P ac ice Pape
Recommended ci a ion: T usco , F., & Smi h, L. (2025). Con olled Chaos: How
S uc u e Enables In e disciplina y Teamwo k in Mega Classes. In Kangaslampi,
R., Langie, G., Jä inen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual Con e ence.
Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e, Finland. DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.17631525.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
Con olled Chaos: How s uc u e enables in e disciplina y eamwo k in mega
classes
F. R. T usco a,
1
and L. Smi h b1
a Cen e o Enginee ing Educa ion, UCL, London, UK, ORCID: 0000-0001-9153-
2077
b Uni e si y o P e o ia, P e o ia, Sou h A ica, ORCID: 0000-0001-8022-0000
Con e ence Key A eas: Enginee ing skills, p o essional skills, and ans e sal skills,
Building he capaci y and s eng hening he educa ional compe ences o enginee ing
educa o s
Keywo ds: Teamwo k, mega-scale eaching, s uc u ed lea ning, enginee ing
educa ion
ABSTRACT
As enginee ing educa ion inc easingly in eg a es eamwo k and in e disciplina y
lea ning, scaling hese expe iences o accommoda e he la ge coho s ypical o
enginee ing p og ammes p esen s unique challenges. Smalle cou ses bene i om
o ganic, ins uc o -led in e ac ions ha a e ypical o eaching in e disciplina y eam
p ojec s and common in li e a u e; ex emely la ge modules (900+ s uden s) demand
s uc u ed amewo ks o ensu e consis ency, engagemen , and skill de elopmen as
well as making e icien use o he limi esou ces a ailable. P io esea ch highligh s
he impo ance o sel -di ec ed lea ning and eam dynamics a smalle scales, bu he
ole o s uc u ed p ocesses in suppo ing hese a scale emains unde explo ed.
This s udy builds on wo k p e iously done by he au ho s on he impac o ex emely
la ge-scale coho s on he pedagogy o in e disciplina y eam p ojec s by unpacking
how s uc u e can acili a e e ec i e eamwo k in wo la ge-scale enginee ing
modules—one in he Global No h and one in he Global Sou h.
1
Co esponding Au ho
F. R. T usco and L. Smi h
. usco @ucl.ac.uk and lelani[email p o ec ed].za
1 INTRODUCTION
Enginee ing educa ion is inc easingly expec ed o equip g adua es wi h he
compe encies needed o add ess complex, in e connec ed global challenges—
challenges such as clima e change ha canno be sol ed h ough echnical knowledge
alone. In esponse o demands om indus y, p o essional bodies, and socie y,
cu icula a e inco po a ing mo e oppo uni ies o s uden s o de elop p o essional
skills such as eamwo k, p oblem sol ing, communica ion, and e hical decision-
making. These compe encies a e cen al o he sus ainabili y amewo ks ou lined by
UNESCO (2017) and align wi h calls o mo e socially embedded, sys ems-o ien ed
ways o hinking in enginee ing (S achan e al., 2022; G aham, 2018). In e disciplina y
eam p ojec s ha e eme ged as a powe ul pedagogical ehicle o os e ing hese
skills, equi ing s uden s o collabo a e ac oss disciplina y bounda ies, con on
ambigui y, and in eg a e di e se o ms o knowledge (La uca e al., 2004; Kolb, 2015).
Howe e , he implemen a ion o hese lea ning ac i i ies demands a signi ican shi in
he eaching app oach. Unlike adi ional lec u e-based o ma s, in e disciplina y eam
p ojec s equi e he p ac i ione o walk he lea ning jou ney wi h s uden s, o e ing
acili a ion, coaching, and empa he ic suppo a he han simply ans e ing
knowledge (Jung e al., 2005; Lekalakala-Mokgele, 2010). The social and emo ional
dimensions o his wo k a e subs an ial, as s uden s mus na iga e in e pe sonal
dynamics, con lic , and discom o while wo king in di e se eams—o en ou side hei
disciplina y o pe sonal com o zones. P ac i ione s mus be p epa ed o suppo
hese a ec i e dimensions o lea ning, which a e as c i ical o he success o he
p ojec as he echnical elemen s. This eaching mode equi es a dis inc skill se —
one ha may be un amilia o educa o s ained in mo e con en -d i en, indi idualis ic
app oaches o eaching. As such, in e disciplina y eamwo k is no only pedagogically
ich, bu also p o essionally demanding, especially when scaled o ex emely la ge
coho s.
The Role o he P ac i ione and he S uc u al Challenge
In e disciplina y eam p ojec s shi he ole o he educa o away om con en deli e y
owa d acili a ion, guidance, and emo ional suppo (T usco & Smi h, 2024). Ra he
han ocusing solely on echnical ou comes, p ac i ione s mus walk alongside
s uden s as hey na iga e he social and a ec i e dimensions o eamwo k—managing
g oup dynamics, lea ning o collabo a e, and coping wi h he emo ional complexi y o
pee engagemen (T usco e al., 2021; Smi h & T en , 2021). These esponsibili ies
demand a eaching skill se ha many enginee ing educa o s a e no o mally ained
in. When modules scale o 900 o mo e s uden s, he demands on he p ac i ione
in ensi y, wi h he pe cei ed impossibili y o p o iding he kind o indi idualised suppo
hese p ojec s seem o equi e. This has led o assump ions ha such expe ien ial,
skills-based lea ning canno be e ec i ely deli e ed a scale. Howe e , as ins i u ions
embed in e disciplina y eamwo k ea lie in he cu iculum and make i a co e,
assessed componen o deg ee p og ams, la ge-scale modules a e becoming mo e
common, making i necessa y o e hink his assump ion .
Why S uc u e I sel Needs Deepe A en ion
While he e is subs an ial li e a u e on eamwo k pedagogy in small o medium-sized
coho s (80–100 s uden s), he s uc u al eali ies o deli e ing hese p ojec s in mega
classes emain unde explo ed (He nández-de-Menéndez e al., 2019; Van den Beem
e al., 2020). As Pauli e al. (2008) highligh , ask diso ganisa ion and poo g oup
unc ioning o en esul om unclea oles and insu icien planning—issues ha a e
magni ied when di ec o e sigh om educa o s is no longe easible. In hese
con ex s, s uc u e is no simply a logis ical necessi y; i becomes a pedagogical ool.
Recen wo k by Joyne e al. (2023) emphasises ha la ge-scale cou ses equi e
in en ional alignmen ac oss lea ning ou comes, assessmen s, and ins uc ional
p ac ices. In in e disciplina y eam p ojec s, his alignmen is pa icula ly c i ical, as
s uden s mus no only comple e echnical asks bu also na iga e in e pe sonal and
disciplina y di e ences.
This pape o ms pa o a b oade esea ch se ies examining he design and
acili a ion o in e disciplina y eamwo k in mega classes. The i s pape explo ed he
e ol ing ole o he educa o a scale, highligh ing he shi om adi ional eaching o
acili a ion and sys ems design (T usco & Smi h, 2024). The second pape connec ed
Kimp on and Mayna d’s amewo k o success ul eam p ojec s wi h he p ac ical
eali ies o eaching a mega scale, iden i ying key hema ic a eas (Kimp on &
Mayna d, 2023; Smi h & T usco , 2025a). The hi d pape p o ided a p ac ical
o e iew o module coo dina ion and deli e y, ocusing on s a egies o balancing
au oma ion wi h s uden -cen ed p ac ices (Smi h & T usco , 2025b). This ou h pape
ocuses speci ically on he s uc u al design elemen s ha unde pin success ul
lea ning expe iences in ex emely la ge coho s. I o eg ounds he in en ional
amewo ks—bo h pedagogical and logis ical— ha make eamwo k, au onomy, and
consis ency possible a scale.
In add essing a gap in he li e a u e on how eamwo k pedagogy ansla es in o
ex emely la ge-scale en i onmen s, he au ho s used Kimp on and Mayna d’s
p ac i ione - ocused e iew o eamwo k pedagogy o e lec on how scale changes
he demands on ins uc ional design. F om his e lec ion, h ee in e sec ing hemes
eme ged as c i ical o p ac i ione s: managing esou ces, enabling e ec i e
communica ion, and designing in en ional s uc u e. These hemes a e no disc e e;
a he , hey equi e he educa o o ake a complex, in eg a ed app oach o cou se
design and acili a ion.
La ge-scale cou ses equi e in en ional s uc u ing o ensu e cohe ence and alignmen
ac oss lea ning ou comes, assessmen s, and ins uc ional s a egies. Resea ch
indica es ha a -scale cou ses bene i om a mo e delibe a e design p ocess in ol ing
con en expe s, lea ning designe s, and pla o m enginee s, which imp o es cou se
o ganisa ion and accessibili y (Joyne e al., 2023). This s uc u ed app oach becomes
e en mo e c i ical in in e disciplina y eam p ojec s, whe e coo dina ion ac oss
disciplines and alignmen wi h p ojec goals a e essen ial o s uden success.
This pape unpacks one o hese hemes—s uc u e— o examine how pedagogical
and logis ical amewo ks can suppo lea ning ou comes, p omo e consis ency ac oss
di e se eams, and compensa e o he limi ed di ec o e sigh ypical in mega classes.
I explo es how s uc u ed design elemen s such as sca olding ools, men o ship
models, and embedded e lec i e p omp s can help s uden s na iga e eamwo k
independen ly while main aining alignmen wi h cou se objec i es. A o hcoming
pape (Smi h & T usco , 2025c) will ex end he se ies by explo ing communica ion
s a egies in his con ex .
2 CONTEXT AND METHODS
2.1 Con ex
This pape examines wo mega-scale in e disciplina y enginee ing modules—one in
he Global No h and one in he Global Sou h— ha ely on s uc u ed design o suppo
s uden lea ning a scale. A Uni e si y College London, he Enginee ing Challenges
module engages 900–1,000 i s -yea s uden s om se en depa men s in a
s uc u ed, in e disciplina y eam p ojec . A he Uni e si y o P e o ia, he Join
Communi y P ojec (JCP) module in ol es 1,650 second-yea s uden s ac oss 18
p og ams in se ice-lea ning p ojec s embedded in communi y con ex s. Despi e
ins i u ional and con ex ual di e ences, bo h modules use in en ional s uc u al
mechanisms—including e ically o ho izon ally in eg a ed men o ship, sha ed
sca olding, and eam-based eaching— o suppo s uden au onomy, acili a e
in e disciplina y lea ning, and manage logis ical complexi y. The scale o hese
modules demands a shi om adi ional ins uc ion o sys ems-le el coo dina ion and
embedded suppo , ensu ing consis ency, meaning ul engagemen , and equi able
access o de elopmen oppo uni ies. These cases p o ide insigh s in o how s uc u al
design can enable e ec i e in e disciplina y eamwo k in ex emely la ge enginee ing
coho s.
2.2 Me hods
This s udy builds on p io esea ch (T usco & Smi h, 2024; Smi h & T usco , 2025a
and b). Using au oe hnog aphic w i ing (Ellis & Bochne , 1999; Choi, 2012) and
s uc u ed sha ed na a i e inqui y (Chase, 2005) o explo e in e disciplina y
eamwo k in mega classes, enabled us o ques ion assump ions, su ace hidden
pa e ns and i e a i ely e ine hemes. The acili a o s engaged in i e a i e e lec ion
and documen a ion, en iched by i s -hand obse a ions om ins i u ional isi s.
These e lec ions ocused on he in en ional design o s uc u al elemen s ha
suppo lea ning a scale. Compa a i e analysis o s udy guides, assessmen ub ics,
and coo dina ion ools was hen b ough in, o highligh alignmen be ween s uc u e
and lea ning ou comes. Eme ging hemes we e syn hesised in o p ac ical s a egies
o managing complexi y and p omo ing s uden au onomy in la ge-scale
in e disciplina y modules.
3 RESULTS AND INSIGHTS
Teaching eamwo k in a mega class en i onmen equi es a s uc u ed app oach ha
educes eliance on di ec lec u e -s uden engagemen . Wi h o e 900 s uden s,
s uc u e becomes a ool ha can be used o guide and suppo s a and s uden s
h ough he p ojec as well as p o ide a space o independen lea ning and
de elopmen o pe sonal skills such as esilience. The bigges challenge is ensu ing
ha s uden s know wha hey need o do, how o do i , and why i ma e s, wi hou
equi ing cons an o e sigh om eaching s a .
3.1 Obse a ions om UCL
S uc u e is essen ial o unning Enginee ing Challenges success ully. This is due no
only o he la ge numbe o s uden s bu also o he size and complexi y o he eaching
eam. Enginee ing Challenges is in eg a ed in o he deg ee p og ammes o se en
depa men s wi hin UCL's Enginee ing Facul y. As a esul , pa s o he module mus
be ailo ed o align wi h each depa men ’s cu iculum. To suppo his, each
depa men assigns 1-3 s a membe s (depa men al leads), who adap he con en
o sui hei discipline and complemen he b oade deg ee p og amme. While his
ailo ed app oach ensu es ele ance wi hin each depa men , i also means ha mos
o he eaching eam (a ound 15–20 academic s a ) ocus on hei depa men al a eas.
Consequen ly, he module lead is he only eam membe wi h a dedica ed ocus on
he en i e module. Fo he in e disciplina y eam p ojec , depa men s a e pai ed up
and eaching eams o ms om hose assigned by he depa men s.
The s uc u e o Enginee ing Challenges is designed o guide and suppo bo h
s uden s and s a h oughou he module. Wo king alongside he module’s
communica ion s a egies, his s uc u e signals he nex s age o he p ojec , educing
he need o cons an eminde s o nudges om he module lead. Fo example, he
ma ks spli o he wo pa s o Enginee ing Challenges (30%/70%) e lec he ime
spli o he wo pa s (3 weeks/7 weeks). Whe e possible, we ha e simpli ied he
s uc u e o ensu e each s ep is clea and pa o a logical p og ession. Howe e , gi en
he module’s scale and complexi y, only so much s eamlining is possible. Since much
o he eaching eam has a na ow depa men al ocus, hey may no see he ull
complexi y o he module. While his simpli ies deli e y o some ex en , i can also
mean decisions a e made wi hou conside ing he module’s b oade s uc u e,
occasionally o e looking why ce ain ac ions a e es ic ed. The module lead’s ole is
o main ain his balance—allowing depa men al leads he lexibili y o ailo con en
while ensu ing he module emains cohe en .
The module’s s uc u e also models eal-wo ld p ojec dynamics and eamwo k. A co e
aim o Enginee ing Challenges is o each s uden s how p ojec s unc ion and how o
collabo a e e ec i ely, pa icula ly in in e disciplina y con ex s. S uc u al decisions
ha e been designed o mimic hese p ocesses, p o iding a clea pa hway o
s uden s—pa icula ly hose wi h li le p io expe ience in p ojec wo k o eamwo k.
Fo example, we ha e added a equi emen o eams o mee once a week and
discuss he p og ess o he p ojec o mimic he in o ma ion low needed in eamwo k.
S uc u e wo ks in angen /conjunc ion wi h in-class oom eaching and assessmen o
communica e his in o ma ion in as many ways as possible.
Assessmen s a e s a egically placed a key p ojec miles ones, mi o ing ypical
decision poin s o clien in e ac ions. Fo example, be o e eams en e he lab o
conduc expe imen s, hey mus p esen hei plan as a g oup. This models he need
o eams o make decisions abou esou ce use (e.g., lab ime) and e lec s common
clien - acing miles ones. The choice o assessmen me hod is c ucial o he smoo h
unning o a module o his size, wi h logis ics playing a key ole in assessmen design.
Fo example, p o iding imely eedback on w i en wo k a scale is a signi ican
challenge. This challenge is ampli ied du ing mid-module assessmen s, whe e
ma king hund eds o epo s alongside eaching, answe ing emails, and o he
academic du ies is only possible i you don’ need o sleep. Using in-pe son
assessmen s mid-module has allowed us o a oid his p oblem.
Using s uc u e in hese ways has also educed he need o ou ine s a -s uden
in e ac ions abou nex s eps o basic asks. This ees s a o ocus on mo e complex
issues, such as eam media ion o suppo o s uden s wi h pa icula needs. By
encou aging s uden s o manage s aigh o wa d ques ions o challenges
independen ly, he s uc u e p omo es p oblem-sol ing skills and esilience, while
add essing he challenge o limi ed s a ime pe s uden . The module lead’s job
becomes one o cu a ion o s a and s uden expe iences.
3.2 Obse a ions om JCP
The key o unning his kind o module success ully lies in au oma ing suppo sys ems,
s uc u ing pee engagemen , and de eloping a men o ship model ha ensu es
s uden s ecei e he guidance hey need wi hou o e whelming acul y esou ces.
The mos immedia e challenge in a cou se o his size is managing communica ion
and expec a ions. E en he smalles misalignmen in ins uc ions can esul in
hund eds o emails, making i impossible o he eaching eam o espond
meaning ully. To add ess his, a e ically in eg a ed men o ship s uc u e has been
es ablished. Ra he han elying on di ec acul y in e en ion, s uden s a e i s
encou aged o consul hei eamma es, hen seek guidance om hei assigned
men o , and only escala e issues when necessa y. This s uc u e mi o s a
p o essional o ganiza ional model, whe e s uden s a e amed as junio acul y
membe s esponsible o managing hei own p ojec s, while men o s se e as senio
managemen , p o iding s a egic guidance wi hou mic omanaging. The eaching
eam, in u n, ope a es mo e like an execu i e boa d, ocusing on high-le el o e sigh
a he han daily logis ics.
Ano he essen ial elemen o managing scale is he au oma ion o s uden que ies and
in o ma ion access. The JCP Online Pla o m plays a cen al ole in his p ocess,
se ing as a eposi o y o s uc u ed FAQs, au oma ed esponses, and logis ical
guidelines ha s uden s mus consul be o e submi ing que ies. By s uc u ing
communica ion in his way, he cou se minimizes unnecessa y adminis a i e bu den,
ensu ing ha acul y ime is spen on c i ical lea ning in e ac ions a he han epe i i e
cla i ica ions.
Ensu ing ha s uden s engage e ec i ely in eam-based lea ning equi es mo e han
jus placing hem in o g oups. In en ional sca olding is necessa y o equip hem wi h
he skills and amewo ks hey need o na iga e in e disciplina y collabo a ion. A he
co e o his s uc u ed app oach is JCP Week, an in ensi e onboa ding p og am
designed o in oduce s uden s o he ounda ional concep s o eamwo k, leade ship,
and p o essional engagemen . Be o e JCP Week e en begins, s uden s a e assigned
o p ede e mined eams o ou o i e membe s. These assignmen s a e made using
an au oma ed sys em ha mimics eal-wo ld p ojec en i onmen s, whe e eam
selec ion is o en beyond an indi idual’s con ol. Once g ouped, s uden s engage in
s uc u ed men o -led eam in oduc ions, whe e hey explo e hei backg ounds,
mo i a ions, and expec a ions o he cou se. This ini ial engagemen se s he s age
o deepe collabo a ion by allowing eam membe s o iden i y commonali ies,
s eng hs, and po en ial a eas o con lic .
To o malize eam expec a ions, s uden s hen pa icipa e in a g oup con ac session,
whe e hey collec i ely de ine hei sha ed alues, es ablish mee ing schedules, and
ag ee on con lic esolu ion s a egies. This p ocess no only encou ages
accoun abili y bu also ensu es ha po en ial issues—such as une en pa icipa ion o
missed deadlines—a e add essed p oac i ely a he han eac i ely. In pa allel,
s uden s begin wo k on hei p ojec p oposals, whe e hey assess he easibili y o
hei assigned p ojec , de e mine necessa y esou ces, and an icipa e challenges hey
may ace when wo king wi h hei communi y pa ne . These p oposals a e guided by
s uc u ed p omp s ha ensu e s uden s a e conside ing key logis ical and e hical
dimensions o hei wo k. Th ough his p ocess, s uden s begin shi ing om passi e
lea ne s o ac i e p oblem-sol e s, a ansi ion ha is c i ical in Mega scale eamwo k
modules.
Beyond s uc u al p epa a ion, s uden s also unde go a ge ed p o essional skills
aining du ing JCP Week. Enneag am-based eamwo k analysis in oduces hem o
hei own communica ion s yles and po en ial ic ion poin s wi hin hei eams, while
con lic managemen and leade ship aining imme se hem in scena io-based
exe cises ha o ce hem o make eal- ime decisions unde p essu e. These ac i i ies
ensu e ha s uden s do no en e hei p ojec wo k unp epa ed bu ins ead ha e a
amewo k o na iga ing in e pe sonal challenges e ec i ely.
Assessmen in a Mega Class mus be bo h meaning ul and scalable. Wi h such a la ge
numbe o s uden s, adi ional eedback models become unsus ainable, equi ing an
app oach ha is s uc u ed, au oma ed whe e possible, and designed o guide lea ning
a he han me ely e alua e pe o mance. The assessmen p ocess in JCP is buil
a ound laye ed e alua ion me hods ha in eg a e sel -assessmen , pee eedback,
men o inpu , and communi y pa ne e alua ions.
4 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Teaching in e disciplina y eamwo k in mega classes—modules wi h 900+
s uden s—demands a undamen al eimagining o he educa o ’s ole. As discussed
in T usco and Smi h (2024), he educa o no longe unc ions p ima ily as a di ec
con en deli e e o in e pe sonal coach, bu ins ead ac s as a designe , cu a o , and
acili a o o s uc u ed lea ning en i onmen s. These en i onmen s mus no only
manage scale bu also p ese e pedagogical dep h, enabling s uden s o de elop
c i ical eamwo k skills wi h limi ed access o one-on-one ins uc ion.
In his con ex , s uc u e becomes a pedagogical ool a he han jus an
o ganisa ional one. As shown in Smi h & T usco (2025a), obus s uc u al elemen s
compensa e o he lack o di ec ins uc o o e sigh by p o iding sca olding ha
enables s uden au onomy. S uc u e suppo s he deli e y o consis en expe iences
ac oss la ge and di e se s uden coho s, guiding lea ne s h ough clea ly s aged
asks, expec a ions, and assessmen s. A i s bes , his s uc u ed design does no
only educe cogni i e and adminis a i e load o s a —i also in i es s uden s in o a
mo e ac i e, sel - egula ed, and e lec i e lea ning p ocess.
In bo h JCP and Enginee ing Challenges, he s uc u e ope a es ac oss h ee
in e wo en domains: assessmen , pedagogy, and logis ics. Each o hese domains
in ol es decisions ha se e dual pu poses: simpli ying complex ope a ions a scale,
while simul aneously o e ing meaning ul lea ning expe iences. In assessmen , his
means designing deli e ables ha ac as lea ning miles ones a he han only
g ading poin s. Fo example, li e eedback assessmen s du ing Enginee ing
Challenges o he s uc u ed p oposal p ocess in JCP se e bo h o guide eam
de elopmen and o ein o ce p ojec -based hinking. Pedagogically, s uc u e akes
he o m o in en ional lea ning design, whe e scena io-based ac i i ies and e lec i e
p omp s de elop skills like con lic esolu ion, eedback li e acy, and e hical decision-
making. Logis ically, s uc u e includes au oma ed pla o ms, men o ship sys ems,
and communica ion p o ocols ha iage in o ma ion and main ain alignmen ac oss
sp awling eaching eams and s uden g oups.
This s uc u ed app oach is no s a ic; i is shaped by he educa o ’s alues and
s a egic decision-making. The educa o -as-designe mus cons an ly balance
compe ing demands—simplici y s. dep h, au oma ion s. connec ion, con ol s.
s uden agency. Designing o scale o ces di icul choices. Fo ins ance, in JCP, he
desi e o p o ide pe sonalised eedback had o be empe ed by he eali ies o
managing 1,600 e lec ions. Men o ship s uc u es and online pla o ms we e
he e o e in oduced o edi ec ou ine ques ions, acili a e pee suppo , and ensu e
ha meaning ul eedback happened a c i ical s ages, e en i no con inuously. In
Enginee ing Challenges, s uc u al cons ain s ensu ed depa men al leads could
ailo p ojec wo k wi hou unde mining he o e a ching cohe ence o he module, bu
his equi ed accep ance o a le el o inconsis ency ac oss s uden expe iences. In
bo h con ex s, cla i y o expec a ion and in en ion p o ed c i ical—no only o educe
adminis a i e o e load, bu also o ensu e s uden s unde s ood no jus wha hey
we e doing, bu why i ma e ed.
C ucially, s uc u e also unc ions as a space o s uden s o de elop independence
and esilience. A his scale, i is no longe easible o s a o s ep in e e y ime a
eam expe iences ic ion. Ins ead, s uc u es mus be buil o model and p omp
p o essional beha iou s. Whe he i ’s h ough s uc u ed eam con ac s, egula
check-ins, pee eedback, o miles one-d i en assessmen s, he aim is o shi
s uden s om passi e pa icipan s o ac i e collabo a o s who can na iga e
ambigui y and in e pe sonal challenges. S uc u e hus becomes a silen eache —
suppo ing, nudging, and shaping s uden de elopmen in he absence o cons an
s a in e en ion.
Howe e , he e a e limi a ions and isks. Poo ly designed s uc u e can become igid,
depe sonalised, o o e whelming. I oo complex, i bu dens s a and con uses
s uden s. I oo loose, i in i es inconsis ency and disengagemen . Educa o s mus
also g apple wi h s uden s’ p io expec a ions—many a i e socialised in o
hie a chical, compliance-based sys ems o assessmen and s uggle o engage wi h
au onomy- ocused models. In bo h JCP and Enginee ing Challenges,
men o s/pos g adua e eaching assis an s ini ially de aul ed o con olling beha iou s
in assessmen s, un il ained o emb ace mo e acili a i e oles. This illus a es he
need o me a-s uc u e: no jus designing s uden - acing amewo ks, bu also
sca olding he oles o men o s and s a in a way ha aligns wi h he lea ning e hos.
F om hese expe iences, se e al guiding p inciples o designing e ec i e s uc u e
in Mega Classes eme ge:
• S a wi h cla i y o pu pose: E e y s uc u al elemen should se e a
lea ning ou come, no jus an adminis a i e need.
• Design o independence, no dependence: S uc u e should sca old
s uden sel -di ec ion and educe bo lenecks, no c ea e new ones.
• Simpli y complexi y s a egically: Aim o consis ency wi hou igidi y;
educe he a iables ha can de ail he sys em.
• Au oma e whe e possible, humanise whe e needed: Use pla o ms and
p o ocols o s eamline, bu p ese e momen s o pe sonal engagemen .
• Embed eedback wi hin he p ocess: Design assessmen s ha gi e
lea ning alue h ough hei comple ion—no only h ough s a eedback.
• Men o he men o s: When pee -led suppo s uc u es a e used, in es in
hei aining and align hem wi h he pedagogy.
