User Designed Inquiry: An effort to reconceptualize teaching and learning at a US university

This paper explores the adoption of a user-designed curriculum at a medium-sized research, residential university in the US. Two cases of faculty in health and engineering engaged in pedagogical changes towards a user-designed environment are explored. Insights generated include the need to leverage existing good practice while setting clear institutional goals for what constitutes innovation, need for student input in process of shifting pedagogical approach, and diversity of size/discipline contexts in which user-designed courses can operate. The features and challenges associated with user designed inquiry are discussed in light of these initial efforts.