Advancing Community Operational Research education for improving learning relevance and community engagement

[presentation] This work explores Community Operational Research (COR) education through the use of active pedagogies for learning outcome development in the discipline and strengthening mechanisms for community engagement. Teaching and learning COR has gained little attention in incorporating novel pedagogical approaches to engage students in real-world problem-solving and developing skills such as critical analysis, systemic thinking, and complexity thinking, but also communication and teamwork, which are essential for success in both academic and professional settings. As COR involves meaningful engagement with the community (or communities), there is an opportunity for collaboration, active learning, and the application of OR methods in learning experiences to address relevant real-world community problems. Hence, this work proposes the involvement of students as knowledge producers in identifying, approaching, analyzing, and solving complex problems in partnership with the public, community organizations, businesses, or government agencies. This approach allows students to bridge the gap between theory and practice, and gain a deeper understanding of how OR can be used to solve complex problems in various settings and increase its educational relevance. A framework for this purpose is provided in terms of a structure of active pedagogical methods to define how to learn in COR considering a constructive alignment and authentic assessment approach. The overarching goal is to create mutually beneficial partnerships between academia and the wider community, while also equipping students with valuable skills and knowledge. However, limitations and challenges do exist, such as identifying appropriate projects, communication and coordination with community stakeholders, and building partnerships that align with learning objectives while also meeting the community partner’s needs. This work contributes to advancing teaching practice in COR, expanding mechanisms for community engagement, and enriching students’ learning experiences. It also considers adopting current innovative pedagogies attuned to contemporary educational developments in Higher Education.