What are (Re)generative Learning Ecologies? Part 2

In this update, I will discuss the conceptual developments for the (Re)generative learning ecologies (RLEs) concept. RLEs are the learning-based spaces in which socio-ecological change can occur. They are interrelated systems in a geographical place. They range in systemic levels from inside individuals to entire bioregions and cut across these. As the totality of relationship(ping) that emerge in learning. These RLEs are the relational networks that when played with in educationally settings can facilitate the emergence of (re)generative leadership — the ability to guide collective learning processes towards more sustainable futures. As always, this post constitutes working-out-loud and thinking-out-loud in the spirit of open science and may contain language or content errors. In openly sharing these design ideas, concepts, considerations, and thoughts. We hope to inspire and share the knowledge and content that we are developing so that other educators can adjust and adapt it for their own use. Please note you are welcome to do so. You are also welcome to reach out if you want more of the content or insight, some of which are still heavily under development.

A reconceptualization

In an earlier piece, I have tried to define RLEs earlier as ‘dynamic constellations of learning-based change that facilitate the development of regenerative capacity — the ability to lead collective action towards continuously more regenerative future states. Which drew heavily from the work of Barnett & Jackson (2019) and Wahl (2016) amongst others. Where learning (or the development of regenerative capacity) is seen as an emergent property of the complex system that is transformed. I have since expanded this definition, or perspective really, to be ‘the dynamic constellations of relationships (or ecologies) that allow the nurturing of the development of regenerative capacity — the ability to guide collective learning/healing towards continuously more regenerative future states.’. The difference is subtle and represents, I believe, an expansion of understanding of the concept and it’s relationship with higher education. This renewed perspective is largely informed by two insights. The first, resulted from a conversation with one of my PhD supervisors in Wageningen, The Netherlands about the semantics of regeneration itself. In this talk, he highlighted the retrospective nature of the word, as it could indicate going back to a previous state instead of working towards a more sustainable future state. In other words, to regenerate something back to what it was. Inspired by this conversation I have since been referring to the word in the form of (re)generation or (re)generating. Because when I use the word, the restorative or healing aspect is only a component of what I am referring to. There is also the forward looking, co-creative generating part. The part that aims to nourish better future states, or co-create socio-ecological systems into being.

Purpose

The second reason is related to the purpose of higher education from a RLE perspective. Namely to connect to and co-create these ecosystems of healing (restoration) and co-creation (generation). I believe that we are in great transitional times, and no sector will be spared from the great changes that are already underway. This includes (higher) education. I also believe that higher education will be much more than now, integral parts of multiple ecologies. Ecologies of helping people develop towards meaningful careers, ecologies of conducting research, and those of (re)generation. To paraphrase Janine Benyus’s powerful words, I believe one of these purposes is ‘education conditions conducive to (re)generation’. Where institutions of formal learning will have to identify ways that can connect to their wider places in ways that are facilitating of both healing (e.g. past trauma’s, soil, oceanic systems) and co-creation (e.g. new systems, products, businesses, knowledge(s). This fundamentally, asks for a different perception of what higher education can be, where it takes place, what it looks like and what it asks from the involved learners. I also find it interesting that both of these components are present in both sustainability transformation (the largely internal systemic work of (re)framing, (re)conceptualizing and (re)storying our ways of being and becoming in the world) and sustainability transitions (the largely external systemic changes to large scale parts of society such as radically different economics, cultures, energy, education). As I don’t see healing and co-creating as a dichotomy but as reinforcing relational patterns that unfold most powerfully when they do so in unison.

What could RLEs be like

I hope and think that in their fullest potential RLEs are learning constellations that allow for a continuous process towards more sustainable futures (including both the transformative and transition dimensions of sustainability). They are systemic relationships that allow for the identification and pressing of leverage points across the RLE, from the deepest levels of consciousness to larger systems such as our economics. An ecosystem of healing and co-creation that (re)births better future states. All of us are part of a multitude of ecologies at all times, but not all of them are RLEs as these require a degree of vulnerability and openness to alternative more sustainable futures that are not always part of learning ecologies. Engaging, sensing, and playing with these RLEs require allowing yourself to be in service of what is being nourished, of the sustainable futures that is trying to emerge. What seems to becoming clearer is that an education that connects such an RLE should probably follow a 80/20 split where 80% of the time the education focuses on working with the sustainability challenges that need to be (re)generated. The remainding 20% the attention is placed on developing the basics on transition theory, theory of change, leading, facilitating and such. Part of these will still need to be developed further. I am excited to do so through further playing with the Mission Impact minor at The Hague University of Applied Sciences and through the bilingual (Re)generative Education Podcast which will be published on all major channels in September.

Last week, I was sitting with a colleague, in the city centre of the Hague, enjoying the kind of ridiculously warm March days. In t-shirts in the Netherlands in March, who would have thought. We were enjoying some delicious falafels and just had a great time. This particular colleague is a bit quirky in a good way, and extremely intelligent, so whenever we get together to philosophize and chat those times are very valuable for me. She was also the first guest on my upcoming The (Re)generative Education Podcast which is posed to launch over the summer and is something I am super excited about. We talked about a ton of stuff as we strawled through city centre of The Hague but we got to a topic that is very meaningful to me as I was looking over the hofvijver (a pond next to our parliamentary building) as I was enjoying the gentle hugs of the sunlight and watched some of the seaguls doing their thing. This topic, was the topic of strength. In the most direct physical sense of the word. You see, I have a long personal history with strength sports (the first time I walked into a gym I was able to deadlift 140 kg /305 lbs fairly easily) that I had to largely give up because of my arthritis. Because of this disease that was attacking me from inside. This most intimate betrayel of self. This topic came up as we were discussing treatment that I am about to start, which will hopefully slow down the progression and potentially allow me to get back to strength training again. Hope that resulted in reliving loss. You see, strength was something I was really quite good at. It was something that allowed me to shut out the complexity of life and focus on one moment, on one thing. It was the thing that got me into a state of flow moreso than anything else ever has. There is something quite magical about placing heavy loads literally on your back, bending your knees and genuinly being unsure if you will be able to get back up again that I find exhilerating. It was my safe haven, my safe place, from the world. The place where I could focus on myself with no guilt. The place where I was allowed to unleash my fullest potential. It was also one of the avenues that made a me an educator. As I am certified to teach powerlifting and strength coaching in The Netherlands and have actively trained a decent number of people to become a lot stronger when I was still healthy. It has been a very challenging journey from the onset of the disease to accepting I won’t be able to practice that as much, or sometimes at all, as I would like. And perhaps I will never quite finish that psychological healing process. So while the act of lifting weights itself is relatively trivial, the semantics it holds for my collective being is beyond what I can put to words. Movement and particular strength training was my way of engaging with the world when I felt overwhelmed. My way of navigating life.

While this is a very personal experience, I believe it captures one of the ground principles of ecologies of learning as well as RLEs. That learning happens not just as a lifelong process but also situated in context as a lifewide process (Barnett & Jackson, 2019). That the learning that I got from this interaction, i.e. a partial healing of a previous self could never have emerged if it was prespecified, nor could it ever have been preconceived as an intended learning outcome. While this is perhaps not the most interesting learning outcome to argue a case for an RLE, as it is relatively mundane, I believe it captures the potential of engaging with the broader ecologies around our institutions. As dynamic constellations of learning-based change that includes both working on creating outer change and inner transformation. This requires creating the space for people (not just students) and organizations to meaningfully engage with these ecologies. This also requires trust and a healthy dose of courage because engaging with this more relational form of human development is a lot more personal than the current educational paradigm would usually consider. This is also where the extension from learning-to-know comes in the forms of learning-to-feel, care, anticipate and be as living systems situated in constantly developing and interrelated socio-ecological systems of the places we live with.

At the same time, there will likely also still be a need for the more traditional forms of higher education that we are used to know, developing basic skills and abilities required to develop towards professional life. It is my hope that moving forward, as universities keep experimenting with RLE nurturing educational structures (even when they don’t they are doing it!) that all students will at the very least have the opportunity for a significant part of their studies to experience what learning in such a RLE can be like.

As always, any comments are welcome and appreciated. Feel free to reach out to b.vandenberg@hhs.nl if you’d like to join this journey or just to have a nice chat.