Three types of knowledge (Tobias Buser)

The concept of ‘three types of knowledge’ helps transdisciplinary researchers addressing societal challenges produce not only knowledge on problems, but also knowledge that helps to overcome those problems. The three types of knowledge are:
1. Systems knowledge: knowledge about the problem.
2. Target knowledge: knowledge about the desired future and the values that indicate which direction to take.
3. Transformation knowledge: how to move from the current to the desired situation.
Facts are strongly associated with systems knowledge, values with target knowledge and agency (the capacity to act in a purposeful way) with transformation knowledge. Furthermore, facts belong to the sphere of science, values and norms to the sphere of politics, and agency to the sphere of practice. These knowledge types overlap and are interdependent.
Tobias Buser is project leader for capacity building at the Network for Transdisciplinary Research, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences, Bern, Switzerland.
This video is taken from the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Partnering for Change - Link Research to Societal Challenges.” See www.transdiscip... and www.futurelear....