Program Overview

Introduction to the REASON Program

The international doctoral school REASON focuses on interdisciplinary and collaborative research linking psychology, education, as well as empirical research on learning in specific domains. This includes areas such as medical education, mathematics education, or biology education. The program investigates specific aspects related to scientific reasoning and argumentation, including how children and adults process scientific evidence in different disciplines, the roles of emotion, collaboration, and technology in scientific reasoning and argumentation, and how domain-specific and domain-general aspects play together in scientific reasoning and argumentation.

Program Profile

The REASON doctoral school is funded by the Elite Network of Bavaria (ENB) and offers a structured, interdisciplinary, and international training under the roof of the Munich Center of the Learning Sciences (MCLS). The program brings together researchers from different universities in Munich, including Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Technische Universität, and Katholische Stiftungshochschule, and is connected to a broad international network that supports the doctoral candidates of the project. The language of instruction is English.

Research Areas

The international doctoral school "Scientific Reasoning and Argumentation" is an interdisciplinary PhD project involving research from:

• Medicine
• Education
• Psychology
• Social work
• Media informatics
• Mathematics
• Biology

Specific research areas include:

• Domain-Specificity of Scientific Reasoning and Argumentation
• Cognition-Emotion Interface
• Role of Social Context for Scientific Reasoning and Argumentation
• Facilitation and Intervention of Scientific Reasoning and Argumentation
• Publications

Curriculum and Teaching

PhD candidates must fulfill the requirements stipulated in the Learning Sciences PhD regulations. The curriculum includes:

• REASON Curriculum
• Doctoral studies at LMU
• Community Tasks
• Student-Led Courses
• Collaborations and Networks

Practice Transfer

The program focuses on the practical application of research findings, including:

• The REASON International Doctoral School Concept
• Communication of Research Findings (Scientific Video Abstracts)

International Events

The program hosts various international events, such as:

• REASON Spring School 2015
• REASON Spring School 2018
• REASON Winter School 2019

People

The program brings together PhD candidates as well as professors who are committed to research in the Learning Sciences, particularly in scientific reasoning and argumentation. This includes:

• Current REASON members
• REASON Alumni Network

Commitment to Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Within the international doctoral school REASON, PhD candidates work on research questions related to the topic "Competences in scientific reasoning and argumentation." The program is designed to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary research among its participants.