30.01 Goals and concept

We are fascinated by the digitalization of work, which continues to transform our conceptions of office jobs, reasons why we work, and the ways in which we organize resources. This transformation is exemplified by work-from-home trends and the rise of digital nomads. Employees are no longer tethered to traditional physical office workspaces, allowing for a more flexible, global, and often more productive work environment. Furthermore, the emergence of online labor markets, open-source development, and crowdsourcing platforms enable collaborative, transparent, and community-driven models of development and innovation. With the rise of advanced methods, such as generative artificial intelligence, accessing data, knowledge, and research findings is becoming more fluid and democratized, breaking down barriers to information and empowering a broader spectrum of individuals to contribute to and benefit from collective intelligence. This dynamic landscape of digital work not only alters how we work but also enriches the tapestry of skills, perspectives, and experiences in the professional world. Exploring the possible futures of work, each with unique opportunities and challenges, is inherently interesting for students who are about to enter a digital world of work.

Teaching principles

  • Focus on contents and skills that continue to be relevant in a broad set of professional settings 🚀
  • Combine different formats to inspire, evaluate, and co-create 🚀
  • Give students the opportunity to create and publish products, papers, or other outcomes 🚀
  • Improve continuously based on student feedback, and academic materials, including peer-reviewed and evidence-based teaching cases 🧑‍🎓️ / 🛠️
  • Create fair, participatory, and inclusive learning environments 🙏

Guidelines for instructors

  • Stay up-to-date with teaching resources (academic or MOOC) and skills that are important to students
  • Select illustrative cases that are exciting and actively look for case studies and examples
  • Explain our aspiration to design and co-create with students
  • Provide opportunities to design and co-create (e.g., handbook materials, design of artifacts, or academic publications)
  • Ask students what they would like to learn more about
  • Discuss with students how we improve our lectures and share ideas for the upcoming semesters
  • Create a non-judgmental learning athmosphere in which students are encouranged to make mistakes and ask questions
  • Use inclusive language and non-stereotypical role models/examples