No abstract

Background: We are witnessing increasing demand from governments and society for all sciences to have relevant social impact and to show the returns they provide to society.<br />Aims and objectives: This paper reports strategies that promote social impact by Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) research projects.<br />Methods: An in-depth analysis of six Social Sciences and Humanities research projects that achieved social impact was carried out to identify those strategies. For each case study, project documents were analysed and qualitative fieldwork was conducted with diverse agents, including researchers, stakeholders and end-users, with a communicative orientation.<br />Findings: The strategies that were identified as contributing to achieving social impact include a clear focus of the project on social impact and the definition of an active strategy for achieving it; a meaningful involvement of stakeholders and end-users throughout the project lifespan, including local organisations, underprivileged end-users, and policy makers who not only are recipients of knowledge generated by the research projects but participate in the co-creation of knowledge; coordination between projects’ and stakeholders’ activities; and dissemination activities that show useful evidence and are oriented toward creating space for public deliberation with a diverse public.<br />Discussion and conclusions: The strategies identified can enhance the social impact of Social Sciences and Humanities research. Furthermore, gathering related data, such as collaboration with stakeholders, use of projects’ findings and the effects of their implementation, could allow researchers to track the social impact of the projects and enhance the evaluation of research impact.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>The social impact of SSH projects is amplified via a focus and an active strategy for achieving it.</li><br /><li>The social impact of SSH research is enhanced by meaningful involvement of stakeholders and end-users.</li><br /><li>Dissemination leading to social impact is evidence-based, useful, involves beneficiaries and allows debate.</li><br /><li>Tracking the social impact of projects could enhance the evaluation of the impact of research.</li></ul>

This study explores the impact of a seminar on self-efficacy and argumentative skills on teachers' professional development. In this seminar, called "On the Shoulders of Giants," a group of teachers meet once a month. They debate scientific readings to critically discuss educational theory, which transforms their everyday practices in the school. A survey using a questionnaire was conducted to collect the data. The results show that teachers' involvement in dialogic-based training positively impacts their ability to address current school problems and that the teachers transfer their new knowledge to their work. The effectiveness of the teachers' practices increases and, consequently, their students' learning also improves.

Whether it is necessary to intervene in front of violent behaviors since early childhood or not has turned out to be a highly controversial debate. While non-scientific-based discourses are well spread among families and professionals, leading to a process of naturalization and tolerance of any type of violence, research shows that permissive attitudes can lead to a socialization in which violence and gender violence are normalized, with serious and devastating long-term consequences. In this article, a dialogic recreation of knowledge performed in this area is analyzed as an example of how researchers can contribute to dismantle myths and false assumptions by engaging in dialogue with the end-users (i.e., teachers, families, professionals). As a result of this dialogue, not only scientific knowledge is enriched but also a process of thorough problematization of long-standing and embedded social practices can lead to important social transformations.

No abstract