Education: Transformative Research Modules
Welcome to the Transformative Research Modules: Introduction to Methods, a collaborative effort between DIT, Impact at the Core, and Convergence (themes Healthy Start and Resilient Delta). These modules are designed for researchers at various stages of their careers, from Master’s students to seasoned Professors, with a particular focus on Master’s and PhD students and Early Career Researchers in our current phase.
Our modular approach allows participants to tailor their learning experience according to their needs and interests. Whether you’re delving into the fundamentals of Systems Thinking, exploring Futures Literacy, practicing Reflexivity, or grappling with Ethics in Transformative Research, our comprehensive modules cover a range of crucial topics. Two scholars expertly coordinate each module, ensuring a diverse and interdisciplinary perspective.
Mission
At the heart of our training mission is the empowerment and capacitation of the next generation of researchers. We aim to equip participants with a holistic understanding of various perspectives, concepts, methods, and ethical considerations essential for transformative academic research. Through case studies and practical exercises, participants will learn to engage creatively, purposefully, and productively with complex issues that truly matter.
Modules
Reflexivity
This module covers reflexive practice in transformative research. Its purpose is to inspire you to explore and experiment with different reflexive paradigms and practices. In this module, join Ginie Servant Miklos and Pleun Hermsen to explore the importance of reflection at large and in transformative settings specifically.
Futures Literacy
This module covers the foundational aspects of Futures Literacy, designed to equip you with the essential skills to navigate future scenarios effectively. The purpose of this module is to delve into the multifaceted nature of imagining and understanding multiple futures, challenging our anticipatory assumptions, and fostering a deeper awareness of the present.
Systems Thinking
This module is an introduction to systems thinking. The purpose of this module is to invite you to explore how you can use systems thinking in your research, education, or in your daily life. Join Dominique Troost in exploring what systems thinking is and why it is crucial to approach complex problem from a systemic perspective. Dominique and Jotte de Koning then discuss what systems thinking means to us, what it looks like in practice, and how you can develop a systemic worldview yourself. In doing so, we cover several core elements, such as resilience and systems mapping.
Ethics
This module can help you to develop an understanding of ethics in research, specifically more collaborative forms of research. The aims of this module include understanding what research ethics is and different ways to reflect on ethical dilemmas in research.
The Team
This module was ideated by a diverse and experienced group committed to creating a rich and dynamic learning experience. Julia Wittmayer and Rachel Williams from DIT, Sake Zijlstra from TU Delft, and Joe Binetti from Impact at the Core collaboratively developed the framework and content that shape the module’s foundation.
The current coordination team consists of Sam Riedijk and Joe Binetti, who together ensure the continued development and smooth delivery of the module.
Giuseppe (Joe) Binetti, PhD
Learning Innovator, Community for Learning & Innovation (Erasmus University Rotterdam) | Education Coordinator, Healthy Start (Convergence)
Giuseppe Binetti, known as Joe, is a Learning Innovator at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Education Coordinator for the Convergence initiative Healthy Start. His work focuses on designing and supporting transdisciplinary education that addresses complex societal challenges and fosters collaboration across disciplines and institutions.
Holding a PhD in Education from the University of Glasgow and an MSc from the University of Edinburgh, his academic background explores the role of creativity, uncertainty, and risk in meaningful learning—concepts that continue to shape his educational philosophy.
Rooted in a belief that education should empower learners to navigate complexity with agency, care, and imagination, Joe is passionate about building transformative environments that contribute to meaningful societal engagement and change.
Sake Zijlstra is a full-time lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture in Delft, in the Department of Management in the Built Environment (MBE). As the former Educational Lead for the Resilient Delta Initiative, he focused on education within RDi and (co-)developed educational approaches to train inter- and transdisciplinary skills in knowledge integration. The learning objectives are derived from experiences in RDi and aim at several mastery levels: BSc, MSc, and Phd. The experiences mirror and feed into the Convergence Alliance, where the focus of education is on inter-university collaboration to address complex societal issues and achieve impact. This called for redefining the methodologies used in projects, focusing on knowledge integration and inter- and transdisciplinary ways of working. Through this, he brings back to Architecture a renewed focus on integrative thinking, preparing future professionals to design for complexity and societal relevance.
