Transforming Scientists' Understanding of Science-Society Relations. Stimulating Double-Loop Learning when Teaching...

Area of Science:

• Science and Technology Studies (STS)
• Research Ethics
• Higher Education Pedagogy

Background:

• Growing emphasis on aligning research and innovation with societal needs and values.
• Emergence of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) as a key policy concept.
• Challenges in integrating science-society relations into daily research and academic practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze an alternative approach to postgraduate training for RRI.
• To evaluate a Ph.D. course designed to foster reflective practice among early-career researchers.
• To assess the course's effectiveness in enabling researchers to reflect on their theories-in-use.

Main Methods:

• Implementation and analysis of a Ph.D. course for early-career researchers.
• Application of Argyris and Schön's (1974) framework of reflective practice.
• Focus on stimulating double-loop learning and analyzing 'dislocatory moments'.

Main Results:

• The course aimed to equip participants with the ability to reflect on their practices, values, and ontologies.
• Analysis focused on how the training facilitated critical self-examination of research approaches.
• Exploration of whether participants gained resources to critically assess their theories-in-use.

Conclusions:

• Postgraduate training offers a potential avenue for embedding RRI principles.
• Reflective practice, particularly focusing on dislocatory moments, can enhance critical awareness of research.
• Further research is needed to confirm the long-term impact of such training on daily research practices.