FGGA Starter Grants: Research into citizen initiatives and Extended Reality in education
The FGGA starter grants provide researchers with the opportunity to launch innovative projects that contribute to both scientific knowledge and societal impact. In this article, Allard de Graaf and Joy Lee share their experiences and ambitions for their research, made possible by this funding.
What is the title of your research project?
Joy: 'XR (Extended Reality) to learn global challenges'
What can you tell us about the research project?
Allard: ‘With this project, we are investigating how government and citizen initiatives collaborate in areas of sustainability, such as the circular economy. These interactions are essential: citizens can contribute a great deal, but they need government support. Conversely, the government must support citizen initiatives without restricting them. We are currently finishing a literature review and working on a strategy to identify a diverse range of citizen initiatives focused on sustainability, and then map their encounters with the government.'
Joy: ‘XR – a simulation-based learning environment, which includes Virtual Reality – offers realistic learning experiences for students studying complex subjects, particularly within the domain of International Law of Armed Conflict (ILAC). In collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross, we are developing XR scenarios, such as war zones and refugee camps. This allows students to apply legal frameworks in realistic contexts.’
Why is this research important?
Allard: 'The research offers a relational perspective, an innovative approach within public administration. This helps us understand what happens between government and citizens. We also look beyond planned participation moments. These insights are crucial because collaboration between government and citizens is essential for achieving sustainability goals. It is quite certain that no single entity will be able to make the Netherlands sustainable on its own.'
Joy: ‘Educators need to understand when XR is most effective in achieving specific learning objectives. By investigating this, we aim to design evidence-based XR frameworks and ensure their proper integration into higher education. This is particularly crucial in domains like ILAC, where practical skills are essential.’
What do you hope to achieve with this project and the FGGA Grant?
Allard: 'We aim to produce knowledge that is genuinely useful when implementing sustainability transitions. By providing governments with insights into the various ways they influence citizen initiatives, they can, for example, handle them more effectively. Due to this goal, we will use transdisciplinary methods: involving societal stakeholders and their knowledge in the research, for example, by co-developing a research question. This also requires a specific type of output: not only academic articles, but also, for example, a website or a workshop. The grant ensures that such activities can be funded.'
Joy: ‘We aim to develop XR training guidelines, adapt educational scenarios in collaboration with the Red Cross, and build networks to share our findings. By enhancing education on global challenges, we aim to equip students with essential 21st-century skills, such as collaboration and problem-solving.’
How does the FGGA grant help reduce workload?
Allard: ‘The grant gives us the flexibility to integrate innovative methods into our research, such as collaborating with societal stakeholders. This can ultimately increase efficiency and reduce workload by delivering tangible, impactful results.'
Joy: ‘The grant fosters collaboration and communication between institutions, creating a supportive academic environment. This reduces stress and improves motivation, which benefits researchers' work-life balance.’