13 Transcending the Loading Dock Paradigm—Rethinking …
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have increasingly been discussed since the 1990s. Transdisciplinary research projects
represent a suitable form of organisation in this case.
Second, “system models” that assume transfer-relevant knowledge is embedded
in organisations or other system units have increasingly been addressed for about
ten years. These models reflect the priorities of an organisation and its “culture”.
In this approach, transfer extends to the aspects of the integration, translation and
mobilisation of knowledge (Partidario and Sheate 2013, p. 28).
13.4 Reframing T&I for SLM
Based on an extended understanding of T&I, I advocate a multi-dimensional
concept of transfer and implementation. This concept extends the hitherto
dominating unidirectional, mostly technology-oriented transfer concept that is
science-driven and focuses on practice diffusion.
Communication and cognitive science aspects of T&I are stressed as the notion
shifts from the transfer of information through artefacts to so-called knowledge
transfer. Knowledge transfer is defined as a process in which knowledge (or information) is externalised and communicated internally and intrapersonally by means
of media (Beckers 2012, p. 95). Accordingly, transfer takes place not only between
individuals in the form of interaction, but also involves intrapersonal processes of
learning, describing and explaining. Transfer is no longer just a process in which
“knowers” connect with “non-knowers”. It rather reflects a more dynamic view of
how knowledge is generated; and that knowledge is embedded in individual and
organisational contexts, and circulates among the actors involved, (ideally) creating
a meta-learning process (co-learning) that runs parallel to individual learning (cf.
Kaiser et al. 2017).
Given the context of transdisciplinary research, T&I activities tie in with the
inherent goal of stimulating change in both the academic world (as new modes of
knowledge production are tested) and the real world.
T&I can be captured in a bi-dimensional, conceptual framework that includes
an internal and external dimension (see Fig. 13.1). In the following section, the
framework is projected onto the SLM case study, but can in principle be adapted for
any transdisciplinary research activity.
Our unit of consideration is the transdisciplinary research project, i.e. a temporally,
financially and staff-wise limited unit of activities in relation to one or more related
research goals (Newig et al. 2019) that exists within a real-world research setting (see
Fig. 13.2). Following the normative and programmatic nature of transdisciplinary
research, the project involves different actors from academia and practice (i.e. the
project consists of at least two different parties); it involves conducting research
in a collaborative fashion and aspires to transcend its boundaries by tackling realworld issues. The boundaries of a research project are thus constituted not only by
resources (namely time, workforce and money), but also by the affiliation of the
255
have increasingly been discussed since the 1990s. Transdisciplinary research projects
represent a suitable form of organisation in this case.
Second, “system models” that assume transfer-relevant knowledge is embedded
in organisations or other system units have increasingly been addressed for about
ten years. These models reflect the priorities of an organisation and its “culture”.
In this approach, transfer extends to the aspects of the integration, translation and
mobilisation of knowledge (Partidario and Sheate 2013, p. 28).
13.4 Reframing T&I for SLM
Based on an extended understanding of T&I, I advocate a multi-dimensional
concept of transfer and implementation. This concept extends the hitherto
dominating unidirectional, mostly technology-oriented transfer concept that is
science-driven and focuses on practice diffusion.
Communication and cognitive science aspects of T&I are stressed as the notion
shifts from the transfer of information through artefacts to so-called knowledge
transfer. Knowledge transfer is defined as a process in which knowledge (or information) is externalised and communicated internally and intrapersonally by means
of media (Beckers 2012, p. 95). Accordingly, transfer takes place not only between
individuals in the form of interaction, but also involves intrapersonal processes of
learning, describing and explaining. Transfer is no longer just a process in which
“knowers” connect with “non-knowers”. It rather reflects a more dynamic view of
how knowledge is generated; and that knowledge is embedded in individual and
organisational contexts, and circulates among the actors involved, (ideally) creating
a meta-learning process (co-learning) that runs parallel to individual learning (cf.
Kaiser et al. 2017).
Given the context of transdisciplinary research, T&I activities tie in with the
inherent goal of stimulating change in both the academic world (as new modes of
knowledge production are tested) and the real world.
T&I can be captured in a bi-dimensional, conceptual framework that includes
an internal and external dimension (see Fig. 13.1). In the following section, the
framework is projected onto the SLM case study, but can in principle be adapted for
any transdisciplinary research activity.
Our unit of consideration is the transdisciplinary research project, i.e. a temporally,
financially and staff-wise limited unit of activities in relation to one or more related
research goals (Newig et al. 2019) that exists within a real-world research setting (see
Fig. 13.2). Following the normative and programmatic nature of transdisciplinary
research, the project involves different actors from academia and practice (i.e. the
project consists of at least two different parties); it involves conducting research
in a collaborative fashion and aspires to transcend its boundaries by tackling realworld issues. The boundaries of a research project are thus constituted not only by
resources (namely time, workforce and money), but also by the affiliation of the