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Co-creating regenerative design frameworks for engineering education and practice
Ficzkowski, Negin B. Donald, John R. Zytner, Richard G.
Ficzkowski, Negin B.
Donald, John R.
Zytner, Richard G.
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Date
2025
Educational Level
Curriculum Area
Geographical Setting
Canada
Abstract
This paper presents the design and rationale for a participatory workshop exploring the operationalization of regenerative design principles within engineering education and practice. Grounded in regenerative development theory, systems thinking, and critical-pragmatic inquiry, the workshop contributes to a broader doctoral project investigating the conceptual, institutional, and operational conditions necessary for systemic transformation. Participants engaged in collaborative assessment and adaptation of a preliminary set of principles, informed by literature contrasting regenerative and conventional sustainability models in engineering education. A short on-site benchmarking survey was conducted to establish a shared baseline of participants' perspectives, challenges, and aspirations, guiding the collaborative exploration and framework remixing activities. Synthesized data gathered during the session offers a preliminary mapping of participant perspectives and reasoning patterns in relation to demographic characteristics. The intended outcome was for the participants to gain practical regenerative design strategies, critical systems competencies, and opportunities to position themselves as catalysts for systemic change within their institutions and professions. Through participant-driven inquiry, critical adaptation, and the co-creation of context-sensitive strategies, the workshop aimed to contribute to the iterative development of regenerative educational models and empirical foundations for systemic change.
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Keywords (free text)
systems thinking, participatory approaches, workshops, engineering education, engineering for sustainable development, education for sustainabilty, sustainability in engineering