Controversies and scandals as an RRI teaching and learning tool: beyond inspiring
The transition from undergraduate to PhD student in STEM disciplines is a key point for introducing RRI, as we see a natural increase in responsibility and a shift to active research. In this study, one lecturer and eleven STEM PhD students reflect on our experiences of learning about RRI and explore how controversies and scandals can be used for teaching, through reflective essays and discussions of nine controversies and scandals. Thematic analysis was used to highlight key challenges in learning about RRI in our context, map the case studies against an RRI framework, and identify four ways to view RRI when learning as a PhD student in STEM: (1) starting point, (2) developing research identity, (3) communities of research and innovation, and (4) bigger picture. We suggest there are rich learning opportunities within studying such cases that go beyond the obvious ‘inspiring and eliciting interest’.
Authors
- Robert A. Weller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8001-6886)
- Amy Morgan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6481-6790)
- Alison G. Harvey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7346-2252)
- Tom Whalley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6852-9560)
- Ayesha Patel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9752-7575)
- Ioana Albu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2852-1937)
- Caitlin E. Jackson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4971-144X)
- Catherine E. W. Pennington (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6593-0290)
- Rachel Furmidge (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1826-6515)
- Rebecca Downs-Ford (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0806-477X)
- Keir Nathan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4546-3745)
- Yasmine Osmani
Institutions
- University of Manchester (GB)
- University of Sheffield (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Responsible Innovation
- Published
- 2025-02-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/23299460.2025.2464359
- Primary Topic
- Higher Education Learning Practices
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council