The Wicked Festival is an exposition of student problem solving hosted by the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences and supported by the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL), Citizen Leader, and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship.
The Wicked Festival was motivated by a CITL book group on Dr. Hanstedt's book Creating Wicked Students: Designing Courses for a Complex World. The book inspired several important tenets of the festival: Students tackle wicked, complex, multi-dimensional public problems. Students find solutions. At the festival, students talk about their work with others, becoming the "authorities." At the Wicked Festival, students have used presentations, posters, and videos to start conversations about their problems and solutions.
The Spring 2024 Wicked Festival is April 11, 2024 from 5-7:30 p.m. in Kyle Hall.
Faculty, students, families, and prospective Radford students may contact Paige Tan, Ph.D. for more information.
“The projects I saw covered a variety of topics from climate change to obesity, to war, to energy conservation. Some problems could happen in the future and some problems were occurring right now and need solutions. Some problems had better solutions than others, but I loved the creativity of each solution. Additionally, I enjoyed the diversity of the projects because there was always a new idea to look at.”
We have found “wicked” teaching empowers students with the ability to define, research, and solve problems; oral presentation skills; confidence; toleration of ambiguity; collaboration, and understanding failure as part of the process to success.
We hope our wicked problem solvers will be in demand by employers. One of the key career readiness competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is critical thinking. Behaviors associated with critical thinking are, according to NACE: “solving problems using sound, inclusive reasoning and judgment.”
Look for courses in Appalachian Studies, Biology, Citizen Leader, Criminal Justice, Design, Economics, Education, English, Geography, International Studies, Marketing, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS), Peace Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Social Work, and Spanish that take part in Wicked.
Fall 2021 - Spring 2024
Individual classes that have participated in the festival in the past include:
The Wicked Festival could not happen without our partners and supporters on campus.