Ark of Inquiry: Responsible Research and Innovation through Computer-Based Inquiry Learning

Abstract

Ark of Inquiry is a learning platform that uses a computer-based inquiry learning approach to raise youth awareness of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). It is developed in the context of a large-scale European project (http://www.arkofinquiry.eu) and provides young European citizens (7 –18-year-olds) with a pool of engaging inquiry activities. Computer-based inquiry learning has been found effective in numerous studies. At the same time, several EU policy documents emphasize the need to increase society’s active involvement in knowledge creation and scientific discussions. Therefore, RRI is a key term in the current policy of the European Commission. RRI is a transparent, interactive process by which societal actors and innovators become mutually responsive to each other with a view on the acceptability, sustainability and societal desirability of the innovation process. In the Ark of Inquiry project, we have developed a pedagogy that helps to link RRI to computer-based inquiry learning. In the current theoretical paper, we introduce this approach and explain how it has been implemented in the Ark of Inquiry project.