Learning Community

Welcome to the webpage of the Learning Community. We are an international, online community of circa 100 scientists, policymakers and practitioners who share an interest in learning for sustainable development. This community was set up following three sessions on learning at the International Sustainability Conference 2016. Its aim is to enhance the learning capacity of those who examine or seek to stimulate or organize learning processes. It brings together people working on learning in transitions and those working on social learning in natural resources management. By connecting these usually rather seperate communities, we hope to create synergies and to identify and address cross-cutting questions. We are active organizing sessions at relevant conferences and webinars. We share news and information via a mailing list (google group). You can join our community by subscribing to “thelearningcommunity” google group.

Upcoming and previously organized webinar(s)

On a regular basis we co-organize webinars with TIAS on a theme that is of direct relevance to those interested in learning. For all webinars, the presentations, audio-visual recording and – if available) a synthesis report are posted here. For more information, see the information below, which contains links to the webinar invitations.

• A 5th webinar “Narratives for engagement, learning and action-taking in support of environmental management” took place on Monday the 26th of October 2020, 15:00 – 16:30 CET (GMT +1). The recording and presentations are posted here.
• A 4th webinar “From games to action: When and how can serious games stimulate learning and support decision making for natural resource management?” took place on Thursday the 4th of July 2019, 15:00 – 16:30 CEST (GMT +2).
• For the 3rd webinar “Education for Sustainable Development: Debating principles, promise and practice”, which took place on Thursday the 7th of June 2018, 16.00 – 17.30 am CEST (GMT +2), the recording and presentations are posted here.
• For the 2nd webinar “How a Social Learning Approach can Support the Design and Implementation of Interventions will take place”, which took place Tuesday the 27^th of June 2017, 14:30-16:00 CEST (GMT +2), the presentations, synthesis report and audio-visual recording are posted here.
• For the 1st webinar Conceptualization and measurement of learning (16th of November 2016, co-organized with TIAS, hosted on Adobe Connect) webinar presentations and a synthesis report are posted here. The report contains a reference to the recording.

Conference sessions

On a regular basis, members of the Learning Community co-organize a session at an international conference.

• Dialogue Session “Transformative co-production experiments as nucleus for societal learning” (session 5.7) at the Leverage Points 2019 International Conference on transformative sustainability science. Download: Synthesis Report.
• Dialogue Session “Understanding learning for governing sustainability transitions” (session G23) at the International Sustainability Transitions conference 2017. Download: Synthesis report.
• Three sessions at the International Sustainability Conference 2016:
  • Dialogue Session “Conceptualizing and measuring social learning: challenges and ways forward” (Session A2) chaired by Joanne Vinke-de Kruijf, Geeske Scholz and Claudia Pahl-Wostl. Downloads: Session programme and Brief Summary of Discussions
  • Dialogue Sessions “The role of learning in understanding and governing sustainability transitions (Part I and Part II, Sessions J1 and K1)” chaired by Johannes Halbe and Claudia Pahl-Wostl. Download: Session programme and results.

Session presentations have been posted on a password-protected website. You can obtain the link and the password by sending an e-mail to learningcommunity@tias-web.info.

Special issue

The Learning Community is involved in editing a special issue on “Learning in Transitions” in the Journal of Environmental Innovation and Societal Transformation.The first articles are now available online. The editorial team consists of: Barbara van Mierlo, PJ Beers, Johannes Halbe, Geeske Scholz and Joanne Vinke-de Kruijf. The editorial team organized a workshop for contributors on the 22nd of June 2017 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Communication and coordination

This learning community is coordinated by Blane Harvey, Caroline Lumosi, Romina Rodela, and Joanne Vinke-de Kruijf. This community is kindly supported by The Integrated Assessment Society (TIAS). All members of the coordinating team are active members of TIAS. If you would like to engage with TIAS, you can become a member. TIAS depends on the support of individuals and organizations and welcomes donations.

Want to become involved?

Join our google group (thelearningcommunity) or send an e-mail to learningcommunity@tias-web.info (e-mail address is managed by Joanne Vinke-de Kruijf). This e-mail address can also be used to share or explore ideas for further cooperation in the form of joint webinars, conference sessions or dedicated workshops.