According to common understanding, knowledge emerges when information meets theory. But given AI'... more According to common understanding, knowledge emerges when information meets theory. But given AI's new capabilities for machine integration of mass data, do we even need theories anymore? This was the question that motivated our conference on the role of theory, which resulted in this book. We begin our editorial with a look at the concept of theory and will see that when we speak of theory, we should also touch on other issues such as truth and the scientific practice of peer review. Overall, the contributions show that theory is indispensable as part of what has now become a set of professionalized scientific practices. In this context, and on our own behalf, we will conclude with a brief discussion of the responsible role of editors.
Why Theorizing Should be Seen as a Form of Research Argument Here, I present the argument that th... more Why Theorizing Should be Seen as a Form of Research Argument Here, I present the argument that theorizing, i.e., the formation of concepts and theories, should be seen as a form of research in its own right. This view is not new. It was also explicitly postulated in a position paper by the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat, 2012). That paper also contained an important justification: theorizing - as a separate form of research - requires special, separate research infrastructures. There are also didactic reasons.
risk-based reinterpretation ofWeber’s ethic of responsibility can resolve core problems of profes... more risk-based reinterpretation ofWeber’s ethic of responsibility can resolve core problems of professional ethics (the role of values, the multilevel problem, etc.) and address current issues—such as the social responsibility of professions or the accountability of professionals. From this perspective, professions as organizations and professionals as their individual members share and distribute responsibility (and risk) in that the primary responsibility of a profession is to provide domain-specific quality standards, while that of individual professionals is to be able to justify service against those standards on a case-by-case basis. In this way, as argued in the paper, professionalism translates (sometimes conflicting) values into a case-specific quality.
SPUR Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 2024
This article describes the initiative to establish a European network for undergraduate research ... more This article describes the initiative to establish a European network for undergraduate research (UR). This began with national initiatives in Germany and the United Kingdom, dating back 10 to 20 years. A strong impetus was given by the European project on digital UR (2021–2023), which also was a response to COVID-19 and extended the possibilities of digital UR for cross-cultural collaboration. The next step should be to seize the postpandemic opportunity to advance UR in Europe through new hybrid pathways, with stronger links to national and European policies.
Transferability: Reflections on planning and knowledge organization. Wissenschaftsforschung Jahrbuch 2022, 2023
This chapter deals with the transferability of measures for the reuse of heritage objects (buildi... more This chapter deals with the transferability of measures for the reuse of heritage objects (buildings, sites, etc.) in Europe. It offers insights into the OpenHeritage project, which was concerned with adaptive heritage reuse (AHR) in Europe. Moreover, the chapter outlines the considerations to formally frame the issue of transfer, resulting in a transferability matrix (as requested by the European Commission). The discussion centers on issues of transfer and transferability in AHR in general, and the relationship between professionalization and formalization in particular.
Transferability: Reflections on planning and knowledge organization. Wissenschaftsforschung Jahrbuch 2022, 2023
What is planning? Should we think of plans as data sets rather than documents? What about strateg... more What is planning? Should we think of plans as data sets rather than documents? What about strategic planning or the role of formalization in planning? These questions were discussed at a meeting that brought together experts from a variety of fields: spatial planning, business planning, political planning, and military planning. There was some consensus that, in general, more time should be devoted to the preparation of planning, especially for a better understanding of the underlying problems.
This article presents a ten-item short scale for measuring digital competence. The scale is based... more This article presents a ten-item short scale for measuring digital competence. The scale is based on the Digital Competence Framework for Citizens, DigComp2.1 (Carretero et al., 2017). For our surveys, we used five items from the DigCompSat study (Clifford et al., 2020) and created five new ones to address the competence areas defined by DigCom2.1. We tested the scale on a sample of 1416 students from four countries (Germany, Lithuania, Austria, UK), using the questionnaire in two languages (English, German). The scale proved to be reliable (Cronbach's α of 0.87 and McDonald's ω t of 0.88) and valid (construct and content validity). Using the scale, we replicated findings from previous studies on differences in digital literacy by gender, study subject, and level of study. Despite the inhomogeneous structure of items from five different competence areas (according to DigComp2.1) and of two different types (specific, general), the scale does not seem to be multifactorial. A detailed analysis of digital competence and undergraduate research in the context of the pandemic shows: digital competence seems to support research competence and may even support inclusion.
Open Heritage: Community–driven adaptive reuse in Europe - best practice, 2023
Open heritage requires a discussion about the transferability of practices and experiences. In a ... more Open heritage requires a discussion about the transferability of practices and experiences. In a relatively new field like Adaptive Heritage Reuse (AHR), we need to learn from each other in order to advance ourselves and our projects. This chapter summarizes the 5M model as it has been developed in the context of the OpenHeritage project (2018-2022, www.openheritage.eu). This model provides a general approach to the issue of transferability and its role in open heritage and AHR. The 5M model is based on five dimensions: (1) meaning, (2) models, (3) mechanisms, (4) means, and (5) moment. The 5M model aims to clarify: What is the purpose of the transfer (meaning), what exactly is being transferred (models), under what conditions (mechanisms), through which channels (means), and when (moment)?
The new Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research provides key insights to the global diversit... more The new Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research provides key insights to the global diversity of undergraduate research (UR) philosophies and practices. This article introduces the Handbook, discusses its structure and key themes, explains how the Handbook was written and explores the lessons that emerged during the writing process. The article demonstrates how global UR is linked to the educational research literature, to academic disciplinary contexts and to educational systems in different countries. The authors draw attention to cultural and sociopolitical differences between nations and suggest fruitful avenues for UR's future global development. The variety and complexity of worldwide UR implementation frameworks notwithstanding, UR holds significant potential to network community-based research efforts and to support democratization of knowledge creation and dissemination.
In den letzten Jahrzehnten ist ein globalisierten Funktionssystem „Finance“ entstanden, das die L... more In den letzten Jahrzehnten ist ein globalisierten Funktionssystem „Finance“ entstanden, das die Liquiditätsversorgung vereinfacht. Dieses System folgt einer eigenen Logik, welche sich verstärkend auf Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrisen auswirkt, und damit auch Folgen für Städte und die Immobilienwirtschaft hat. Nachweislich hat sich die Vernetzung der Finanzmärkte untereinander und mit der Wirtschaft erhöht. Mein Beitrag erläutert Finance als ein soziales Funktionssystem. Er zeigt das Risiko der Finanzmarktlogik am Beispiel der Übertragung von Volatilität, d.h. von überstarken, oft unerwarteten Preisschwankungen. Abschließend erörtert er das systemische Risiko, das von globalen Finanzkrisen für Städte ausgeht, sowie die Wege zu mehr Resilienz.
Das vorliegende Jahrbuch der Gesellschaft für Wissenschaftsforschung geht zurück auf die Jahresta... more Das vorliegende Jahrbuch der Gesellschaft für Wissenschaftsforschung geht zurück auf die Jahrestagung 2021 zum Thema "Critical Thinking: Wissenschaft-Kritik-Kollegialität ". Mein Beitrag bietet eine kurze Einführung in das Konzept von Critical Thinking und resümiert die thematische Diskussion auf der Tagung und im Jahrbuch. Ich gehe hier von der Definition bei Edward Glaser aus. Er verstand Critical Thinking als Haltung (Attitude), Wissen (Knowledge) und Fertigkeit (Skill) sorgfältigen, methodischen Erwägens. Criticial Thinking wird nicht zuletzt im kulturellen Kontext der US-amerikanischen Bildungsphilosophie (John Dewey) gesehen. Meine Einleitung stellt zudem Konzepte im Umfeld von Critical Thinking vor, zum Beispiel undergraduate research bzw. forschendes Lernen, Transaktivität sowie epistemologische Überzeugungen. Ein Fazit von Tagung und Buch ist: Es gibt ein Potenzial zum Transfer kritischen Denkens, nämlich dann, wenn kritische Denken unter Transaktivität umgesetzt wird, d.h. Leute nehmen in einer Diskussion ausdrücklich aufeinander Bezug und entwickeln das Diskutierte weiter. Mein persönliches Fazit der Auseinandersetzung mit Critical Thinking wäre: Kritik ist für das Funktionieren von Wissenschaft wesentlich, wir haben es aber nachweislich mit zwei Formen von Kritik zu tun: einerseits dem methodischen Skeptizimus und andererseits der produktiven Kritik, die offen für Neues ist. Die beiden gehören in der Wissenschaft wie im Critical Thinking zusammen, wirken jedoch unterschiedlich. (Siehe auch meine Kurzvideos zu Critical Thinking auf YouTube:-)
Umweltpolitik in der Schweiz: Von der Forstpolizei zur Ökobilanzierung, 2020
Dies ist die Einleitung zu dem Buch "Umweltpolitik in der Schweiz: Von der Forstpolizei zur Ökobi... more Dies ist die Einleitung zu dem Buch "Umweltpolitik in der Schweiz: Von der Forstpolizei zur Ökobilanzierung". Das Buch geht den Schweizer Diskursen zu Umweltfragen nach und stellt die Erfindung formaler Werkzeuge im Bereich Umweltschutz vor. Es erfasst die Diskussionen um Wald, Wasser und Naturschutz, die weit in die Schweizer Geschichte zurückreichen, und schägt den Bogen zu aktuellen Themen und Verfahren. Werkzeuge wie Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung oder Umweltmanagement sind heute für Schweizer Betriebe gängige Praxis, die Details sind in der Öffentlichkeit jedoch wenig bekannt. In 15 Kapiteln erläutern Expertinnen und Experten aus Praxis und Forschung die vielfältigen Institutionen, Instrumente und Regelungen zu Umweltfragen in Recht, Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft.
Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research, 2022
This is the introduction to the theory section of the Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Researc... more This is the introduction to the theory section of the Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research. At the time of writing, there clearly is more research on undergraduate research (UR) than there are explicit efforts at formulating a theory of UR. However, any questionnaire designed to assess the effects of UR also contains theoretical assumptions; while these may not always become explicit, they could nonetheless contribute to theory-building. This introduction has three parts. The first will briefly introduce existing models of UR with theoretical significance, here in the context of the research-teaching nexus. The second will introduce the four theoretical perspectives that provide the framework(s) for an understanding of UR in this handbook, namely: higher education policy, psychology, philosophy, and the sociocultural perspective. The third will briefly discuss how we might develop a theory of UR.
Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research, 2022
This is the general introduction to the Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research. The introdu... more This is the general introduction to the Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research. The introduction deals with the history of the university as an institution (which has been a research institution only since the 19th century); with the concept of undergraduate research and its dimensions (e.g., student- or staff-initiated research); with possible alternative concepts (e.g., critical thinking or lifelong learning); with research on undergraduate research (e.g., increased retention rate but necessary mentoring); and with implementation challenges (for universities and faculty). We see a new role for students: in ever more differentiated modern societies, collaborative, cross-segmental knowledge production becomes a new necessity, the educational means to which might be undergraduate research.
Ein enges Budget, offene Probleme und über 200 Projekt-Beteiligte mit unterschiedlichen Interess... more Ein enges Budget, offene Probleme und über 200 Projekt-Beteiligte mit unterschiedlichen Interessen: was für manchen Projektmanager der Horror sein mag, ist der Alltag von Schweizer Umweltprojekten, die unter der Leitung der Eidgenössischen Technischen Hochschule (ETH), Zürich, durchgeführt werden. Wir zeigen am Prinzip der modularen Integration, wie sich solche Projekte organisieren und abwickeln lassen.
Scientific responsibility has changed with the successful professionalization of science. Today, ... more Scientific responsibility has changed with the successful professionalization of science. Today, science is a privileged profession, one with a (tacit) management mandate for systematic knowledge acquisition. Within this framework, science acts with responsibility. This chapter reflects the responsibility of science in the German context. After Wold War 2, the extraordinary responsibility of scientists, which C.F. von Weizsäcker emphasized, referred to a specific phase in the institutional development of science, termed scientism ("science justifies society," science as religion), and corresponded to an elite responsibility. Today, one responsibility of science as a profession is to safeguard and develop scientific standards. This also concerns, on the one hand, the self-organization and control of science as a profession and, on the other hand, the communication of science to society. As a professional scientist, one has two responsibilities, the commitments to good science (professional ethics plus co-responsibility for the development of science as a profession) and civic responsibility. Due to their special knowledge, the civic responsibility of the scientist differs from that of other professionals. This chapter introduces science as a profession and presents an integrative notion of responsibility, also shedding light on the social responsibility of science.
In professional contexts, architects often orientate along innerprofessional excellence, defined ... more In professional contexts, architects often orientate along innerprofessional excellence, defined by the professional discourse of architecture. Transforming heritage sites or listed historic environments means interacting within a constellation of differing discourses or planning perspectives, such as (1) architecture, (2) urban development and (3) heritage conservation. We present three case studies of regeneration of industrial heritage sites. The cases show that inner-professional excellence serves the discourses of (1) architecture, and (2) urban development, but may or may not function in regard to heritage conservation. For planning within historic environments, we suggest to adopt a dual role-that of achieving inner-professional excellence, and of performing inter-professional cooperation within this constellation. To perform inter-professional cooperation, addressing so-called bridging values and test-planning (exploratory planning) might serve as instruments.
Mein Beitrag setzt bei Webers Vorträgen zu Wissenschaft als Beruf (1917) und Politik als Beruf (1... more Mein Beitrag setzt bei Webers Vorträgen zu Wissenschaft als Beruf (1917) und Politik als Beruf (1919) an. Die These ist: Wissenschaft ist mit Ende des 20sten Jahrhunderts eine eigene Profession geworden. Über die ungeheure Ausweitung des Hochschulwesens hat auch Wissenschaft einen Professionalisierungsschub erhalten. Wissenschaft hat das Stadium der Geistesaristokratie und des elitären Expertentums hinter sich gelassen und ist ein akademischer Ausbildungsberuf geworden. Politik hingegen ist Beruf, aber keine Profession. Den Unterschied machen Schließungsprozesse aus: In modernen, demokratischen Gesellschaften muss Politik als Beruf wesentlich allen voraussetzungslos zugänglich sein. Anders als Wissenschaft ist Politik kein Ausbildungsberuf; die Ausübung von Politik knüpft sich nicht an den Nachweis von formalen Qualifikationen. Der Eingang in die Wissenschaften, und damit der Zutritt zu den Stätten der Spitzenforschung in Industrie und Staat, erfolgt heute über ein Hochschulstudium. Mein Beitrag belegt einen Schließungsprozess der Wissenschaft als Profession anhand von Daten zu beruflichen Umwelttätigkeiten und der Umweltwissenschaft in der Schweiz.
Der Artikel zeigt am Beispiel der sog ."Expertensysteme" (XPS) die Möglichkeiten einer genuin psy... more Der Artikel zeigt am Beispiel der sog ."Expertensysteme" (XPS) die Möglichkeiten einer genuin psychologischen Evaluation der Anwendungswirklichkeit "intelligenter" Computerprogramme. Hierzu wird die diagnostische Expertise (als eine Leistung menschlicher Experten) wissens- und organisationspsychologisch analysiert. Daraus werden Kriterien für diagnostische "Expertensysteme" gewonnen und als sog. XPS-Entwicklungs-Profil (XPS-E-P) operationalisiert (16 Ordinalskalen). Empirische Untersuchungen (insgesamt 4 Systeme, 26 Beurteiler) weisen für das XPS-E-P Reliabilität (als Beurteilungskonkordanz) und Ordinalität nach. Mit dem XPS-E-P lassen sich Systeme diskriminanzanalytisch eindeutig identifizieren. Es zeigen sich grundsätzlich verschiedene Beurteilerklassen (Experten, Vertreiber, Benutzer).
is a professor of physical interaction design in the degree program in interface design. 22.1 Sci... more is a professor of physical interaction design in the degree program in interface design. 22.1 Scientific Research in Design Mieg: What role does scientific research play in design? Heidmann: There is art and there is art studies; there is media and there is media studies; thus there is design and design studies, too. Design studies is basic research that deals with the history, theory and perception of design. The concept of research about design was established based on the work of Christopher Frayling (1994). This must be distinguished from research for design, the results of which include new design methods and processes, for example, as well as the knowledge transfer of other disciplines (e.g. cognitive sciences, information technology, material sciences) for design. The third and most difficult-to-grasp category, research through design, expresses that an artifact itself is the embodiment/materialization of research and generates new knowledge. In this way, the "state of the research" is not just conveyed verbally, but graphically as well. Design may thus become a third class of research. It is a "science of applied, everyday problem-solving." This opportunistically utilizes the method sets of other disciplines, for example of ethnology. Godau: In the case of a new discipline, it is an inevitable development that, initially, methodological use be made of other disciplines. In design, we do not have a unified "textbook" that sets forth design methods that can be used in a precise manner. At best, the educational model at the Ulm School of Design (HfG Ulm), which conceives of design as a social and not as a formal task, could be considered to some extent as such. According to the philosophy of the HfG Ulm, products should be developed based on their purpose. HfG Ulm was founded back in 1953 and dissolved 15 years later; since that time, a lot has changed in the field of design. Langer: Naturally many methods have been adapted and introduced from other disciplines, the reason for which is that designers are interested in bigger problems and want to "save the world." Nevertheless, design also has its own research methods-these are simply not summarized in a single compendium. Designers have always worked with variant formation after changing the practical variables, for example. This is a typical design method that has not been "stolen." Frank Heidmann studied geography and is a professor of software interface design in the degree program in interface design.
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Papers by Harald A Mieg
professions as organizations and professionals as their individual members share and distribute responsibility (and risk) in that the primary responsibility of a profession is to provide domain-specific quality standards, while that of individual professionals is to be able to justify service against those standards on a case-by-case basis. In this way, as argued in the paper, professionalism translates (sometimes conflicting) values into a case-specific quality.
26 Beurteiler) weisen für das XPS-E-P Reliabilität (als Beurteilungskonkordanz) und Ordinalität nach. Mit dem XPS-E-P lassen sich Systeme diskriminanzanalytisch eindeutig identifizieren. Es zeigen sich grundsätzlich verschiedene Beurteilerklassen (Experten, Vertreiber, Benutzer).