Shaping societal transitions to support a sustainable future requires vision, leadership and skills to initiate and direct change processes. This calls for education where students learn the skills and attitudes to shape these transitions. The Transition Makers Toolbox is a teaching toolbox based on the Inner Development Goals framework. We asked Caspar Schoevaars – Policy Advisor at the Interdisciplinary Education Programme at Utrecht University – about his experiences with using and contributing to the Toolbox.
How do you use the Transition Makers Toolbox?
I mainly use it as a source of inspiration. In my work, I often encounter questions about doing interdisciplinary work. Having a collection of fun, unconventional, and well-thought-out tools and exercises ready is really useful. Even though I don’t teach, it’s surprising how often stepping away from standard discussion formats helps.
The Exchanging Perspectives tool. I adapted an exercise I came across during a Liberating Structures workshop to suit students and formulated a clearer learning outcome. At the time, I worked at the EWUU Alliance’s Centre for Unusual Collaborations, which has a focus on the development of interdisciplinary competences. Therefore, my tool focuses on really hearing each other’s perspectives in an (interdisciplinary) exchange.
My exercise was developed during and around two co-creation sessions organized by the Transition Makers Toolbox team, which were both insightful and fun. I enjoyed going beyond discussing the tools and getting to test some of them. In doing so, we learned a lot from each other.
What do you like best about the Toolbox?
I like its broadness. It has a wide range of tools based around the Inner Development Goals that are clearly labeled and bundled with instructions. Subsequently, I know where to find what I am looking for and how to use it with little effort.
Would you recommend teachers using it?
Yes, I would definitely recommend it to teachers. At worst, it might provide a source of inspiration. In the best case scenario, you might find a tool that slots right into your education.
How does it empower students to drive societal change?
Many tools have in common that they invite you to look beyond your own perspective. This fosters empathy, making more engaged and widely interested students, inspiring them to drive societal change. The Toolbox, in turn, provides them with tools to inspire this in others as well.
About the Transition Makers Toolbox
The Transition Makers Toolbox is a collaborative initiative of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (IIS) at the University of Amsterdam and the EWUU Alliance. Together with teachers from 10 higher education institutions across the Netherlands, these tools were developed to empower students to contribute to tackling complex societal challenges.
Inner Development Conversation Starters
A deck of 46 cards with thought-provoking questions inspired by the Inner Development Goals, developed by the Transition Makers Toolbox team.
These cards are a powerful tool for encouraging deep reflection and meaningful conversations. They help you explore important skills and attitudes like resilience, empathy, and connectedness. The cards can be used alone, with a partner or in small groups. The conversations they inspire can strengthen self-awareness and personal growth, which amplifies the impact of change-making efforts on a larger scale.