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Towards an evidence base on the value of social learning‐oriented approaches in the context of climate change and food security
Author(s) -
Van Epp Marissa,
Garside Ben
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
environmental policy and governance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.987
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1756-9338
pISSN - 1756-932X
DOI - 10.1002/eet.1835
Subject(s) - social learning , general partnership , context (archaeology) , climate change , food security , theory of change , social learning theory , social change , sociology , knowledge management , political science , psychology , social psychology , computer science , geography , ecology , archaeology , anthropology , law , biology , agriculture
Attention to social learning's potential to improve development outcomes in the context of climate change and food security challenges is growing. Yet evidence supporting the wide range of assertions about the outcomes of social learning processes is insufficient. More work is needed to understand when and how a social learning‐oriented approach is effective. We respond to the gap in evidence by piloting the Climate Change and Social Learning initiative's monitoring and evaluation framework for social learning. Our objectives are to begin building an evidence base and to test the theory of change behind the framework. Using a peer‐assist approach, we apply the framework to eight case studies in partnership with five initiatives. We analyse trends in evidence gathered across the case studies in four dimensions of social learning (engagement, iterative learning, capacity development, and challenging institutions) along three dimensions of change (process, learning outcomes, and changes in values and practice).