research lesson 1

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Research 101

• ACRL Framework Alignment
• Before You Begin...
• Lesson 1: Choose a Research Topic
• Lesson 2: Develop a Research Strategy
• Lesson 3: Conduct Ongoing Research
• Lesson 4: Analyze & Review Sources
• Lesson 5: Use Information Effectively
• After You Finish...
• Acknowledgements

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Lesson 1: Choose a Research Topic  

In this chapter, you'll learn to: 

• Formulate questions for research, based on information gaps or on reexamination of existing, possibly conflicting, information.
• Recognize that you, the researcher, are often entering into an ongoing scholarly conversation, not a finished conversation.
• Conduct background research to develop research strategies.
• Instructions
• 1) Scholarly Conversations
• 2) Research Topic
• 3) Research Question

Click on the numbered tabs to complete each activity.

Activities include videos, tutorials, and interactive tasks.

Questions about this lesson will be included on the Research 101 Quiz.

*It is recommended that you take notes while you complete each activity to prepare for the Research 101 quiz.

*If you have to take a break, make a note of your last activity so that you can pick up where you left off later.

"Choosing a Topic" Video by Amanda Burbage

This introductory video explains how when you choose a research topic, you are actually joining an ongoing academic conversation.

• "Choosing a Topic" Video Transcript
• CC BY-SA 4.0

"Scholarly Conversations" Tutorial by New Literacies Alliance

"In this lesson, students will discover how research is like a conversation that takes place between scholars in a field and will investigate ways they can become part of the conversation over time."  -NewLiteraciesAlliance.org

"Scholarly Conversations" Tutorial

1. Click on the tutorial link above.

2. Click the green "Sign In" button to login to your New Literacies Alliance account before beginning the tutorial .

*Go to the "Before You Begin" page of Research 101 if you have not yet registered for an account. 

3. Click the green "View Course" button.

4. Click the plus sign beside "Lesson".

5. Click the link that appears below to begin the tutorial.

• CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

"Picking Your Topic IS Research" Video by NC State University Libraries

This video explains that before you begin a project, you should do some preliminary research on your topic. This is a cyclical process, involving collecting background information and tweaking, to construct an interesting topic that you can further explore in your paper.

• "Picking Your Topic IS Research" Video Transcript

"Using Wikipedia for Academic Research (CLIP)" Video by Michael Baird

Although Wikipedia is not a suitable source for an academic research paper, it can still be very helpful! This video explains how this online encyclopedia can serve as a treasure trove of topic phrases, keywords, names, dates, and citations that you can use throughout the research process.

NOTE: Audio begins at 0.18 seconds.

• "Using Wikipedia for Academic Research (CLIP)" Video Transcript

"How to Develop a STRONG Research Question" Video by Scribbr

This video explains how to turn your research topic into a research question that is focused, researchable, feasible, specific, complex, and relevant.

• "How to Develop a STRONG Research Question" Video Transcript
• Scribbr Video Citation

"Ask the Right Questions" Tutorial by New Literacies Alliance

"In this lesson, students will explore what it takes to narrow a search in order to find the best information."  -NewLiteraciesAlliance.org

"Ask the Right Questions" Tutorial

• << Previous: Before You Begin...
• Next: Lesson 2: Develop a Research Strategy >>
• Last Updated: Feb 13, 2024 4:11 PM
• URL: https://libguides.randolph.edu/R101

• Research Skills

50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills

Please note, I am no longer blogging and this post hasn’t updated since April 2020.

For a number of years, Seth Godin has been talking about the need to “ connect the dots” rather than “collect the dots” . That is, rather than memorising information, students must be able to learn how to solve new problems, see patterns, and combine multiple perspectives.

Solid research skills underpin this. Having the fluency to find and use information successfully is an essential skill for life and work.

Today’s students have more information at their fingertips than ever before and this means the role of the teacher as a guide is more important than ever.

You might be wondering how you can fit teaching research skills into a busy curriculum? There aren’t enough hours in the day! The good news is, there are so many mini-lessons you can do to build students’ skills over time.

This post outlines 50 ideas for activities that could be done in just a few minutes (or stretched out to a longer lesson if you have the time!).

Learn More About The Research Process

I have a popular post called Teach Students How To Research Online In 5 Steps. It outlines a five-step approach to break down the research process into manageable chunks.

This post shares ideas for mini-lessons that could be carried out in the classroom throughout the year to help build students’ skills in the five areas of: clarify, search, delve, evaluate , and cite . It also includes ideas for learning about staying organised throughout the research process.

Notes about the 50 research activities:

• These ideas can be adapted for different age groups from middle primary/elementary to senior high school.
• Many of these ideas can be repeated throughout the year.
• Depending on the age of your students, you can decide whether the activity will be more teacher or student led. Some activities suggest coming up with a list of words, questions, or phrases. Teachers of younger students could generate these themselves.
• Depending on how much time you have, many of the activities can be either quickly modelled by the teacher, or extended to an hour-long lesson.
• Some of the activities could fit into more than one category.
• Looking for simple articles for younger students for some of the activities? Try DOGO News or Time for Kids . Newsela is also a great resource but you do need to sign up for free account.
• Why not try a few activities in a staff meeting? Everyone can always brush up on their own research skills!

• Choose a topic (e.g. koalas, basketball, Mount Everest) . Write as many questions as you can think of relating to that topic.
• Make a mindmap of a topic you’re currently learning about. This could be either on paper or using an online tool like Bubbl.us .
• Read a short book or article. Make a list of 5 words from the text that you don’t totally understand. Look up the meaning of the words in a dictionary (online or paper).
• Look at a printed or digital copy of a short article with the title removed. Come up with as many different titles as possible that would fit the article.
• Come up with a list of 5 different questions you could type into Google (e.g. Which country in Asia has the largest population?) Circle the keywords in each question.
• Write down 10 words to describe a person, place, or topic. Come up with synonyms for these words using a tool like  Thesaurus.com .
• Write pairs of synonyms on post-it notes (this could be done by the teacher or students). Each student in the class has one post-it note and walks around the classroom to find the person with the synonym to their word.

• Explore how to search Google using your voice (i.e. click/tap on the microphone in the Google search box or on your phone/tablet keyboard) . List the pros and cons of using voice and text to search.
• Open two different search engines in your browser such as Google and Bing. Type in a query and compare the results. Do all search engines work exactly the same?
• Have students work in pairs to try out a different search engine (there are 11 listed here ). Report back to the class on the pros and cons.
• Think of something you’re curious about, (e.g. What endangered animals live in the Amazon Rainforest?). Open Google in two tabs. In one search, type in one or two keywords ( e.g. Amazon Rainforest) . In the other search type in multiple relevant keywords (e.g. endangered animals Amazon rainforest).  Compare the results. Discuss the importance of being specific.
• Similar to above, try two different searches where one phrase is in quotation marks and the other is not. For example, Origin of “raining cats and dogs” and Origin of raining cats and dogs . Discuss the difference that using quotation marks makes (It tells Google to search for the precise keywords in order.)
• Try writing a question in Google with a few minor spelling mistakes. What happens? What happens if you add or leave out punctuation ?
• Try the AGoogleADay.com daily search challenges from Google. The questions help older students learn about choosing keywords, deconstructing questions, and altering keywords.
• Explore how Google uses autocomplete to suggest searches quickly. Try it out by typing in various queries (e.g. How to draw… or What is the tallest…). Discuss how these suggestions come about, how to use them, and whether they’re usually helpful.
• Watch this video  from Code.org to learn more about how search works .
• Take a look at  20 Instant Google Searches your Students Need to Know  by Eric Curts to learn about “ instant searches ”. Try one to try out. Perhaps each student could be assigned one to try and share with the class.
• Experiment with typing some questions into Google that have a clear answer (e.g. “What is a parallelogram?” or “What is the highest mountain in the world?” or “What is the population of Australia?”). Look at the different ways the answers are displayed instantly within the search results — dictionary definitions, image cards, graphs etc.

• Watch the video How Does Google Know Everything About Me?  by Scientific American. Discuss the PageRank algorithm and how Google uses your data to customise search results.
• Brainstorm a list of popular domains   (e.g. .com, .com.au, or your country’s domain) . Discuss if any domains might be more reliable than others and why (e.g. .gov or .edu) .
• Discuss (or research) ways to open Google search results in a new tab to save your original search results  (i.e. right-click > open link in new tab or press control/command and click the link).
• Try out a few Google searches (perhaps start with things like “car service” “cat food” or “fresh flowers”). A re there advertisements within the results? Discuss where these appear and how to spot them.
• Look at ways to filter search results by using the tabs at the top of the page in Google (i.e. news, images, shopping, maps, videos etc.). Do the same filters appear for all Google searches? Try out a few different searches and see.
• Type a question into Google and look for the “People also ask” and “Searches related to…” sections. Discuss how these could be useful. When should you use them or ignore them so you don’t go off on an irrelevant tangent? Is the information in the drop-down section under “People also ask” always the best?
• Often, more current search results are more useful. Click on “tools” under the Google search box and then “any time” and your time frame of choice such as “Past month” or “Past year”.
• Have students annotate their own “anatomy of a search result” example like the one I made below. Explore the different ways search results display; some have more details like sitelinks and some do not.

• Find two articles on a news topic from different publications. Or find a news article and an opinion piece on the same topic. Make a Venn diagram comparing the similarities and differences.
• Choose a graph, map, or chart from The New York Times’ What’s Going On In This Graph series . Have a whole class or small group discussion about the data.
• Look at images stripped of their captions on What’s Going On In This Picture? by The New York Times. Discuss the images in pairs or small groups. What can you tell?
• Explore a website together as a class or in pairs — perhaps a news website. Identify all the advertisements .
• Have a look at a fake website either as a whole class or in pairs/small groups. See if students can spot that these sites are not real. Discuss the fact that you can’t believe everything that’s online. Get started with these four examples of fake websites from Eric Curts.
• Give students a copy of my website evaluation flowchart to analyse and then discuss as a class. Read more about the flowchart in this post.
• As a class, look at a prompt from Mike Caulfield’s Four Moves . Either together or in small groups, have students fact check the prompts on the site. This resource explains more about the fact checking process. Note: some of these prompts are not suitable for younger students.
• Practice skim reading — give students one minute to read a short article. Ask them to discuss what stood out to them. Headings? Bold words? Quotes? Then give students ten minutes to read the same article and discuss deep reading.

All students can benefit from learning about plagiarism, copyright, how to write information in their own words, and how to acknowledge the source. However, the formality of this process will depend on your students’ age and your curriculum guidelines.

• Watch the video Citation for Beginners for an introduction to citation. Discuss the key points to remember.
• Look up the definition of plagiarism using a variety of sources (dictionary, video, Wikipedia etc.). Create a definition as a class.
• Find an interesting video on YouTube (perhaps a “life hack” video) and write a brief summary in your own words.
• Have students pair up and tell each other about their weekend. Then have the listener try to verbalise or write their friend’s recount in their own words. Discuss how accurate this was.
• Read the class a copy of a well known fairy tale. Have them write a short summary in their own words. Compare the versions that different students come up with.
• Try out MyBib — a handy free online tool without ads that helps you create citations quickly and easily.
• Give primary/elementary students a copy of Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Citation that matches their grade level (the guide covers grades 1 to 6). Choose one form of citation and create some examples as a class (e.g. a website or a book).
• Make a list of things that are okay and not okay to do when researching, e.g. copy text from a website, use any image from Google images, paraphrase in your own words and cite your source, add a short quote and cite the source. 
• Have students read a short article and then come up with a summary that would be considered plagiarism and one that would not be considered plagiarism. These could be shared with the class and the students asked to decide which one shows an example of plagiarism .
• Older students could investigate the difference between paraphrasing and summarising . They could create a Venn diagram that compares the two.
• Write a list of statements on the board that might be true or false ( e.g. The 1956 Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia. The rhinoceros is the largest land animal in the world. The current marathon world record is 2 hours, 7 minutes). Have students research these statements and decide whether they’re true or false by sharing their citations.

Staying Organised

• Make a list of different ways you can take notes while researching — Google Docs, Google Keep, pen and paper etc. Discuss the pros and cons of each method.
• Learn the keyboard shortcuts to help manage tabs (e.g. open new tab, reopen closed tab, go to next tab etc.). Perhaps students could all try out the shortcuts and share their favourite one with the class.
• Find a collection of resources on a topic and add them to a Wakelet .
• Listen to a short podcast or watch a brief video on a certain topic and sketchnote ideas. Sylvia Duckworth has some great tips about live sketchnoting
• Learn how to use split screen to have one window open with your research, and another open with your notes (e.g. a Google spreadsheet, Google Doc, Microsoft Word or OneNote etc.) .

All teachers know it’s important to teach students to research well. Investing time in this process will also pay off throughout the year and the years to come. Students will be able to focus on analysing and synthesizing information, rather than the mechanics of the research process.

By trying out as many of these mini-lessons as possible throughout the year, you’ll be really helping your students to thrive in all areas of school, work, and life.

Also remember to model your own searches explicitly during class time. Talk out loud as you look things up and ask students for input. Learning together is the way to go!

You Might Also Enjoy Reading:

How To Evaluate Websites: A Guide For Teachers And Students

Five Tips for Teaching Students How to Research and Filter Information

Typing Tips: The How and Why of Teaching Students Keyboarding Skills

8 Ways Teachers And Schools Can Communicate With Parents

10 Replies to “50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills”

Loving these ideas, thank you

This list is amazing. Thank you so much!

So glad it’s helpful, Alex! 🙂

Hi I am a student who really needed some help on how to reasearch thanks for the help.

So glad it helped! 🙂

seriously seriously grateful for your post. 🙂

So glad it’s helpful! Makes my day 🙂

How do you get the 50 mini lessons. I got the free one but am interested in the full version.

Hi Tracey, The link to the PDF with the 50 mini lessons is in the post. Here it is . Check out this post if you need more advice on teaching students how to research online. Hope that helps! Kathleen

Best wishes to you as you face your health battler. Hoping you’ve come out stronger and healthier from it. Your website is so helpful.

Comments are closed.

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• Resource Library
• Research Methods
• Vgr-social-work-research

Lesson 10: Sampling in Qualitative Research

Lesson 11: qualitative measurement & rigor, lesson 12: qualitative design & data gathering, lesson 1: introduction to research, lesson 2: getting started with your research project, lesson 3: critical information literacy, lesson 4: paradigm, theory, and causality, lesson 5: research questions, lesson 6: ethics, lesson 7: measurement in quantitative research, lesson 8: sampling in quantitative research, lesson 9: quantitative research designs, powerpoint slides: sowk 621.01: research i: basic research methodology.

The twelve lessons for SOWK 621.01: Research I: Basic Research Methodology as previously taught by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo at Radford University. Dr. DeCarlo and his team developed a complete package of materials that includes a textbook, ancillary materials, and a student workbook as part of a VIVA Open Course Grant.

The PowerPoint slides associated with the twelve lessons of the course, SOWK 621.01: Research I: Basic Research Methodology, as previously taught by Dr. Matthew DeCarlo at Radford University. 

Research Basics: an open academic research skills course

• Lesson 1: Using Library Tools
• Lesson 2: Smart searching
• Lesson 3: Managing information overload
• Assessment - Module 1
• Lesson 1: The ABCs of scholarly sources
• Lesson 2: Additional ways of identifying scholarly sources
• Lesson 3: Verifying online sources
• Assessment - Module 2
• Lesson 1: Creating citations
• Lesson 2: Citing and paraphrasing
• Lesson 3: Works cited, bibliographies, and notes
• Assessment - Module 3
• - For Librarians and Teachers -
• Acknowledgements
• Other free resources from JSTOR

Module 1 assessment

In Module 1 you learned techniques for successful database searching , including

• how to navigate and select from the resources available on your library's website
• how to apply search strategies that return the most useful results
• how to manage information overload.

If you're ready to test the knowledge you acquired in Module 1, select the link to the assessment below. If you'd like more practice first, you can return to the practice quizzes ( Lesson 1 , Lesson 2 , Lesson 3 ).

Module 1 Assessment

• << Previous: Lesson 3: Managing information overload
• Next: Module 2: Establishing credibility >>
• Last Updated: Apr 24, 2024 6:38 AM
• URL: https://guides.jstor.org/researchbasics

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©2000-2024 ITHAKA. All Rights Reserved. JSTOR®, the JSTOR logo, JPASS®, Artstor® and ITHAKA® are registered trademarks of ITHAKA.

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• Lesson 1: Engaging with Existing Research

Graduate Research

• Lesson 2: Disciplinary Databases and Tools
• Lesson 3: Search Strategies
• Lesson 4: Evaluation
• Lesson 5: Institutional Library Services
• Lesson 6: Resources

1.1 Scholarly Conversations

Just as each discipline has its own methods for conducting research, disciplines also vary in the way they communicate the results of that research. Some fields, especially in the humanities, tend to share research through the publication of books in addition to journals. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields—otherwise known as STEM fields—tend to share their scholarship through academic journals, where articles can be published on a faster timeline, and scientists can communicate their results before being “scooped” by other researchers. Professional fields, such as teaching, engineering, and law, sometimes also share scholarship and best practices via trade journals, which can be more readily consumed by busy practitioners. Many fields also share research through conference proceedings, standards and technical reports, and blogs, especially research that is in the early stages or in-progress. If you’re engaged in interdisciplinary research, you may need to explore many different communication methods in order to glean what is most relevant to your research. And of course, all of these methods may in turn be promoted, shared, and discussed using social media and other online mediums. This constellation of communication channels provides the means for what is known as a scholarly conversation.

What is a scholarly conversation?

When an academic journal article or book is published, typically, the author makes reference to relevant studies and literature in order to place the research within the larger context of the field. In this way, the author is ‘talking’ to other scholars who came before them. Authors may quote, summarize, critique, or respond to other research and published ideas, and others may in turn cite them. Thus, the authors are said to be in conversation with each other, as they are engaged in a communication exchange within and across disciplines. These conversations can happen in as many different mediums as exist for publication, including social media and blogs.

How to follow a scholarly conversation

As you establish your own academic voice, it’s important to identify where these conversations are happening—which journals, conferences, and websites are communicating and facilitating the exchange of ideas in your field. You should also be attuned to not only the loudest voices but also which voices are included and excluded from the conversation. Historical and contemporary exclusion from academia for people of color and women has an ongoing effect on whose perspectives are included and most valued in these exchanges and is something to be mindful of as you delve into the literature of your discipline. Talk with your mentors and peers to find out what they’re reading, in which mediums they publish, and how they stay current on research within your field. Once you’ve identified a source important to your own research, it can also be useful to examine both the sources it cites (in a bibliography or works cited list), and also additional publications which have cited the source since it was published, essentially tracing the conversation up and down the communication chain. There are a variety of free and subscription tools that can assist you in illuminating these scholarly exchanges, including Google Scholar and Web of Science.

For more information on information sources, self-enroll in our online tutorial and check out Module 1: Information Ecosystem: Sift & Winnow: Libraries@UW (Canvas link)

Check Your Understanding

A scholarly conversation has a finite beginning and end. True or False?

A) True B) False Show Answer Correct! Scholarly conversations do not have a clear beginning or end since researchers and academics continually seek out new avenues of research and discovery by building upon the work that preceded them, as well as finding new interdisciplinary connections. Incorrect. The answer is False: Scholarly conversations do not have a clear beginning or end since researchers and academics continually seek out new avenues of research and discovery by building upon the work that preceded them, as well as finding new interdisciplinary connections.

Which of the following are potential tools to explore a scholarly conversation?

A) Databases B) Keywords C) Dissertations D) Social Media Show Answer Correct! All of the above are ways to explore a scholarly conversation. Databases contain sources that are a part of the conversation, keywords from one source can lead you to discover more, and the literature review or bibliography of a dissertation is also very helpful. The discussion of research is prolific and is not limited to just scholarly databases and articles. Scholars often discuss research on social media since it has a broad reach. Incorrect. All of the above are ways to explore a scholarly conversation. Databases contain sources that are a part of the conversation, keywords from one source can lead you to discover more, and the literature review or bibliography of a dissertation is also very helpful. The discussion of research is prolific and is not limited to just scholarly databases and articles. Scholars often discuss research on social media since it has a broad reach.

1.2 Research Cycle

Although the process of scholarship varies within each individual field, most disciplines follow the same general research cycle. Often, this begins with an idea generating phase and may be followed by seeking funding, depending on the type and scope of research. Then, researchers often write a proposal before conducting the research itself. Finally, researchers share their results through publications and measure the impact by tracking citations. This process is often cyclical, and in some fields, certain phases may be iterative as proposals and funding shift over time. Explore the different stages of the Research Life Cycle and the tools and services that the library provides to support you during each stage.

Research Life Cycle

Open Research Life Cycle in a new window

Literature and systematic review process

As part of the idea generation and proposal writing phases, many scholars will conduct a review of published research in order to situate their own area of study within the context of existing knowledge and also to avoid duplication of research. The libraries provide many tools to assist with discovering published research, including subject-specific and multidisciplinary databases and the catalog. These tools can help you to gain a sense of not only what has been published so far but also what gaps might exist in the scholarly conversation.

Databases are often focused on a particular area (e.g. gender studies) or type of material (e.g. newspapers) and contain everything from scholarly journals to primary source materials to videos and images. Therefore, when you’re looking for articles on a particular topic, it’s often best to start with a database specific to that field.

Once you start searching, you’ll also develop a more acute awareness as to the specific language and terminology that experts in the field are using. Pay attention to keywords, and be sure to explore the database’s subject or thesaurus tool if available. Select an image below to magnify the image.

Database Thesaurus

Database Subjects

Article Keywords

Dissertations

Another good place to start when entering a scholarly conversation is with dissertations on similar or related fields. To reach the level of a dissertation, typically the author is well-versed in the literature of their field and exploring their references can be a useful jumping-off point for your own research. At this stage of exploration, try not to become overwhelmed with the pressure of coming up with a novel research topic. The more you’re able to explore existing conversations—including those in other disciplines—the easier it will be to identify an area that is not only interesting to you, but also an area of needed exploration.

1.3 Lesson Review

Test your knowledge of scholarly communication and strategies to engage with existing research by answering the three questions below. Complete the Lesson 1 Quiz before moving on to Lesson 2: Disciplinary Databases & Tools .

You discover a source integral to your research question. What parts of the article would allow you to discover earlier sources in the scholarly conversation? Select all that apply.

A) Literature Review B) Results C) Bibliography D) Conclusion Show Answer Correct! Authors build upon prior studies and literature when conducting research. They cite the prior literature in bibliography and will often discuss the sources in a literature review section. The results and conclusion sections will be focused on the author’s own research rather than prior sources in a scholarly conversation. Incorrect. The answers are A and C.

Authors build upon prior studies and literature when conducting research. They cite the prior literature in bibliography and will often discuss the sources in a literature review section. The results and conclusion sections will be focused on the author’s own research rather than prior sources in a scholarly conversation.

Which of the following are potential tools to explore a scholarly conversation? Select all that apply.

A) Databases B) Keywords C) Dissertations D) Social Media Show Answer Correct! All of the above are ways to explore a scholarly conversation.

Databases contain sources that are a part of the conversation, keywords from one source can lead you to discover more, and the literature review or bibliography of a dissertation is also very helpful. The discussion of research is prolific and is not limited to just scholarly databases and articles. Scholars often discuss research on social media since it has a broad reach. Incorrect. All of the above are ways to explore a scholarly conversation.

Databases contain sources that are a part of the conversation, keywords from one source can lead you to discover more, and the literature review or bibliography of a dissertation is also very helpful. The discussion of research is prolific and is not limited to just scholarly databases and articles. Scholars often discuss research on social media since it has a broad reach.

Using the Libraries’ website that organizes databases by subject/type , identify databases you think would be helpful for exploring published literature in Social Work. Select all that apply.

A) PsycINFO B) Social Work Abstracts C) BioCyc D) SocINDEX with Full Text (EBSCO) E) Family & Society Studies Worldwide F) AGRICOLA Show Answer Correct! Social Work Abstracts, SocINDEX, and Family & Society Studies Worldwide are databases dedicated to the field of Social Work and it is important to explore the subject databases. However, searching in databases in related fields or disciplines that impact your research topic, such as PsycINFO, a Psychology database, could also lead to finding useful sources. Incorrect. The answer is PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, SocINDEX with Full Text (EBSCO), and Family & Society Studies Worldwide.

Social Work Abstracts, SocINDEX, and Family & Society Studies Worldwide are databases dedicated to the field of Social Work and it is important to explore the subject databases. However, searching in databases in related fields or disciplines that impact your research topic, such as PsycINFO, a Psychology database, could also lead to finding useful sources.

The Lesson Study Group

at Mills College

Identify and Examine the Research Lesson

Examine the unit plan, design the flow of instruction.

Now that you have designed the unit flow, decide which lesson will be the research lesson.

30-50 minutes

• Choose the lesson and identify lesson goals
• Remind yourself of your long-term goals and theory of action
• Do the lesson task and anticipate student thinking

Choose the Research Lesson

Identify one lesson from within your unit to serve as a research lesson.

Choose one lesson within the unit as a research lesson, to be planned in detail by your team and observed by them (and by other educators, if you so choose). Your research lesson choice may be determined by practical concerns such as timing–the date your team members can be freed up to observe.  Your team’s desire to study a particular element of the unit may also shape your choice of lesson–for example, you may be eager to try out a new unit introduction.

The most valuable research lessons provide ample windows into student thinking, through students’ writing, small-group discussion and/or whole-class discussion, and through use of tasks that reveal students’ thinking. Once you have chosen the research lesson:

Add the  Title of the Lesson  (#1) to your Teaching-Learning Plan.

Clarify Lesson Goals

Use this opportunity to revise and fine-tune your goal statement.

Your unit plan specifies a goal(s) for the proposed research lesson. Tweak your lesson goal(s) as needed to make sure they capture your thinking about the following questions:

• What is the new learning this lesson expects from students?
• What do we want students to understand or know by the end of the lesson?
• What is important about this lesson?

Write out your  ( working )   Goals of the Lesson  (#8) and add them to the Teaching-Learning Plan. Feel free to revisit and revise the goals as your team’s thinking about the lesson evolves.

Consider Your Long-Term Goals

Will your lesson bring you and your students closer to the long-term goals you identified in your Research Theme?

Just before you dive into lesson design is a good time to remember the long-term goals represented in your research theme, and your theory of action about how to get there. Some teams create a visual reminder, like the one below, that the research lesson supports nested layers of goals.

Math: Example of Four Layers of Lesson Study Goals

If your team would find it useful to have a graphic that shows your own layers of goals, you can create one using the downloadable template in the Resources section.

Four Levels of Lesson Study Goals – Template

Do the Task and Anticipate Student Responses

Consider the central task of the lesson.  Does it seem well-designed to support the goals of the lesson, unit, and research theme?  Will all your students be able to find an entry point, and progress toward the lesson goals? Or do you need to modify the task in some way? Once your team has tentatively arrived at a lesson task, have each member of the team:

• Independently do the task, as if they were a student
• Imagine several students in their class, and anticipate how each one of them would respond to the task

Then share and discuss your responses to the task, using your own and colleagues’ experiences to expand your thinking about how students might respond.

The Value of Anticipating Student Thinking

Anticipating student thinking is a core teaching skill that allows teachers to notice student thinking and build bridges from it to new understandings.  Anticipating student thinking and comparing your expectations with the actual student thinking during the lesson will help your team develop this core skill, which is so helpful in the “swiftly flowing river” of daily classroom life.

However, as teacher Heather Crawford notes, anticipating student thinking may initially be hard.

It is challenging – to try and think about the students’ solutions to the problem before they do it, and to try and get all of the answers they might come up with.… Before we did Lesson Study, we really didn’t think about what the student responses would be to the questions…. It was, ‘Well, we hope they get the right answer and if they don’t then we will deal with it.’ Now we are really thinking about, ‘Well, what if this answer were to come up? How would we deal with it?’ We think a lot more about the motivation for the lesson and making sure that the kids have the prior knowledge that they need before we teach each lesson.

Capture your ideas about anticipated student responses in your team notes.   These will be used to design the flow of instruction, so that it builds from anticipated student responses.

• What is Lesson Study?
• Why Lesson Study?
• Teacher Learning
• Content Resources
• Teaching Through Problem-solving (TTP)
• School-wide Lesson Study
• U.S. Networks
• International Networks

• Open access
• Published: 08 July 2024

How to strengthen societal impact of research and innovation? Lessons learned from an explanatory research-on-research study on participatory knowledge infrastructures funded by the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development

• Wija Oortwijn   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4499-8602 1 , 2 ,
• Wendy Reijmerink 3 &
• Jet Bussemaker 1 , 4  

Health Research Policy and Systems volume  22 , Article number:  81 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Scientific research and innovation can generate societal impact via different pathways. Productive interactions, such as collaboration between researchers and relevant stakeholders, play an important role and have increasingly gained interest of health funders around the globe. What works, how and why in research partnerships to generate societal impact in terms of knowledge utilisation is still not well-known. To explore these issues, the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) initiated an exploratory research-on-research study with a focus on participatory knowledge infrastructures (PKIs) that they fund in the field of public health and healthcare. PKIs are sustainable infrastructures in which knowledge production, dissemination and utilisation takes place via committed collaboration between researchers and stakeholders from policy, practice and/or education. Examples are learning networks, academic collaborative centres, care networks and living labs. The aim of the study was twofold: to gain insights in what constitutes effective collaboration in PKIs; and to learn and improve the research governance, particularly of ZonMw as part of their dissemination and implementation activities.

During 2020–2022, we conducted a literature review on long-term research partnerships, analysed available documentation of twenty ZonMw-funded PKIs, surveyed participants of the 2021 European Implementation Event, interviewed steering committee members, organized a Group Decision Room with lecturers, and validated the findings with key experts.

We identified eight mechanisms (‘how and why’) that are conditional for effective collaboration in PKIs: transdisciplinary collaboration; defining a shared ambition; doing justice to everyone’s interests; investing in personal relationships; a professional organisation or structure; a meaningful collaborative process; mutual trust, sufficient time for and continuity of collaboration. Several factors (‘what’) may hinder (e.g., lack of ownership or structural funding) or facilitate (e.g., stakeholder commitment, embeddedness in an organisation or policy) effective collaboration in research partnerships.

To use the study results in policy, practice, education, and/or (further) research, cultural and behavioural change of all stakeholders is needed. To facilitate this, we provide recommendations for funding organisations, particularly ZonMw and its partners within the relevant knowledge ecosystem. It is meant as a roadmap towards the realisation and demonstration of societal impact of (health) research and innovation in the upcoming years.

Peer Review reports

Scientific research, from fundamental research to implementation projects, is essential for tackling societal issues such as climate change and global health. Whether it concerns sustainability, social inequality or an aging population, various types of knowledge and perspectives are always needed to properly understand and address the problem [ 1 ]. This raises questions about what this requires from researchers involved; in the articulation of the problem definition and possible co-creation with non-scientific partners; in the way they perform the research, collaborate and communicate with other partners, and in the way they maximize the societal impact of their research. Since the early 2000s, achieving societal impact became high on the research agenda [ 2 ], and it became a task of universities next to research and education [ 3 ].

Several frameworks have been developed (e.g., payback model, (hybrid) Research Impact Framework, health economics models, contribution mapping) [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ] and several studies have been conducted to assess the societal impact of research and innovation, e.g., [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. From these studies it is known that successful knowledge utilisation involves so-called productive interactions [ 12 ]. These interactions include (1) direct interactions such as collaboration between researchers and relevant stakeholders (e.g., funders, practitioners, policy makers, and citizens); (2) indirect interactions such as generation of useful knowledge products and targeted dissemination and implementation activities; and (3) financial interactions such as co-funding. Scientific research can generate impact via different routes and through different mechanisms, depending on the (desired) type of knowledge utilisation and productive interactions [ 13 ]. Productive interactions are particularly at play in so-called participatory knowledge infrastructures (PKIs). PKIs are sustainable partnerships in which knowledge production, dissemination and utilisation take place via committed collaboration between researchers and different stakeholders (i.e., those active in policy, practice and/or education). Examples of PKIs are learning networks (LN), academic collaborative centres (ACN), disease-related/care networks (CN), consortia (C), knowledge portals (KP) and living labs (LL).

Productive interactions have increasingly gained interest of (health) funders around the globe [ 4 , 6 ]. One of these funders, the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), funds and promotes (the use of) health research and care innovation throughout the entire knowledge chain from fundamental research to implementation projects. ZonMw defines impact in terms of knowledge utilisation—the use of results of projects and programmes for value-creation in policy, practice, education and/or (further) research [ 14 ]. ZonMw’s task is achieving and demonstrating impact of funded research for reasons of accountability, analysis, and optimizing resource allocation. Part of this task is learning about routes to knowledge utilisation, the effectiveness of their policies towards, and added value of strengthening impact. Routes to knowledge utilisation are so-called impact pathways, and can be identified by asking “what works, how and why?”.

For 20 years, ZonMw has been funding PKIs as part of building capacity: investing in people and structures that enable the release of findings, dissemination, knowledge exchange/partnering, and/or implementation of research evidence [ 15 ], which is internationally quite unique. However, what works, how and why in terms of collaboration with regard to these infrastructures is still not well-known [ 16 , 17 ].To explore these issues, ZonMw initiated a research-on-research study.

The aims of this explanatory study were to gain insights in what constitutes effective collaboration in PKIs to accelerate knowledge utilisation; and to learn and improve the research governance of funders, including ZonMw as part of their dissemination and implementation activities [ 15 ]. The extent to which collaboration actually leads to effective use of knowledge in practice, policy, education and/or further research was not studied. Also, a detailed analysis by type of PKI (e.g., the number and type of participating organisations, the selection procedure, the personal characteristics of participants and type of governance) was beyond the scope of this study.

The study was executed by ZonMw staff in close collaboration with researchers from Leiden university medical centre/University of Leiden and overseen by a steering committee of six experts (all professors) from different disciplines relevant to the study.

From December 2020 until December 2022, we undertook several research activities to address both aims described above. We conducted a literature search focused on effective mechanisms for collaboration in research partnerships, that would also apply to PKIs. The publications of Kaats and Opheij [ 18 ] on conditions for collaboration in partnerships and Muhonen et al. [ 13 ] on impact pathways using productive interactions were used as a starting point as they were identified in earlier work that we conducted on measuring the impact of research, Footnote 1 and we used snowballing to retrieve additional relevant articles. This initial search was supplemented by a systematic search strategy on facilitators and barriers of long-term collaboration using PubMed, Google (Scholar) and grey literature. The following search terms related to knowledge collaborations as identified in the initial publications were used: interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, productive interactions, impact pathway, patient and public involvement, citizen science, health research, knowledge transfer and research partnerships. We included articles published between 1 January 2005 and 1 August 2022 that were available in English and/or Dutch. The literature review served as an input for analysing selected PKIs regarding what may hinder or facilitate effective collaboration and for categorizing recommendations on how to improve the research governance of funders. The categorization of recommendations is based on Brian Nosek’s model for cultural and behavioural change [ 19 ]. The model consists of five hierarchical levels of interventions for change: (1) it starts with creating an infrastructure, for example for data sharing; (2) to facilitate the change, data sharing needs to be made easy to use and integrated in existing practices; this is further enhanced by (3) addressing norms (e.g. regular knowledge sharing will make desired behaviour visible); (4) rewarding incentives (e.g. long-term financing of PKIs will nudge those involved to focus on long term outcomes and impact); and (5) policies (e.g. Open Science requirements). This model was chosen as it aligns well with our (systems) perspective in which there are interactions between micro (individual), meso (organization) and macro level (environment).

To complement and validate the results of the literature review a short online survey was developed and distributed via the ZonMw website to participants of the European Implementation Event in May 2021, which includes a broad range of professionals in the field of implementation of health research within Europe. The questions focused on identification of underlying mechanisms of effective collaboration in PKIs; recommendations for generating effective collaboration and also included questions on the role that funders should play in accelerating effective collaboration between researchers and stakeholders.

Based on an initial inventory by and in consultation with ZonMw implementation experts, 20 ZonMw-funded PKIs were selected for further analysis (see Table  1 ).

To identify and describe the potential barriers and facilitators in the selected PKIs, we developed an analysis tool (template) based on the literature review (see Additional file 1 ). The tool was independently piloted by two authors (WO and WR) on one randomly chosen PKI. The pilot led to some minor revisions of the analysis tool, which includes the following elements:

Description of the type of PKI (content/purpose, relationships/involved, structure/process);

Barriers to collaboration (e.g. lack of ownership by knowledge users; insufficient funding or knowledge transfer; researchers' ‘hobbyhorses’; poor timing of results; power relations and conflicts of interest);

Facilitators to effective collaboration (e.g. the role of project leaders; shared interests and goals; combination of ‘types’ of knowledge; stakeholder commitment; embedding in the organisation; translation of knowledge);

Role of ZonMw as funder.

We then used the tool to analyse a large variety of available documentation from a variety of perspectives that were available for each PKI such as annual reports from PKI coordinating teams, internal and external evaluations, notes from ZonMw on the progress, and specific websites coordinated by PKIs, as well as other stakeholders. In addition, we reviewed whether specific underlying mechanisms could be identified in the different types of PKIs studied.

Subsequently, we conducted a digital Group Decision Room (GDR) with five lecturers (professors of practice-based research, affiliated to different universities of applied science) in May 2022. The lecturers have been selected from the platform of lecturers applied science in the field of healthcare and care by relevant contact persons of ZonMw. The GDR was moderated by an external expert, and we discussed the added value of practice-based research regarding collaboration, especially in PKIs; what challenges the lecturers encounter in participating in PKIs, and what measures would help to prevent/address this.

The interim results were discussed periodically with ZonMw implementation experts, as well as during meetings of the Ensuring Value in Research (EViR) Funders' Forum, the Netherlands Implementation Collaborative (NIC: a professional network for implementation scientists and implementation specialists in the Netherlands), and the Impact Alliance, a network of Dutch professionals with an interest in the societal impact of research. The interim results were also presented and discussed at a number of international conferences, including the European Implementation Event (EIE, May 2021), the Fifth Fuse International Conference on Knowledge Exchange in Public Health (June 2022) and the Advancing and Evaluating the Societal Impact of Science (AESIS) Conference (June 2022). These discussions primarily served to validate findings. The results have been published in a study report (in Dutch) for ZonMw, and this article is based on that report [ 20 ].

Despite the difficult comparability of the PKIs because they have their own set-up, approach and goals, as well as the risk of ‘narrative bias’ due to the variety of source information, the study adds valuable insights of what mechanisms (‘how and why’) are conditional for effective collaboration in order to obtain impact.

Based on the literature review, we identified eight mechanisms (‘how and why’) that are conditional for effective collaboration within PKIs. Without these mechanisms, it is plausible that collaboration will not be established or will not lead to any or less sustainable impact.

As described in the methods section, the starting point for identifying mechanisms was the publication of Kaats and Opheij [ 18 ] about collaboration between individuals and organisations in the public domain. Based on interdisciplinary scientific research as well as applied research, Kaats and Opheij distinguish five conditions for effective collaboration:

Defining a shared ambition

Doing justice to everyone's interests

Investing in personal relationships (formal / non-formal)

Having a professional organisation or structured process in place

Having a meaningful process oriented towards collaboration (right steps, right sequence, win/win process, dialogue)

In addition to these mechanisms, we found in the literature that there is also a need for mutual trust between partner(s), as well as sufficient time for and continuity of the collaboration [ 21 ], adding up to seven mechanisms. The online survey of participants of the European Implementation Event 2021 yielded similar findings, although the number of respondents was low ( n  = 4). Another key publication, i.e., Muhonen et al. [ 13 ], studying mechanisms through which collaboration in the field of social sciences and humanities leads to societal impact, also came to similar conclusions. Finally, transdisciplinary collaboration —also referred to as knowledge co-creation—was found in the additional literature review to generate impact in (complex) knowledge and innovation processes, such as PKIs [ 13 , 22 ]. This totals to eight different mechanisms that—in conjunction with each other—are decisive for effective collaboration (see Table  2 ).

Based on the literature review, it becomes clear that all the mechanisms can either be enhanced or hindered by a combination of factors that relate to individuals involved in the partnership, their interrelationships and/or the working environment. For example, a shared set of values and ground rules, shared ownership for goal achievement, and activities supporting knowledge functions (measuring, analysing, integrating results) together contribute to mutual trust.

From additional literature, we identified a range of potential hindering factors, including lack of ownership of knowledge users, insufficient budget/structural funding and knowledge transfer, hobbyhorses of researchers, poor timing of results, unfavourable policy context (e.g. corona crisis, budget cuts, reorganisation), power relations and conflicts of interest. Facilitators found in the literature include the role of project leaders and/or policy officials, combination of different 'types' of knowledge, stakeholder commitment, embeddedness of the collaboration in the organisation/policy, and translation of knowledge (e.g. turning conclusions into practical recommendations and/or proposals).

Below, we describe the eight mechanisms for effective collaboration in more detail and focus on potential facilitating factors while also addressing some barriers. We illustrate the findings with examples from the different PKIs studied.

Transdisciplinary collaboration

PKIs are an ideal setting for transdisciplinary collaboration; it involves research in which joint problem solving plays a key role [ 23 ], it deals with collaboration between scientific disciplines and domains, includes the active participation of societal stakeholders, and implies epistemic pluralism and science-internal reflexivity. An example is the academic collaborative network focusing on adolescents, which comprise a formal, long-term partnership between youth sector organisations, municipalities, universities, universities of applied science, parents and young people. These parties organise themselves regionally in a PKI that enables continuous interaction between them. The questions to be addressed are provided by adolescents and their parents, policymakers and health professionals. Researchers translate these questions into a (research) project. Together, the participants develop knowledge that can be directly used by health professionals, youth organizations and municipalities. To enhance the use of the knowledge developed within the academic collaborative network five learning networks were established in 2018. In a learning network, universities of applied science and practice organisations, work together, also with others like policy makers, experts, adolescents, lecturers, and researchers with the aim of sustainable exchange between training and practice organizations to enhance the quality of the work in the youth sector. Even though transdisciplinary collaboration is an important mechanism for collaboration [ 24 ], we found that the participation of for-profit organizations, citizens as well as collaboration between different domains (e.g. cure and care) are still at the early stages in the PKI studied. For example, citizens were involved in six out of the twenty PKIs: three academic collaborative networks (Public Health, Youth and Elderly Care), one disease/care-related network (Palliative Care Netherlands) and the living labs Sport and Exercise. Companies and health insurers are involved in two academic collaborative networks (Public Health, Integral approach to obesity), one consortium (Microplastics & Health) and the living labs Sport and Exercise.

Shared ambition

Collaboration is effective when it provides something to all stakeholders involved [ 25 ]. It is essential that there is a shared ambition among the stakeholders operating in the PKI (bottom-up initiative). A shared ambition consists of a combination of strategies, goals and missions that are supported, pursued and adhered to within the PKI. To add societal value, stakeholders from different domains should be involved as early as possible in the process. The joint drafting of an impact pathway creates a shared picture of the (end) situation prompted by the interests of involved stakeholders. However, from our analysis it became clear that among the PKIs studied there is much emphasis on (international) scientific output and knowledge sharing, and less on creating a shared set of values (culture) to perpetuate knowledge implementation. One positive example is the collaborative network of organizations centred around pregnancy and birth. Before applying for funding from ZonMw, the relevant professional groups met at regional level to determine what goals they would like to achieve and what is needed to achieve the goals. According to those involved, this alone provided a big boost to better care for pregnant women and their babies. With the help of ZonMw grants, nine regional consortia were established, resulting in a nationwide pregnancy and birth network, collaborating with youth health services. The task of the Perinatal Care Board of the network is to stimulate and, where necessary, facilitate and organise knowledge exchange to support regional collaboration and to disseminate and make knowledge available to all stakeholders involved [ 26 ].

Doing justice to everyone’s interests

Different interests may simultaneously play a role in a PKI: these could be organisational, individual and/or public interests. The interests determine how the knowledge issue at hand is being viewed, defined and perceived. Effective collaboration does as much as possible justice to everyone's interests. An example concerns the living labs Sport and Physical Activity, comprising fifteen municipalities and universities of applied science. With the help of a network grant, the partners and citizens mapped out their joint ambition. By involving citizens in the initial phase, the labs focus on citizens’ needs. Important insights emerge by analysing local issues together with citizens and giving them responsibility to finding solutions. Involving citizens in all steps of the process and adapting to their pace remains a challenge, especially when it comes to involving vulnerable groups. The labs use various tools for collaboration and engaging citizens, such as the flat puzzle (interaction by working on a puzzle together) [ 27 ] and kitchen table talks [ 28 ].

Effective collaborations aim for a win–win situation and include a continuous assessment of whether the collaboration creates value for involved stakeholders (individual, organisational and public). If there is room for mutual understanding of the interests of all stakeholders, the process will be smoother and more effective. To enable this open dialogue, fully participating (active) stakeholders, and transparent information exchange are essential. This should be defined from the end users perspective, to avoid mutually incorrect perceptions. Our analysis showed that organisational and individual interests have most often been taken into account in the PKI studied. However, there is insufficient commitment to public interests and insight into societal added value of each PKI.

Personal relationships

Relationships between different stakeholders can affect effective collaboration. Possible opportunistic behaviour of stakeholders hinders knowledge collaboration. For example, researchers need to publish in journals that have a high-impact factors, and policymakers would prefer to receive concrete results on the short term. Our analysis shows that a weak project leader is a barrier for good collaboration. The role of the project leader is therefore essential for the relationship between/with parties and for the creation of a trusted environment. An example is an action programme of local initiatives, needed to provide an integrative approach, regarding troubled people in the province of Limburg. In this action programme learning networks are set up or expanded. Given the involvement of a large number of relevant parties including the police, safe houses, health insurers, and care providers, a strong project leader is necessary. The project leader fulfils a connecting role, manages cohesion and drives initiatives for a comprehensive approach targeted to troubled people. Thanks to the project leader partners are better able to reach out to each other, have a better understanding of what they can do for each other and have a better understanding of each other’s position. This lays the foundation for participatory partnerships in the future.

Our analysis also shows that there is insufficient insight regarding the challenges to collaboration, the existing knowledge base within PKI, and that less active partners may hinder collaboration. Connecting stakeholders enhances building personal relationships. The availability of a physical location is an important factor that contributes to a shared vision and personal contacts. Complementarity in thinking and doing is essential for effective collaboration. This requires attention to bringing together/synthesising from the outset necessary scientific knowledge from different disciplines (team science), experiential knowledge, professional knowledge (including practical experiences, research experiences outside the research setting and implementation skills) as well as artistic knowledge (creativity). An example in which art is used for connecting stakeholders and strengthening personal relations is the Beautiful Distress Madness meets Art initiative, part of Action Programme local initiatives for troubled people. The project takes a broad approach involving collaboration with people with mental health problems, their networks, artists, staff of mental health and community organisations, policymakers and adolescents and students. The recommendations have been discussed with all relevant parties, and collaboration has been used to further implement the results [ 29 ]. Finally, there are tools available such as the Involvement Matrix [ 30 ] that stimulate connecting with end users (e.g. patients, persons with disabilities, young people, parents, and relatives).

Mutual trust

Trust is fundamental to effective collaboration and can be defined as “a psychological state of willingness to be vulnerable based upon positive expectations of the intentions or behaviour of another party in uncertain situations” [ 31 ]. Due to uncertainty, especially with regard to the future, trust is not a static element and can vary over the length of the relationship. It is apparent that mutual trust often stems from previous successful collaborations. Previous collaborations and bottom-up initiatives are enabling trust. Besides trust, an open attitude and mutual respect are important. For example, in the care network Palliative Care South-East collaboration between research partners, educational organizations, and health professionals is strengthened by joint agenda-setting and alignment in focus and priorities. Based on shared values and the development of a joint vision, projects and activities are carried out in the region, with trust forming the basis of collaboration [ 32 ].

Professional organisation

The operational quality of the collaboration depends in part on the ability of the different stakeholders to engage organisationally and substantively, and the extent to which the collaboration can spur action [ 18 ]. Our analysis shows that there are different working routines/cultures (e.g. risk appetite) between research and practice (local government, healthcare professionals) that could potentially hinder this. A professional organisation is therefore essential for sustainable, effective collaborative partnerships. This involves establishing ground rules, procedures, agreements, relationships, ways of working (such as independent and agile working), (variable) roles and positions. We found that a supported culture, formalisation of responsibilities (e.g. declarations of intent and administrative consultations), (co)financing (in cash/in kind), effective (scientific) communication, a long-term vision, and thus long-term financing, are important facilitators. For example, experience from the regional oncology networks in the Netherlands shows that agreements on a national level are needed to explore—via large-scale experiments—how the networks financially can be sustained [ 33 ].

Meaningful process

Facilitating and securing sustainable and learning infrastructures for development and implementation of knowledge are important factors for effective collaboration. This also applies to less protocolled and less complicated grant application processes as well as to strategy development of organisations. An example is the programme on how to effectively work in the youth sector, which is part of the academic collaborative network in the Youth sector. The aim of this programme is to increase, combine and disseminate knowledge on promoting the psychosocial development of children and adolescents. This is useful for the youth healthcare sector, local policy targeting prevention and/or clients at the interface of youth care/youth mental health/youth with mild intellectual disabilities. One of the projects within the programme focuses on professionals and their organisations ( n  = 21) to support them in developing a new way of working to transform the youth sector. Learning organisations is the key concept, requiring organisations to be flexible and innovative [ 34 ]. It is also important to ensure transparency of information and to harmonise the way in which knowledge infrastructures can be assessed. Data management (Open Science) facilitates communication and accountability with regard to research funding, analysis, and decision-making on resource allocation [ 35 ].

Sufficient time and continuity

Our analysis shows that within PKIs there is a lack of processes that provide sufficient time, people and resources to learn to speak each other’s language, develop the soft skills needed for collaboration, have regular personal contact, room to experiment, reflect, implement and embed the collaboration in practice. The creation of connecting functions or linking pins (e.g., duo appointments, staff exchange) can be conducive factors to address these limitations. In addition, long-term programming based on knowledge questions and active steering of the funder promotes collaboration. An example of a PKI where linking pins have been instrumental is the academic collaborative network for Elderly Care South Limburg (AWO-ZL). This is a structural collaboration between a university, several healthcare organisations, a university of applied science and a secondary vocational education institution since 1998. Through scientific research, the AWO-ZL contributes to improving quality of life, quality of care and quality of work in the field of elderly care. To expand the AWO-ZL's impact, its infrastructure is being strengthened, based on a reciprocal ‘linking-pin’ construction: senior scientific staff and care professionals work in duo jobs at the organisations involved. Researchers and care professionals work together in an interdisciplinary way to generate and implement knowledge and they execute scientific research agendas set by the target population (elderly) and health professionals [ 36 ].

To our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to map effective collaboration specifically in PKIs. As such, this research-on-research study was explanatory in nature. We studied what constitutes effective collaboration in long-term (research) partnerships, to what extent the mechanisms already appear in PKIs, and what this implies for the research governance of funders. Although our list of effective mechanisms for collaboration in PKIs may not be exhaustive, it is a first step to list these mechanisms, including potential facilitators and barriers so that they can be replicated and reported consistently.

Through a literature review we identified 8 mechanisms: transdisciplinarity; defining a shared ambition; doing justice to everyone’s interests; investing in personal relationships; a professional organisation or structure; a meaningful collaborative process; mutual trust, and sufficient time for and continuity of collaboration. In addition, we found that these mechanisms can either be enhanced or hindered by a combination of factors that relate to individuals involved in the partnership, their interrelationships and/or the working environment.

Based on the initial analysis of 20 selected PKIs we were able to identify all identified mechanisms in the literature. We also noted that there seems more emphasis on (international) scientific output and knowledge sharing, and less on creating a shared set of values (culture) and ambition to perpetuate knowledge implementation. Although it is generally recognised that citizen engagement and collaboration between different domains (e.g. care, welfare) is beneficial, this seems to be at its early start in PKIs studied. Furthermore, despite the intention of collaboration on equal grounds, critical reflection on the extent to which this actually happens was often not observed within the PKIs. Finally, a lack of understanding of the societal added value of PKIs in terms of knowledge utilisation and patient-related outcomes was indicated. The findings from the literature review and desk research were validated through several means, including an online survey of implementation experts, a Group Decision Room with lecturers, and interviews with key experts from different disciplines.

Taking these findings into consideration, organisers and funders of PKI’s, should more clearly stimulate joint development of knowledge, as well as proper knowledge utilisation. This requires cultural and behavioural change and social value orientation of all stakeholders within the knowledge ecosystem. To this end, we formulated a set of recommendations for funders, especially for ZonMw and their partners within the relevant knowledge ecosystem, using Nosek’s model [ 19 ] for structuring them. The main recommendations include:

These recommendations are meant as a roadmap towards the realisation and demonstration of societal impact of health research in the upcoming years.

Conclusions

This exploratory research-on-research study shows that there are eight different mechanisms (‘how and why’) that are—in conjunction with each other-decisive for effective collaboration in PKIs: transdisciplinary collaboration; defining a shared ambition; doing justice to everyone's interests; investing in personal relationships; a professional organisation or structure; a meaningful collaborative process; mutual trust, sufficient time for and continuity of collaboration. Several factors (‘what’) may hinder (e.g., lack of ownership or structural funding) or facilitate (e.g., stakeholder commitment, embeddedness in an organisation or policy) effective collaboration in research partnerships. As such no-one-size-fits all impact pathway was identified for the PKIs studied. It is clear that the challenge for organisers and funders of PKIs is to properly embed joint development and utilisation of knowledge in policy, practice, education and/or (further) research. For this reason, we have formulated several recommendations that could (jointly) be taken forward by the respective organizations. For funders like ZonMw, it does not just mean more commitment to long-term programming and funding. It involves a completely different way of working. To support transition and transformation funders must actively engage in the partnerships they fund, reflect together on what goes well and what does not along the road, and continuous learn from this for the next steps to be taken. It is encouraging to know that ZonMw has recently started to internally discuss these recommendations to enhance its public performance.

Availability of data and materials

The source of data and materials are mentioned in the manuscript, in support of the findings. The materials and data supporting the findings of the article is available on Surfdrive, and are available from the corresponding author, [WR], on special request.

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/7fa42547078f2cac7d96896f5/files/54710d19-6a40-4f27-a8c9-c3a15a010a59/Wendy_paper.pdf .

Abbreviations

Academic collaborative centres

Advancing and Evaluating the Societal Impact of Science

Network for Elderly Care South Limburg

Disease-related/care networks

European Implementation Event

Ensuring Value in Research

Group Decision Room

Knowledge portal

Living labs

Learning networks

Nederlands Implementatie Collectief

Participatory knowledge infrastructure

Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development

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This study was funded by an unrestricted grant of ZonMw.

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WR and JB were co-coordinating the research-on-research study. WO and WR conducted the literature review, designed the data collection tools (survey, interviews, GDR) and collected, analysed and interpreted the data. WO drafted the manuscript. WR and JB assisted in drafting of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Oortwijn, W., Reijmerink, W. & Bussemaker, J. How to strengthen societal impact of research and innovation? Lessons learned from an explanatory research-on-research study on participatory knowledge infrastructures funded by the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development. Health Res Policy Sys 22 , 81 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-024-01175-x

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Machine Learning in Workforce Development Research: Lessons and Opportunities

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The career pathways approach to workforce development emerged to help workers with lower levels of formal education advance to better paying jobs by earning in-demand postsecondary credentials. The approach involves articulated steps of education, training, and jobs within an industry sector or occupational cluster, combined with other services and employer connections to support participant success. To advance the evidence base in the career pathways field, the Descriptive & Analytical Career Pathways Project (D&A CP Project) includes three sub-studies, each addressing different evidence gaps through distinct data sources and methods.

This D&A CP Project Machine Learning Study Brief, Machine Learning in Workforce Development Research: Lessons and Opportunities, presents findings from an exploratory study examining how machine learning can be used to synthesize a large body of data about the implementation of career pathways programs. Machine learning refers to a range of computer models and algorithms able to uncover patterns, create categories, and make predictions from large data sets without being given step-by-step directions from a human. The study: (1) explores how machine learning can be used synthesize and draw lessons from available text-based data to provide comprehensive information on implementation of career pathways programs, and (2) provides lessons on how machine learning could be used in future workforce development research.

The exploratory study suggests that machine learning: • Can be a powerful research tool in the right context. • Involves some risk and users should be cognizant of the limitations and expected results of this approach. • May struggle to replicate the detail or nuance of human research in the context of implementation research. • May require human researchers to dedicate substantial time and resources to define key concepts. • May require substantial input from human researchers. • May require a team with interdisciplinary skill sets to be completed successfully. • Operates in an evolving legal, computing, and cost environment.

The other two sub-studies in the D&A CP Project include a Meta-Analysis Study and the Career Trajectories and Occupational Transitions (CTOT) Study.

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Lessons learned disrupting the travel industry.

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Shailesh Kunnath is the CSO of Staynex .

One of my passions in life is travel. It’s also an industry that has been stagnant for the better part of 60 years. It began with travel agents who manually handled bookings at hotels. Then came the online travel agents (OTAs) like Booking.com and Hotels.com, which digitized the traditional booking process. However, despite this shift to online platforms, I realized the core issues of high commissions and lack of connection between hotels and customers remained.

My experiences disrupting the travel industry have taught me valuable lessons that can be applied to any field. Here’s some practical advice for aspiring disruptors.

1. Work on your passion.

You need to be passionate about the industry you plan to disrupt. This passion will keep you motivated through the challenges you face.

My passion for travel gave me intimate knowledge of the industry shortcomings which enabled me to begin disrupting the travel industry in the first place. So, identify what truly excites you and engage with it. Your passion is the driving force behind your efforts.

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When I was frustrated with the existing hotel booking systems, I knew there had to be a better way. But personal experience alone isn’t enough. I combined my frustrations with thorough market research to validate these problems and potential solutions. This blend of personal experience and data was crucial in developing a new approach.

You should start with friends and family for initial feedback, then expand to your professional networks. A market research study should only come after gaining positive feedback from your inner circle.

3. Leverage your network.

Your personal and professional networks are valuable in unique ways. I sat down in personal settings with my friends and family for initial feedback about my idea. Discussing the concept with industry peers gave me further insights which helped refine the business side of things.

My advice is to build and nurture your network. Go out for a drink with your friend and ask them a few questions. As you progress, seek feedback from a wide group of people, including potential customers and early adopters. They can provide critical perspectives and help you identify early blind spots in your plan.

4. Develop a clear roadmap for success.

Setting realistic goals is essential. Even famous industry disruptors like Uber did not generate revenue for several years after founding. To help understand that growth is gradual, I created a roadmap with achievable targets and was ready for potential setbacks. Having a clear plan helps you stay focused and measure progress effectively.

For example, you shouldn’t expect to occupy 10% of an industry in your first few years. It may start with one or two percent before finally hovering around five to 10% for several years. By planning this in your roadmap, investors are aware of fluctuations before they occur. Of course, no plan is certain. You should be prepared for ups and downs.

5. Time your innovation correctly.

Introducing your innovation at the right time is critical. The market needs to be ready for your solution. In my case, recognizing that the travel industry was overdue for significant change helped me time the introduction of my innovative solution effectively. This would not have been the case if we had launched our product around the same time as, say, Booking.com. Timing can make or break companies, so pay close attention to market readiness.

Keep an eye on industry trends and technological advancements. Timing your entry can significantly impact your success. If you launch too early, the market might not be ready; too late, and you may miss your opportunity. Your market research will help you gauge the best moment to introduce your innovation.

6. Utilize technology advancements.

Technology advancements often set the stage for disruptive innovations. However, just like the market needs to be ready for your product, technology must be able to meet the needs of your customers. If the technology is too theoretical, you may get caught up in the waves of technology and lose sight of the business case behind your efforts.

Industry disruptors possess the unique ability to change the fundamentals of an entire industry. Whether through a change in business model or technological advancement, a carefully planned disruption results in positive business outcomes for both customers and shareholders. In my experience, industry disruptors are driven by a passion for the industry they aim to change. Disrupting a well-established industry is no small feat, but it's also incredibly rewarding.

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