Towards a Cyclical Concept of Real-World Laboratories

Wanner, Matthias; Hilger, Annaliesa; Westerkowski, Janina; Rose, Michael; Stelzer, Franziska; Schäpke, Niko

doi:10.1080/02513625.2018.1487651

Cited by 92 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The practice of RWLs has, thus far, not developed to much extent. RWLs are conceived as "a normatively framed approach within spatial and content-related boundaries, using Td methods of knowledge integration and engaging in cyclical real-world interventions in order to contribute to local action for sustainable development and the empowerment of change agents" [92]. There are four RWL labs in Wuppertal and others elsewhere in Germany.…”

Section: Promoting the Great Transition: Tscmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Normative Dimension in Transdisciplinarity, Transition Management, and Transformation Sciences: New Roles of Science and Universities in Sustainable Transitioning

Scholz

2017

Sustainability

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This paper discusses the role normative aspects play in different approaches of science-practice collaboration, in particular as action research, (Mode 2) Transdisciplinarity (Td), Transition Management (TM), and Transformative Science (TSc). We elaborate on the different roles that scientists in these processes play. They work as facilitators (or contribute to a facilitated Td process), as activists (i.e., activist researchers) in TM projects, and as catalysts in TSc. Td processes develop socially robust solutions for sustainable transitioning and impacts on the science system through mutual learning and by integrating epistemics (i.e., ways of knowing) from science and practice and focusing on the empowerment of stakeholders. Science is viewed as a public good aiming to serve all key stakeholders. Researchers involved in TM projects strive to influence ongoing transition processes by actively engaging and participating in them, including lobbying for and empowering transformative changes toward sustainability based upon the researchers' own analyses and world views. The TSc approach takes a catalyst perspective of the scientist's role in inducing processes of strategic (societal) transition when including certain stakeholder groups. The paper focuses on what roles normative aspects play in the different approaches and new societal demands imposed on science and universities. Based on this, we conclude that a new order of universities, public knowledge institutions, and boundary institutions is forthcoming.

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Section: Promoting the Great Transition: Tscmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Normative Dimension in Transdisciplinarity, Transition Management, and Transformation Sciences: New Roles of Science and Universities in Sustainable Transitioning

Scholz

2017

Sustainability

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“…We recognize that concepts such as Real-world Labs [46], Sustainable LivingLabs [47] and Urban Transition Labs [48] include several ambitions that are in line with our reasoning on multi-sector community research, including the importance of transdisciplinarity, local involvement and science-practice integration [49]. However, despite the frequent use of the word "experiment" in the referenced articles, none of them refer to experimental designs to evaluate the effects of the interventions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

The State of Experimental Research on Community Interventions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions—A Systematic Review

et al. 2020

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This paper reviews research on community efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We conducted a systematic search of the relevant literature, and supplemented our findings with an analysis of review papers previously published on the topic. The results indicate that there have been no peer-reviewed experimental evaluations of community-wide interventions to reduce greenhouse gases involving electricity, refrigeration, or food. The lack of findings limits the conclusions which can be made about the efficacy of these efforts. As a result, we are not accumulating effective interventions, and some communities may be implementing strategies that are not effective. We advocate for the funding of experimental evaluations of multi-sector community interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Such interventions would attempt to engage every sector of the community in identifying and implementing policies and practices to reduce emissions. Comprehensive multi-sector interventions are likely to have synergistic effects, such that the total impact is greater than the sum of the impact of the individual components. We describe the value of interrupted time-series designs as an alternative to randomized trials, because these designs confer particular advantages for the evaluation of strategies in entire communities.

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“…work together to find sustainable solutions. Under the guiding principle of sustainable development, they join forces as pioneers of change in real-world laboratories and conduct experiments to develop, test, and research new ideas [34].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 of 22 especially transdisciplinary sustainability research. Reliable, as well as innovative, approaches are problem and project-based learning, service learning [8], research-based learning, as well as transdisciplinary research projects (such as action research or real-world laboratories [34]). Based on this initial evidence, it seems possible to link the university themes of transfer and sustainable development, as shown in Figure 1.…”

Section: Sustainable Development As a Focal Area-with The Focus On Tementioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are even specific approaches that are in line with sustainability transfer in teaching, namely in ESD, and in research, especially transdisciplinary sustainability research. Reliable, as well as innovative, approaches are problem and project-based learning, service learning [8], research-based learning, as well as transdisciplinary research projects (such as action research or real-world laboratories [34]).…”

Section: Interim Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Transfer for Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions—Untapped Potential for Education for Sustainable Development and for Societal Transformation

et al. 2020

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Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly confronted with societal needs beyond research and teaching. These include sustainable development and technology transfer as well as the practical application of knowledge and ideas. Several HEIs already put sustainable development and transfer into practice. These practitioner-university partnerships comprise a broad range of actors, disciplines, topics, and formats. However, transfer activities that contribute to sustainable development in society still make up only a very small part of HEIs' activities. In response to calls from society as a whole, HEIs could combine transfer and sustainable development more systematically. In this article, we suggest a concept of transfer for sustainable development. The focus is on sustainability transfer in teaching. We used mixed methods for this conceptual work: exploratory workshops, expert interviews, and a case study of transfer in teaching. One of the results presented in this article is a working definition of sustainability transfer at HEIs. In addition, six characteristics for describing sustainability transfer in its various forms are formulated. This conceptualization makes it possible to analyze the diversity of HEIs' sustainability transfer activities, it helps to identify and encourage potential transfer actors at HEIs as well as practitioners, and, thus, tap the full potential of sustainability transfer.

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Towards a Cyclical Concept of Real-World Laboratories

Cited by 92 publications

References 67 publications

The Normative Dimension in Transdisciplinarity, Transition Management, and Transformation Sciences: New Roles of Science and Universities in Sustainable Transitioning

The Normative Dimension in Transdisciplinarity, Transition Management, and Transformation Sciences: New Roles of Science and Universities in Sustainable Transitioning

The State of Experimental Research on Community Interventions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions—A Systematic Review

Transfer for Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions—Untapped Potential for Education for Sustainable Development and for Societal Transformation

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