Systems innovation in learning communities: understand, innovate, implement

A lot of complex societal problems cannot be solved by conventional methods. In practice, it is a multidisciplinary approach combining all stakeholders, including scientists and researchers, policymakers, professionals, and education institutions, that proves beneficial. These learning networks are also known as learning communities, communities of practice, innovation labs, and collaborative centres.

How does a learning community work?

Bringing stakeholders together in a learning network also brings together all the knowledge and expertise on a given issue, allowing solutions to be worked towards. Typically, between five and 20 people from different public and private-sector social organisations form a learning network. By learning from each other and understanding each other’s perspectives and challenges, an issue can be better understood, so improvements can be developed and then applied in practice.

Action-focused, collective learning and equal collaboration between all stakeholders are the crux of a learning network. You don’t know ahead of time what solutions will be found to the issues at hand. While this can be looked at as a disadvantage, this way of working does produce a broadly supported and well-founded result.

Scientific foundation

Although learning networks are now being increasingly implemented in youth psychosocial care and public health care services and for active labour market policies  there is still little systematic knowledge available on what works exactly. There is still a lack of scientific evidence of what does and doesn’t work. And that is exactly what TNO is working on: demonstrating the added value of this systems innovation. Over the past few years, we have already gained a great deal of expertise on learning networks through various practical projects and studies – both large and small. This led to the development of the Learning networks in the social domain (LISO) framework, the first scientific underpinning of learning networks.

Solving specific issues

LISO is based on scientific literature and expert advice. It has developed a solid foundation to help practitioners set up and evaluate their own learning networks. The framework shows what is important in a learning network, what principles work well, and what the building blocks are.

TNO uses the framework as a backbone to solve complex issues in practice. This always involves collaboration with all stakeholders; only then can the issue be properly analysed and then innovations developed to resolve it.

Learning networks handbook

TNO is currently working on a handbook, with recommended actions for the parties involved in learning networks in the social domain. This handbook is expected to be published in late 2024 and will discuss the major challenges facing learning networks, as well as providing a more detailed explanation of the LISO framework, among other things.

Continuing to learn and develop

TNO's learning network methodology is aligned with the world of learning organisations. More and more large practice organisations in the social domain are recognising the importance of continuous learning and development. They are interested in what learning networks dedicated to professionalisation can do for them. The time for action is now, and it’s important to work systematically. That is where tools like the LISO framework, and soon the handbook, come in handy.

Get in touch!

If you want to know more about what we are doing in learning networks or even set up a learning network yourself, please feel free to contact us.