The Project Irresistible: Introducing Responsible Research and Innovation into the Secondary School Classroom

Introduction.

The project ‘Irresistible’ is the result of a proposal that was accepted within the FP-7 program of the EU under number 612367. The proposal was made in response to call SIS.2013.2.2.1. (Workprogramme 2013 capacities part 5, science in society.2012):

Area 5.2.2.1. Supporting formal and informal science education in schools as well as through science centres and museums and other relevant means.

SiS.2013.2.2.1-1: Raising youth awareness to Responsible Research and Innovation through Inquiry Based Science Education

Within the project IRRESISTIBLE activities are designed that foster the involvement of students and the public in the process of responsible research and innovation. The project raises awareness about RRI in two ways:

• Increasing content knowledge about research by bringing topics of cutting edge research into the program
• Fostering a discussion among the students regarding RRI issues about the topics that are introduced.

In these activities both formal and informal learning environments play an important role.

In this article the description of the concept’ Responsible Research an Innovation’ as well as the way it is introduced to students in secondary education is the central topic.

The concept of ‘Responsible Research and Innovation’

Throughout the world ideas about the interaction between science and innovation with societal issues has become a subject of discussion. The UN for example has formulated millennium goals (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ ) for science. The OPCW has formulated the ‘The Hague Ethical guidelines’ (https://www.opcw.org/special-sections/science-technology/the-hague-ethical-guidelines/ ) with a direct link to the Chemical Weapons Convention’. Within the industrial society the idea of ‘responsible care’ (http://www.cefic.org/Responsible-Care/ ) Within the EU this discussion has been going on for a while resulting in several framework programs.

Within the EU the Framework programs about science and society have shifted in title from ‘Science and Society’ to ‘Science in Society’, indicating the change in perception within the EU about the role of science ((Hoven, 2013)). Within the EU the concepts of Responsible Research and Innovation have become more and more important. In Hillary Sutcliff’s report (Sutcliffe, 2011) she identifies six key concepts in RRI( see table 1):

Table 1. Aspects of RRI as identified by Sutcliff and RRI leaflet

In a later leaflet published by the EU  in 2012 (http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/document_library/pdf_06/responsible-research-and-innovation-leaflet_en.pdf) six key issues are identified (see table 1).

Van Hoven ((Hoven, 2013) indicates:

“RRI refers to ways of proceeding in Research and Innovation that allow those who initiate and are involved in these processes at an early stage (A) to obtain relevant knowledge on the consequences of the outcomes of their actions and on the range of options open to them and (B) to effectively evaluate both outcomes and options in terms of ethical values (including, but not limited to well-being, justice, equality, privacy, autonomy, safety, security, sustainability, accountability, democracy and efficiency) and (C) to use these considerations (under A and B) as functional requirements for design and development of new research, products and services.”

Schomberg(von Schomberg, 2013) defines RRI as follows:

Definition: Responsible Research and Innovation is a transparent, interactive process by which societal actors and innovators become mutually responsive to each other with a view to the (ethical) acceptability, sustainability and societal desirability of the innovation process and its marketable products (in order to allow a proper embedding of scientific and technological advances in our society).

Both Schomberg and van Hoven focus on the interaction between society and research and innovation. They demonstrate how important this interaction in order for innovations to succeed in society. An example is genetically modified food, which has not been accepted in Europe. Especially the steps formulated by van Hoven are not common as yet even though governments have started to formulate policies on this subject. In the Netherlands for example a new report was published indicating the view of the Dutch government on the future development of policies regarding scientific research, which are solidly based on these RRI concepts (Wetenschapsvise 2025.2014).

Within the project we decided to use the six key issues from the leaflet as a starting point in the design of the activities within the project. They provide a more concrete set of issues that can be incorporated within educational activities. The underlining idea, that both research and innovation should be closely linked with society and with societal needs is the background of the use of these six dimensions. Using the six key issues gives the project a solid base to discuss how the research that is being introduced to the students. In table 2 the six dimensions of RRI are explained a bit further.

Table 2. The 6 Dimensions of RRI (text taken from leaflet) used in the project

In order to get a clear idea about the use of these six dimensions of RRI in the project a workshop was organized in which the coordinators in each participating country participated. During that workshop two issues were discussed in which the six dimensions could be applied.

The first issue that was discussed was the use of asbestos. The group discussed whether the use of RRI policies would have changed the use of asbestos in society. Main question to be answered during the workshop was how the problems with asbestos could have been avoided, using RRI-policies.

For the second issue nano socks were introduced. (see figure 1.)

Figure 1. nanosocks

Nano socks (https://www.nanosilver.eu/Tema/Why-Nanosilver/Magical-Socks-Nanosilver-with-Silver-Nanoparticles ) contain nano silver particles that inhibit bacterial growth and thus prevent smelly socks. This innovation was used for a discussion about the six dimensions of RRI and the way they could be applied to nano socks. Through this discussion participants got an idea about the way the six dimensions could be applied to an innovation like nano socks. This experience was taken by the participants to be used during the development of educational material.

The development of the material

Within the project Community of Learners have been formed to develop educational materials ((Loucks-Horsley, Stiles, Mundry, Love, & Hewson, 2010). Both in the Netherlands in the development of ‘Nieuwe Scheikunde’(Apotheker, 2008) as well as in Germany in ‘Chemie in Kontext’(Nentwig, Demuth, Parchmann, Gräsel, & Ralle, 2007) these communities have been used and are still used in the development of new material.

Within the Community of Learners experts from science research, educational research, science centres and teachers are brought together. When possible someone from industry was included as well. Together they worked on the development of new material.

Inquiry based science education as well as context oriented chemistry education has been developed and worked on during the past 10 years(Kennedy, 2014)(Pilot & Bulte, 2006)(Apotheker 2008). In this project the partners chose to use the 5 E method developed by Roger Bybee (Bybee, Powell, & Towbridge, 2007) as a framework for the modules to be developed. This 5 E model has been extended to a 7 E model by Arthur Eisencraft (Eisenkraft, 2003), in which he decided to expand the first and last step in the model. The Irresistible group decided to expand the 5 E model with a step called Exchange, in which the students exchange their results. In table 3, the 6 E model is represented.

Table 3. The extended 5 E Model.

Results

In Table 4 the titles of the modules developed by each partner are given.

Table 4. Produced modules, with science content.

All modules that were developed have included the 6E framework. The teachers in the CoL have tried out all modules in their own classrooms. The modules have been adapted using their experiences in the classroom.

The modules are available through the Irresistible website: http://www.irresistible-project.eu/index.php/nl/ .

Implementation of RRI

The implementation of RRI in the modules has been done in different ways. In the modules of Israel, Turkey and Germany the students are given a specific role. Incorporated in the role-play are the different RRI aspects. In the Turkish module the students are given the role of an advisor. A hospital is asking them whether or not the hospital should introduce towels etc treated with nano silver particles. They then investigate the properties of cotton treated with silver nanoparticles and finally by discussing the consequences of washing textile containing silver nanoparticles, they highlight the key aspects of RRI and come up with an advice.

The main question in the Israeli module is whether the windows in the school should be replaced with Perskovite solar cells

figure 2 . example of perovskite solar cells used in windows(http://news.sciencemag.org/node/112358 )

In the German module a game has been developed in which the students paly using a different role and that way learn about off shore wind energy. Since the Fujiyama disasters in Japan, Germany decided to invest heavily in wind energy.

In other modules the RRI dimensions were introduced during the ‘Elaborate’ step of the framework as a separate chapter. (figure 3.)

Figure 3. Introduction of RRI in a chapter of a module.

Students were then asked to apply the RRI dimensions to the science content they studied in the first part of the module. Presentation of the results of these studies were various in nature.

Figure 4. Students debating about propositions

In some cases a debate was organized around specific propositions. An example is: ‘a company has the right to market their products all over the world’ taken from the module about formula milk.

In all cases the students were asked to make an exhibit demonstrating the dimensions of RRI focused on the science content they learned about. These exhibits were taken to the science centre involved in the project and displayed there. In Germany a system for the exhibits was developed using a cupboard from ‘Ikea’. (figure 5.)

The cupboard was designed by the students to illustrate the issues involved. In this case the module is about the differences between human milk and cow milk.

In other cases cartoons were used (figure 6). In figure 7 an overview of the exhibition in Greece shown.

Students are very creative in designing exhibits. By careful guidance by the experts from the science centres exhibitions are made that can actually be used within the science centres.

figure 5. Use of an Ikea cupboard as base for an exhibit

Figure 6. Cartoons made to illustrate RRI -issues

Figure 7. Overview of exhibition in Greece

Students are able to use the advice they have received about exhibits in novative ways. In Italy for example a table football game was adapted to demonstrate principles of RRI. (figure 8)

Figure 8. Table football game adapted in Italy with male and female players.

Table 5. Rules of the soccer game and their link to RRI

Conclusions and Recommendations:

Looking at the modules and more specifically at the exhibits that have been produced by the students it becomes clear that the irresistible modules are able on the one hand to introduce cutting edge science research into the secondary school classroom. In most cases this fits in with the curriculum in a country in other cases the material is extra curricular.

What also becomes clear is that the students are very able to link the RRI dimensions to the science they have been studying. In Israel it has become more or less a verb: ‘let’s RRI this issue’ .

The exhibits are an important factor in the modules in bringing together the science and the RRI. Designing the exhibits forces the students to think about the issues and come up with ways to demonstrate to society the RRI dimensions of the research and/ or innovation.

In most modules all six dimensions were addressed. During the presentations of the modules during a meeting of the project in Bologna it became clear that the gender dimension as well as the science education dimension were not always easy to implement in the modules.

Acknowledgements

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 612367.

References

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