‘Clumsy’ Methodology for Wicked Interdisciplinary Education: A Predictive Tool to Uncover Blindspots from

Educators can appreciate that a ‘wicked’ problem we face is the challenge of catering to diverse student learning preferences. In our university-wide interdisciplinary design innovation module, we uncovered a deeper wicked problem: conflicting learning preferences amongst students - leading to blind spots where module policies are misaligned with the learning preferences of some students. As such, we ask, how might we deploy or adapt existing frameworks or methodologies to help us pre-emptively uncover blind spots caused by conflicting students' learning preferences, so that we can minimize gaps in learning outcomes? This study first investigated a data set of module feedback (from a cohort of three thousand year-one students) through the analytical lenses of Mary Douglas's Grid-Group Typology. The results showed a framework that can shed light on the nature of conflicting preferences and how ‘elegant’ (non-pluralistic) module policy blind spots lead to gaps in learning outcomes. This study then investigated how this framework can be adapted to become a predictive tool to help educators uncover potential blind spots in their modules. The results showed a methodology that educators can deploy to uncover blind spots in both 1) existing modules (through guided investigation of existing data), and 2) new modules (through guided reflection), so that they can implement ‘clumsy’ (non-elegant) policies to address conflicting student learning preferences before the next/new module starts. This paper concludes with an open invitation to collaborate on studies to test this ‘Clumsy’ Methodology in other educational contexts.