since decades for strategic planning in economy is now implemented in multiple contexts. Sets of scenarios are used to communicate (environmental) risks, Scenario Analysis as method is used for the integration of different stakeholder perspectives, research results or in sustainability research as well as teaching method in political and economical
contexts. But so far the Scenario Exercises for Education (and Communication) for Sustainable Development (ESD) has retained relatively little attention.
Therefore the dissertation elaborates on three different aspects. All ones are contributing to a general guiding topic: (How) Could the use of the Scenario Analysis in education or communication processes empower actors to take actions in face of complex problems (by using climate change as an example.)?
The first part of the dissertation focuses on the development of a theoretical basis for ESD, future orientation, cross‐linked thinking and the method Scenario Exercise. Guiding question is the role of Scenario Exercises for educational and communication processes. A concept for using Scenario Exercise in Higher Education will be introduced.
The second part of the dissertation is about an empirical study of the impact of a practical implementation of the prescribed concept. Special focus lies on the influence on the competency of cross‐linked thinking. A pre/post survey with one “treatment” and two control groups mainly trying to measure the development (improvement) of participant´s mental models of a complex problem
(climate change) by using a Scenario Exercise in teaching will be conducted.
The third sub‐question of the dissertation will change its focus from construction process to results. The role of (finished) sets of scenarios in education and (climate change and risk‐) communication processes will be investigated.