Linking Action Research and PBL. A Mexican case of co-creation

This paper suggests innovative tools for creating teaching methods. We are inspired by action research methods about how to bring societal challenges into the curriculum of higher education of tourism. How can we, as responsible educators and researchers, support our students in being not only critical thinkers but being able to position themselves as social agents of change? Our method is to push them (as well as ourselves) towards engaging actively in societal challenges rather than only provide critical analysis from a distance, i.e. within the walls of a university.

The paper seeks to encourage undertaking a more open and sustained exchange of ideas on how teaching critical thinking and creativity can be conducted at present-day universities. We acknowledge universities and our role as facilitators as vital sites of socially activism-oriented engagements. This is aligned with the goal of quality in higher education in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) no 4, in which qualitative education is encouraged. Our paper explores how 18 Master students at ‘Tourism Studies’ at Aalborg University, campus Copenhagen (Denmark), co-create new spaces together with local Mexicans and indigenous peoples in Tulum (Mexico), including local authorities, whom all have an interest in turning cenotes/sinkholes, an existing tourism asset, into a sustainable tourism product.