learningforsustainability.netWhat's new on this site
Site: Learning for sustainabilityNewsletter - February 2010
Publish Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 21:10:35 +1200
A newsletter has just been released to highlight recent site updates and additions. The focus is on systems thinking. A number of new reports and papers are also featured covering literature reviews in partnerships, leadership and participation. It also features resources on linking indigenous, science and local knowledge systems.
Perspectives on partnership: A literature review
Publish Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 21:10:35 +1200
This paper by Doug Horton, Gordon Prain and Graham Thiele reports on a wide-ranging review of the literature on partnerships and other closely related forms of collaboration. It identifies and analyzes key cross-cutting themes and success factors, highlights gaps in current knowledge, and identifies high-potential areas for further study.
Building Transdisciplinarity for Managing Complexity: Lessons from Indigenous Practice
Publish Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 21:10:35 +1200
This paper published in the International Journal of Interdiscplinary Social Sciences shows how transdisciplinary approaches can help different stakeholder groups to share and use their knowledge and experience for problem focused inquiry. it points out that facilitating transdisciplinarity requires good dialogue processes and the development of holistic frameworks. Through reflecting on participatory action research initiatives with the Kuna and Quechua indigenous peoples it highlights that indigenous societies have developed over time strong dialogue processes, and continue to link them to a holistic view of the world allowing them to manage complex societal problems. The paper then offers a new approach to promoting transdisciplinarity from the Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Assessment (IPCCA) initiative, starting with frameworks that recognise complexity and can facilitate dialogue.
New paper on adaptive management
Publish Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:10:35 +1200
Learning about the social elements of adaptive management in the
South Island tussock grasslands of New Zealand - this paper uses a case study to reflect on some of the social and organizational aspects required for successful adaptive management. It looks at the processes by which information and knowledge are shared across the different stakeholder groups involved. Finally, it expands on some specific lessons that emerge as important for sharing information and knowledge in adaptive management, including tools to support dialogue and improved tools for evaluation.
Newsletter - July 09
Publish Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:10:35 +1200
A newsletter has just been released to highlight recent site updates and additions. A number of new reports and publications are also featured covering integration, sustainable development and participation.
Linking action research modalities
Publish Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:10:35 +1200
This pre-publication paper by Joe Raelin highlights the benefits that can arise from seeking to link across the similarities in the different approaches that link action and reflection. This article begins by briefly summarizing the history and differences among the main action modalities, and then focuses on their potential confederation. It cites ten unifying elements that may construct an agenda characterized by the value of learners collectively reflecting on planned engagements that can not only expand but can create knowledge while at the same time serving to improve practice.
Newsletter - February 09
Publish Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:02:44 +1200
A newsletter has just been released to highlight recent site changes. It features the new governance section. Five recent publications are also featured covering managing complexity, governance, participation, resilience and transdisciplinarity.
Governance, adaptation and adaptive management
Publish Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 22:16:24 +1200
A new section on governance has been added to the portal. This provides frameworks to understand governance models for managing natural resource management change issues. Other pages look specifically at adaptation and adaptive management.
New CSS menu system
Publish Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:16:41 +1200
The site has just been updated with a new menu system that is CSS-based. This replaces the previous javascript menu system, and should work better for Safari and Chrome browser users in particular.
Facilitating multi-stakeholder processes
Publish Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:35:15 +1200
Facilitation can play an important role in ensuring a well-run meeting or engagement process. Useful facilitation skills include planning agendas, creating the appropriate group environment, encouraging participation, and leading the group to reach its objectives. This page provides links to tips and techniques for facilitators.
Systems thinking
Publish Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 22:36:41 +1200
This page provides links to guides on systems thinking, including soft systems methodology (SSM). Systems thinking is an approach to integration that is based on the belief that the component parts of a system will act differently when isolated from the system's environment or other parts of the system. Standing in contrast to positivist and reductionist thinking, systems thinking sets out to view systems in a holistic manner. Consistent with systems philosophy, systems thinking concerns an understanding of a system by examining the linkages and interactions between the elements that comprise the whole of the system.
Interdisciplinary journals for environment, health and development
Publish Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 22:37:58 +1200
The following links provide access to a number of journals that publish papers on human dimensions research. Some of these journals include interdisciplinary and action-research based material.
Sparks for Change blog started
Publish Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:46:27 +1200
The sparksforchange blog has been created to highlight people and ideas that are making a positive difference for social change. Topics of particular interest include different ways that we can seed, grow and support networks, the use of social media, and innovative approaches to support social learning and collective action.
Social learning section updated
Publish Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 09:52:29 +1200
A number of new social learning sites and papers have been added to LfS. These include links to the lessons from the SLIM (Social Learning for the Integrated Management and sustainable use of water at catchment scale) and HarmoniCOP - Hamonising collaborative planning project.
Social marketing
Publish Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 10:20:17 +1200
A number of social marketing sites and papers have been added to LfS. These include links to community-based social marketing by Doug McKenzie-Mohr, the seven doors framework by Les Robinson, the key principles of persuasion and more.
Social research methods
Publish Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 10:43:49 +1200
Here are a number of sites designed to help utilise social science methods to help accomplish their goals. Some of the sites here cater for managers and policy makers by providing basic - but useful - information about social science concepts and methods. These sites can help guide the selection of the apprpriate tools to address specific issues. Other sites cater for social researchers looking for information on research areas such as systems thinking, contemporary approaches to managing participation, action research and the use of narrative.
