A novel approach to exploring the concept of resilience and principal drivers in a learning environment

Abstract

Purpose

The concept of resilience has emerged recently in scientific debate. The aim of this paper is to outline different notions of the term resilience and explore how the concept of resilience can be applied in order to foster the understanding of complex systems in a learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Characteristics of the resilience concept used in scientific literature are outlined and a methodology is presented that enables an educated decision to be made upon selection of an indicator set for a resilience assessment.

Findings

In this paper, it is argued that vulnerability as well as adaptability shall be the two core components of the resilience concept. It is proposed that resilience is therefore formalised as a function of adaptability and vulnerability.

Originality/value

Definitions of resilience, vulnerability and adaptability are very much interlinked and it seems to be not always clear where the line between the different terms is. A novel framework is proposed to foster the understanding of the interlinkage between these three terms in interdisciplinary education, and to cluster indicators to assess system resilience.

Citation

Matzenberger, J. (2013), "A novel approach to exploring the concept of resilience and principal drivers in a learning environment", Multicultural Education & Technology Journal, Vol. 7 No. 2/3, pp. 192-206. https://doi.org/10.1108/17504971311328071