Learning Activity M1 – The ideal urban practitioner

This learning activity will help you to critically reflect about what kind of
urban practitioners that you intend to develop through your course. Think
critically about what kind of professional capabilities that are needed
among future urban practitioners to promote sustainable cities.
We recommend that you look at examples of formulations of intent from
Barrows and Tamblyn 1980 (see literature) and from other universities.
These examples will provide some better understanding of what kind of
critical reflection about urban practitioners and their competences that we
are heading for.
The aim of this template is to help you to deconstruct the competences involved in
bringing the desired urban change about. Remember to keep the learning activity
relevant for your specific course and the field that should be explored.
Reflect about the questions in each column. Use the moves from columns left to
right in order to go a layer deeper into the deconstruction of competences. Use the
moves from columns right to left in order to iterate your reflections.
Print the template on A3 paper. Stick post-its on the template so that it is possible
to iterate.
Use approximately 30 minutes for filling out the template.

Desired Urban Changes Necessary Competences Learning Objectives (doings)

• What changes are you hoping that your students can • What competences are necessary to succeed with the • What characteristics would capture what a ‘good’
produce within cities? desired changes? urban practitioner does within the field?
• Which advances within your field do you believe are • What differences do you see between novices and • Which verbs would capture the desired skills and
necessary to work with? experts within the field? competences?