Beyond Indicators and Success Stories: An Emerging Method to Assess Social Learning in Large-Scale Transdisciplinary Research Programs

Abstract

Facilitated learning approaches are increasingly being used as a means to enhance climate and sustainability collaborations working across disciplines, regions, and scales. With investments into promoting and supporting inter- and transdisciplinary learning in major programs on complex global challenges like climate change on the rise, scholars and practitioners are calling for a more grounded and empirical understanding of learning processes and their outcomes. Yet, methodologies for studying the interplay between learning and change in these initiatives remain scarce, owing to both the “hard to measure” nature of learning and the complexity of large-scale program implementation and evaluation. This paper proposes a new method for studying social learning in the context of large research programs. It aims to analyze the social learning of researchers and practitioners engaged in these programs and assess the contributions of this learning to the resilience of the natural and social systems that these programs seek to influence. We detail the theoretical basis for this new approach and set out six steps for developing multi-layered contribution pathways and contribution stories with stakeholders to document both the process and outcomes of social learning. The proposed method, we argue, can strengthen our analytical capacity to uncover the structural drivers and barriers to social learning that are often masked by the complexity of large-scale programs. An illustrative example, drawn from a large-scale climate adaptation research program, provides evidence on how this method might advance our methodological strategies for studying learning in these programs. We conclude by highlighting two key methodological contributions brought about through this approach, and by reflecting on opportunities for further methodological development. Enriching our understanding of learning and change processes, we argue, is an important avenue for understanding how we can pursue transformations for sustainability.

MapStakes: a tool for mapping, involving and monitoring stakeholders in co-creation processes

“…To achieve this, development and testing of robust indicators are necessary to monitor and evaluate processes, to highlight and target areas for improvement. The indicators will inform the identification of best practices, as there are few standardized approaches for co-creation (Huang & Harvey, 2021).…”

“…We devised a set of criteria, -relevance, inclusion, learning, effectiveness, and credibility (RILEC) -that captures a number of dimensions that are relevant for assessing the role of cocreation in a process, project, or intervention; these criteria are designed building on existing co-creation and learning criteria in the literature (Bos et al, 2013;Huang & Harvey, 2021;Sarkki et al, 2015;Schuck-Zöller et al, 2017). The proposed criteria differ from previous ones in that we do not consider legitimacy as a criterion to fulfill (see for example Heink et al, 2015;Sarkki et al, 2015).…”

From reflection diaries to practical guidance for transdisciplinary research: learnings from a Kenyan air pollution project

“…Some TDR projects fail to deliver new scientific insights, with project benefits being realised predominantly for non-academic stakeholders (Lang et al 2017 ). For other projects, a lack of robust synthesis and impact evaluation means the potential for the project to deliver real change is not realised or remains undocumented (Hoffman et al 2019 ; Huang and Harvey 2021 ). Other, longer term impacts can be difficult to capture, or take place after the project has finished.…”