Management Students Making Sense: Scaffolding Grand Challenges Through Threshold Concepts and Concept Maps

Abstract

In this article, we demonstrate how the iterative use of concept mapping develops business students’ competencies to analyze the complexity, uncertainty, and diverse views inherent in wicked problems and grand challenges. Focusing on the interconnectedness between business, government, and social actors, coupled with the iterative use of concept maps (as both a teaching technique and assessment tool) proved to be effective and powerful techniques to scaffold transformative deep learning in an international business course. Each subsequent experiential concept mapping exercise supported layers of sensemaking that resulted in deep learning. These layers included: (1) recalling pre-requisite foundation international business concepts and applying these to contemporary grand challenges, (2) sensemaking analytical interconnections between prior knowledge, and relationships between concepts, actors and institutions underpinning wicked problems, and (3) making connections between personal values, actions and worldviews and wicked problems, and drawing on current learning to conceptualize and construct possible future solutions to grand challenges. Our work reveals between-course and within course sensemaking obstacles that can be effectively overcome through scaffolding. We invite management educators to use visual pedagogies to scaffold deep learning and equip students with the confidence and skills necessary to sensemake complex wicked problems and address the grand challenges of our time.