Research techniques and methodologies to assess social learning in participatory environmental governance

Publication date: December 2019Source: Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, Volume 23Author(s): Anna ErnstAbstractThe impact of participation on transformation towards sustainability is insufficiently researched, particularly with regard to social learning as an outcome of participation processes. The investigation of social learning processes within participatory decision-making is challenging, and capturing all aspects in one research design does not seem possible. The systematic review undertaken in this paper found that qualitative methods and self-reporting techniques are commonly applied to measure social learning. Existing studies assessing social learning processes often lack a critical reflection of the assessment method and sometimes provide little detail on the method applied. To address this shortcoming, this paper presents a methodological review of the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and quantitative methods as well as further research techniques for measuring social learning. The paper contributes to the current debate by enabling a better understanding of the explanatory power of results deduced using a specific research technique or method. Recommendations are made to address the challenges involved in investigating social learning in interaction settings such as participatory decision-making. To improve our understanding of how participation processes contribute to sustainable development, more diverse studies must be conducted.
Source: Learning, Culture and Social Interaction - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research