Carbon Wicked Problem

The aim of this activity is to challenge students to engage with a contemporary complex problem. Framed as a 'wicked' problem according to the criteria of Rittel and Webber (1973), the exercise challenges student to think through various diffirent assumptions and worldviews. The related assessment question asks students to frame their own analysis of the problem and determine both oppotunities and threats to businesses.

The competing discourses brief was written by Suzanne Grob.

Materials

• Competing Discourses Starter (DOCX, 65.3 KB) Download
• The Assessment Question (DOCX, 14.5 KB) Download

Intended Audience and Usage

This task is set during the early weeks of semester as a 'low-stakes' early warning task. Students recieve feedback on their writing, critical thinking ability and their capacity to frame a complex issue within a clearly defined rhetoric.