The problem oriented project work
Problem-orientation is a keyword for the Roskilde University method of working. Instead of being dictated only by an academic framework, the project work at RU is based on problems, their complexity and the context in which they are included. The project work is interdisciplinary and comprehensive in the way that it is the problem rather than the
individual academic subject, which defines the character of the problem and the way it is to be treated.
Every semester of the basic studies, the students will be working with problem-oriented projects, in groups that will be formed in the beginning of the semester. The students form their own groups based on mutual academic interests. Each semester will be ended with an oral project examination.
By entering the webpage of the Library of Roskilde University you are able to look for projects made by students from The Soical Science Basic Study
The Aim of Group-based Project Work
The group work is essential for the problem-oriented project work run by the participants. It is the foundation itself and the prerequisite for the students acquiring the special
qualifications offered by RU. Good group work develops both the academic competence and the social abilities of the individual. The fact is that project work is not a predictable linear process, which is experienced from the start to the end. It is a process demanding constant reflection on the chosen problem, covering possible theories and methods, which could be relevant in the illustration of the problem.
Thus, in a group the students practise their ability to problematize their own thoughts and viewpoints, and those of others, through written and oral presentations, which are then discussed. They practise summarizing texts and theories, and communicating them to others. They learn to evaluate the work of others and give feedback. They train giving and receiving critique, both academically and personally. They are forced into the art of cooperation. It encourages the ability to solve academic and personal conflicts. Each student’s ambitions and wishes for a good learning process lead him/her to making demands and setting limits, more so than normally. Listening to and asking others are abilities, which it may be difficult to master.