Local Cultures – Global Spaces

Abstract

In this talk, Dr. Hergenrader will describe his worldbuilding methodology and how other instructors across disciplines can tailor it to cultivate critical thinking skills among their students. Rooted in constructionist learning theory, this worldbuilding methodology engages students in the active construction of speculative, historical, or contemporary worlds, prompting them to navigate complex scenarios and think through different subject positions within a society. Central to the worldbuilding methodology are the concepts of scope, or the borders of the physical extent of the world; sequence, or the historical chain of events that led to the current moment under examination; and perspective, or how diverse segments of the population may view a society’s problems and potential solutions in very different ways. The worldbuilding methodology is a dialogic process that asks students to collectively narrativize their understanding of a world’s workings, drawing from a combination of primary and secondary sources and being informed by their own life experiences. Once a world has been modeled, it provides a sandbox for students to interact with it through instructor-guided simulations and role-playing scenarios. Worldbuilding serves as a dynamic framework for deeper learning, encouraging students to synthesize knowledge from diverse disciplines, fostering creativity, and honing problem-solving abilities. By immersing students in the process of constructing coherent and internally consistent worlds, educators can provide a contextualized and engaging platform for the application of critical thinking skills.