Real-world Laboratories Research Articles

Learning in Real-World Laboratories: A Systematic Impulse for Discussion

Real-world laboratories (RwLs) are a form of transdisciplinary research that facilitates learning processes as part of its transformative objectives. Nevertheless, little conceptual effort has been put into the understanding, planning, and evaluation of the learning dimension of RwL work. This paper applies a systematic approach from the discourse on education for sustainable development (ESD) to differentiate three perspectives on the various learning processes occurring in RwLs and exemplifies them with experiences from the RwL Urban Transition Lab 131 in Karlsruhe.

How Much of the Real-World Laboratory Is Hidden in Current Transdisciplinary Research?

The concept of real-world laboratories is difficult to distinguish from the concept of transdisciplinary research. Thus, the question has arisen: to what extent is the real-world laboratory truly novel? If transdisciplinary research is considered a process providing only socially robust knowledge and orientation (instead of solutions), then the real-world lab could be thought of as a model in which evidence-supported solutions can be tested and adjusted, and progress can be achieved.

Design Junctions in Real-World Laboratories: Analyzing Experiences Gained from the Project Knowledge Dialogue Northern Black Forest

Real-world laboratories (RwLs) stand for a new format of transformative research. Drawing on the concept of “design junctions”, we shed light on what is going on inside an RwL. Based on the example of the RwL Knowledge Dialogue Northern Black Forest, we focus on both the negotiation processes over the normative and methodological requirements of RwL research formats as well as the common practices of day-to-day research work.Real-world laboratories (RwLs) promise to advance, and at the same time study, transitions to sustainability in a specific socio-spatial context. That brings challenges for researchers working in RwLs. In this Design Report, we reflect on the experiences researchers have gained in the RwL Knowledge Dialogue Northern Black Forest, Germany. We propose the concept of “design junctions” as deliberate intervention points in the procedural setup of RwLs that are, however, still contingent on the normative and methodological expectations of this special type of research. We present five design junctions tied to the questions of how to position an RwL in a politicized environment, deploy an interdisciplinary research team, develop the research program in a participatory way, incentivize transdisciplinarity, and engage with stakeholders and citizens.

Sustainability Learning Labs in Small Island Developing States: A Case Study of the Seychelles

The teaching component is widely lacking in the discussion of real-world laboratories. We introduce a sustainability learning lab, where students both profit from this platform and also contribute to the success of the lab.In the discussion of real-world laboratories, the teaching component is widely lacking. We address this by introducing a prototype of a sustainability learning lab (SLL) in the global South using a case study of the Seychelles as an example. In 2015 the Transdisciplinarity Lab (TdLab) of ETH Zurich initiated a long-term collaboration with the University of Seychelles (UniSey) and the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC). Teaching activities include transdisciplinary case studies (tdCS) for students from UniSey and ETH, alternated with courses for UniSey only. BSc and MSc theses as well as internships complement these. In 2016 the TdLab, UniSey and MEECC jointly decided to focus on solid waste in a tdCS that engaged 18 ETH and 18 UniSey students with diverse backgrounds. This collaborative approach in a real-world setting with students from different cultures and engaging with a broad range of stakeholders is promising. Students managed to bring novel observations and insights to the surface. Thus, students both profit from this learning platform and also contribute substantially to the further development of the SLL.

Labs in the Real World: Advancing Transdisciplinary Research and Sustainability Transformation: Mapping the Field and Emerging Lines of Inquiry

There is a strong trend towards research in society-based laboratories, especially in relation to sustainability. Semantic analysis reveals related discourses and emerging lines of inquiry, namely transformative potential, transdisciplinarity and learning. Real-world laboratories are a dynamic example of this research. Contributions of how to deepen and broaden their analysis are presented.

How to Plan for Transformative Change in light of New Mobility Technologies? A Discussion on Reflexivity as a Planning Principle and the Format of Real-world Laboratories

How to Plan for Transformative Change in light of New Mobility Technologies? A Discussion on Reflexivity as a Planning Principle and the Format of Real-world Laboratories

Jointly Experimenting for Transformation? Shaping Real-World Laboratories by Comparing Them

Various experimental approaches of transformative research in real-world settings have emerged. Yet, similarities, differences, and specific contributions remain unclear. A characteristic-based comparison reveals complementarities and provides orientation.Real-world laboratories (RwLs, German Reallabore) belong to a family of increasingly popular experimental and transdisciplinary research approaches at the science-society interface. As these approaches in general, and RwLs in particular, often lack clear definitions of key characteristics and their operationalization, we make two contributions in this article. First, we identify five core characteristics of RwLs: contribution to transformation, experimental methods, transdisciplinary research mode, scalability and transferability of results, as well as scientific and societal learning and reflexivity. Second, we compare RwLs to similar research approaches according to the five characteristics. In this way, we provide an orientation on experimental and transdisciplinary research for societal transformations, and reveal the contributions of this type of research in supporting societal change. Our findings enable learning across the different approaches and highlight their complementarities, with a particular focus on RwLs.

What is the importance of islands to environmental conservation?

SUMMARYThis article discusses four features of islands that make them places of special importance to environmental conservation. First, investment in island conservation is both urgent and cost-effective. Islands are threatened hotspots of diversity that concentrate unique cultural, biological and geophysical values, and they form the basis of the livelihoods of millions of islanders. Second, islands are paradigmatic places of human–environment relationships. Island livelihoods have a long tradition of existing within spatial, ecological and ultimately social boundaries and are still often highly dependent on local resources and social cohesion. Island cultures and their rich biocultural knowledge can be an important basis for revitalizing and innovating sustainable human–nature relationships. Third, islands form a global web that interlinks biogeographic regions and cultural spaces. They are nodes in a global cultural network: as multicultural island societies, through diaspora islander communities on continents and through numerous political and trade relationships among islands and between islands and countries on continents. Fourth, islands can serve as real-world laboratories that enable scientific innovation, integration of local and generalized knowledge and social learning and empowerment of local actors. We conclude that island systems can serve as globally distributed hubs of innovation, if the voices of islanders are better recognized.

Biosphere reserves as model regions for sustainability transitions? Insights into the peripheral mountain area Grosses Walsertal (Austria)

Even though Biosphere Reserves (BR) have been initiated by the UNESCO to expand the idea of nature conservation to a network of model regions for sustainability they have not been in the focus of sustainability transitions research so far. This article tries to fill this lack of attention by comparing the ambitions of the Man and Biosphere program (MAB) with local realities in the BR Grosses Walsertal (Austria). It is argued that by sharing knowledge and ecologically sound practice within the the World Network of Biosphere Reserves BR act as model regions or “real world laboratories” and therefore play an important role in the gathering of knowledge about the complex processes of sustainability transitions.The results of this transdisciplinary case study show that sustainability transitions happening in BR are influenced by multi-level actor coalitions as well as different forms of proximity. The theoretical discussions and the case study results conclude that BR are a good instrument to pick up regional ideas, funding opportunities and to attach the region with sustainability transitions happening in other spaces. The transferability of this best practice example however is limited to (financially) well-equipped post-Sevilla BR. This makes the reconstruction of old BR a high priority for the MAB program.

Real-world Laboratories and Transformation Research: Call for Papers: GAIA Open Access Special Issue

A GAIA special issue will focus on reflections and empirical insights regarding real-world laboratories. In order to bring the growing research community together and to combine empirical evidence, the guest editors hereby invite colleagues to submit papers.

Urban BaWü-Labs: Challenges and Solutions when Expanding the Real-World Lab Infrastructure

Urban areas provide space and place for experimentation with sustainability transitions in real-world laboratories. Members of the existing urban laboratories in Baden-Württemberg and experts have discussed the challenges of these innovative research settings, as well as possible solutions.

Tentative Theses on Transformative Research in Real-World Laboratories

Real-world laboratories are growing in popularity promising a contribution to both: the understanding and facilitation of societal transformation towards Baden-Wurttemberg substantially funds real-world labs as part of the initiative science for sustainability. To facilitate learning with and from these so-called BaWu-Labs, they are supported by accompanying research conducted by two teams. This article presents first insights and theses on real-world labs as a research format, based in particular on the work of the accompanying research team ForReal. The team supports the labs in their realization and in providing general insights, e.g. by learning from related international research approaches and dialog with international experts, and analyzes suitable quality features and methods (the latter together with the University of Basel team). The theses presented here put up for discussion first insights on real-world labs as a transformative research approach and reflect on them from a theoretical perspective. They illustrate the relevance of a goal-oriented use of methods and present learning processes as core characteristics of real-world labs. The theses were formulated based on discussions with the BaWu-Labs, exchange in international contexts as well as a thematic literature review.

Towards a Real-world Laboratory: A Transdisciplinary Case Study from Lüneburg

Real-world laboratories have gained currency in transdisciplinary sustainability research. Establishing real-world laboratories by means of a transdisciplinary process offers promising prospects since it fosters trust among the participants and leads to significant commitment and participation.Fostering sustainable community development and understanding social transformations are crucial topics in sustainability science. A new mode of research, real-world laboratories, are enabling the mutual engagement of science and society towards sustainability through transdisciplinary research. However, recent literature has paid little attention to the establishment of these collaborative research spaces. In our case study, we initiated a transdisciplinary research process in Lüneburg (involving participants from university, municipality, nongovernmental organizations and society at large) with the goal of creating a setting for a real-world laboratory. We combined qualitative scenario analysis and visioning. Our findings demonstrated that establishing real-world laboratories in a transdisciplinary process builds trust and commitment among the involved participants and forms a vital starting point for the institutionalization of future transdisciplinary collaboration and research. Therefore, our approach can serve as an impetus for other communities to engage in bottom-up collaboration towards sustainability transformations.

BaWü-labs on Their Way: Progress of Real-world Laboratories in Baden-Württemberg

Real-world laboratories aim to create relevant and transferable knowledge and foster societal transformation towards sustainability. Members of the existing laboratories in Baden-Württemberg and experts have discussed the progress and the challenges of these innovative research settings.

Scale and intensity of collaboration as determinants of performance management gaps in polycentric governance networks: evidence from a national survey of metropolitan planning organisations

Metropolitan planning organisations (MPOs) present a unique opportunity as real-world laboratories to investigate the dynamics of scale and performance management in polycentric governance networks. Using a 2009 Government Accountability Office survey of all 381 MPOs, this study examines whether the scale and intensity of collaboration of an MPO influences performance management; and tests two hypotheses: (1) small-scale MPOs have a significant performance management gap; (2) larger-scale MPOs with higher scale and intensity of collaboration have a smaller performance management gap. Regression models predict performance management gaps across 15 indicators. Theoretical implications concerning scale and collaboration in polycentric governance networks are discussed.

Creating Space for Change: Sustainability Transformations: The Case of Baden-Württemberg

In the face of persistent sustainability problems challenging economic development, ecological integrity as ell as social justice, transformational changes are crucial. Proposed changes shall include, for instance, large-scale transitions of practices, infrastructures as well as values and priorities. In Germany, real-world laboratories are proposed for research in and with society, aiming to understand and contribute to transformations.

Evaluating errors in the laboratory identification of von Willebrand disease in the real world

Introductionvon Willebrand disease (VWD), reportedly the most common bleeding disorder, arises from deficiency and/or defects of von Willebrand factor (VWF). Assessment requires a wide range of tests, including VWF activity and antigen. Appropriate diagnosis including differential identification of qualitative vs quantitative defects has important management implications, but remains problematic for many laboratories and clinicians. MethodsData using a large set (n=29) of varied plasma samples comprising both ‘quantitative’ VWF deficiency (‘Type 1 and 3’ VWD) vs ‘qualitative’ defects (‘Type 2 VWD’) tested in a cross-laboratory setting has been evaluated to assess the ability of real world laboratories to differentially identify these sample types. ResultsDifferent VWF assays and activity/antigen ratios show different utility in VWD and type identification. VWD identification errors were often linked to high inter-laboratory test variation and result misinterpretation (i.e., laboratories failed to correctly interpret their own test panel findings). Thus, moderate quantitative VWF deficient samples were misinterpreted as qualitative defects on 30/334 occasions (9% error rate); 17% of these errors were due to laboratories misinterpreting their own data, which was instead consistent with quantitative deficiencies. Conversely, whilst qualitative VWF defects were misinterpreted as quantitative deficiencies at a similar error rate (~9%), this was more often due to laboratories misinterpreting their data (~50% of errors). For test-associated errors, ristocetin cofactor was associated with the highest variability and error rate, which was at least twice that using collagen binding. ConclusionThese findings in part explain the high rate of errors associated with VWD diagnosis.

Long-term socio-ecological research (LTSER) for biodiversity protection – A complex systems approach for the study of dynamic human–nature interactions

Recently, the long-term ecological research (LTER) program in the US was evaluated. In its 20-year review report, the National Science Foundation recognizes the achievements of the past and specifies guidance for future development. Among other aspects, research activities of the next decade should concentrate on a new core area: biological diversity, and, to inform environmental policy on the interrelationships and reciprocal impacts of ecological and human systems, LTER is requested “to partner with social scientists” at all existing or newly selected research sites ( http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/02/pr0265.htm). In Europe, LTER activities head in the same direction. To create durable integration of European biodiversity research capacity and to address biodiversity policy needs, long-term socio-ecological research (LTSER) sites should serve as real-world laboratories for interdisciplinary and policy relevant research ( http://www.lter-europe.ceh.ac.uk and www.alter-net.info). In this paper, we explore how LTER could meet the challenges of the future: the increase of knowledge on issues of biological diversity and of partnership approaches among the natural and social sciences in common research facilities – the LTSER sites. Regarding biological diversity we explore, in particular, the advantages for improving: (1) ecological-economic modelling, a powerful technique for analysing complex human–nature interaction, (2) the design of choice experiments, a rather new evaluation method for assessing the benefits of conservation and (3) the understanding of biodiversity as complex social dilemma. Regarding the issue of research collaboration, we focus on the geographical scale of LTSER sites and, on a more general level, on the demands of research management in terms of project design, common knowledge and organisation of research teams.

Research‐Led Learning in biological science practical activities: supported by student‐centred e‐Learning

Our aim was to introduce student-centred research-led learning (RLL) into undergraduate Physiology practical classes in 2nd year Science. We took an incremental approach to developing students' skills of investigating scientists with many opportunities for them to practice and assess their own progress. The experimental design scenarios, and skills we aimed to engender, go beyond simple inquiry-based learning in practical classes and require thinking about bigger issues of research projects in real-world laboratories. The 1st semester subject is taught with an emphasis on students learning principles of experimental design. In 2nd Semester, students apply their experimental design capabilities in designing, executing, analysing and reporting on their investigation of a physiological problem as if it were to be published as a journal article. We support students' tasks associated with RLL by online e-Learning activities which are normally predictive before any practical class or discussion workshop. Students then have opportunities to review their submissions before lectures in which important issues are raised, using Personal Response Units to encourage active learning. Our results show very high student ratings in quality of teaching surveys, improved student engagement with improved learning outcomes in terms of progressive and final assessments and in later year performances.

Academia as partner in organizational change.

Partnerships are valuable strategies for promoting organizational change. Collaboration between academia and service can provide rapid access to new clinical service delivery mechanisms and real-world laboratories for implementing and testing novel approaches to care delivery. Academic-service partnerships also provide opportunities for work force development. One example of a partnership is described in this article. Details of a Nursing Care Management Institute illustrate principles of good practice for community-campus partnerships.