Fostering Research Integrity through Training: The training materials of four EU-funded projects through the lens of pedagogical underpinnings and three taxonomies of learning

Authors

Erika Löfström, Tom Lindemann, Fenneke Blom, Natalie Evans, Mariette van den Hoven, Giulia Inguaggiato, Panagiotis Kavouras, Dirk Lanzerath, Julia Priess-Buchheit, Rita Santos, Anu Tammeleht, P. J. Wall, Linda Zollitsch

Description

This article analyzes the pedagogical foundations underlying research integrity (RI) training approaches developed through four EU-funded projects. Each project employs a distinct educational framework—dialogical, empowerment, virtue ethics, and constructivist case-based approaches—to promote ethical research practices. The authors examined 46 stated learning objectives across these trainings using three educational taxonomies: Bloom’s revised taxonomy, the SOLO taxonomy, and the Taxonomy of Significant Learning. Through this comparative analysis, the study aims to demonstrate how structured learning objectives can be used to ensure that RI training aligns effectively with the needs and expectations of diverse learner groups.

Findings reveal that the examined RI trainings share a constructivist or socio-constructivist orientation, prioritize active engagement, and target higher-order cognitive skills such as critical thinking and ethical reasoning. The study concludes that learning taxonomies can serve as valuable tools for both trainers and learners by clarifying goals and aligning expectations. The authors recommend emphasizing learning objectives that promote deeper understanding and ethical reflection, and suggest that lesser-used frameworks like the Taxonomy of Significant Learning may provide additional insight into complex educational goals. Finally, the paper notes that differences in research cultures and disciplines are often overlooked in RI training design and calls for greater attention to these contextual factors in future implementations.

Löfström E, Lindemann T, Blom F et al. Fostering Research Integrity through Training: The training materials of four EU-funded projects through the lens of pedagogical underpinnings and three taxonomies of learning [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. Open Res Europe 2025, 5:301 (https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.20826.1)