About 3000 participants from all over the world were discussing the question what education should look like in times of uncertainty at the largest European Conference on Educational Research (ECER). From 3 to 6 September 2019 researchers from 79 countries explored how educational systems around the world can meet the challenges of our fast-moving modern times in lectures, presentations and workshops at the University of Hamburg.

In their lecture on "Why role play and storytelling to foster Research Integrity in Europe?", Path2Integrity's Coordinator Prof. Julia Prieß-Buchheit and Dipl. Päd. Nicolaus Wilder presented the status quo of educating participants in Research Integrity (RI) and explained the advantages of learning RI via role play and storytelling.

Considering the fact that there is no (high) evidence on how to teach research integrity, teaching and learning RI is a challenging task. However, this uncertainty can be faced by focusing on some indications as to what works. It turns out that student-centred approaches, group discussions and role play support an environment suitable for learning RI. The dialogical method can be regarded as particularly effective for learning RI because it allows to build a common language, adopt perspectives and to argue for RI. The Path2Integrity method for learning research integrity therefore contains rotatory role-playing and storytelling to lead students to conduct dialogues on the acceptance or rejection of RI norms.

The lecture by Path2Integrity pointed out that through role play and storytelling, the dialogical aim of learning RI can be achieved in the best possible way since

role play improves:

• Classroom participation

• Awareness of the complexities of ethics

• Critical/reflexive thinking

• Creative thinking 

• Application of concepts

• Emotional engagement

• Personal accountability¹

storytelling can increase: 

• "Sympathetic imagination"

• Understanding of the fundamental ethical dimensions of life 

• Ethical reflection 

• Ethical comprehension of others

• Emotional and critical engagement

• Vivid, reflective and experiential responses²

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^{1  List of benefits comes from DeNeve & Heppner 1997; Grose-Fifer 2017; Löfström 2016; McCarthy & Anderson 2000; McWilliams & Nahavandi 2006; Poling & Hupp 2009; Poorman 2002; Rosnow 1990; Strohmetz and Skleder 1992}

 ^{2  List of advantages originates from Frank and Osbeck 2016; Nussbaum 1990; Nussbaum 1997; Phillips 2010; Zipes 2005}