Integrated Learning is the process of uncovering patterns and deeper insights from the embodied learning. Integrated learning ensures that insights from local action feed directly into collective thinking and decision-making at different levels (locally and across places). Integrated learning occurs in place, across places and at a national level with funders, policymakers and system leaders.
The Integrated Learning process builds on the ‘learning by doing’ approach of Embodied Learning and extends it through the principles of Heutagogy and Symmathesy. Heutagogy is about learner-directed learning and symmathesy is a term coined by systems thinker Nora Bateson to describe a living system of mutual learning and interaction. It’s a combination of the Greek words “sym” (together) and “mathesis” (learning), and it emphasises that learning and change happen through relationships, not just within individual entities. Symmathesy looks at the ongoing, adaptive processes between parts of a system, and how they co-evolve and influence each other over time. The key ideas of symmathesy, which are embedded in this toolkit’s learning activities, are:
Both Symmathesy and Heutagogy reject fixed or linear models of learning. This toolkit supports learning in emergence – the ability to notice and respond to what is unfolding in real time, even when it’s subtle, unpredictable, or relational. Facilitators and participants are encouraged to stay attentive to what’s changing in the system, and to treat those shifts as vital data for reflection, adaptation and insight.
Integrated learning in place is the process of making sense of the collective insights gathered through the embodied learning. It may look different from place to place with some places taking a solely collective approach to this sense making (for example having integrated learning sessions with the coordination group) while others may choose to hire a learning lead, or the Local Coordinator may fulfil this function or there may be a national learning function to support the local work. Integrated learning is guided by the four key LocalMotion questions:
In the integrated learning stage these questions are answered by reviewing insights gathered from embodied learning on Notion and through group sense-making and integrated learning activities at the local and national level. Integrated learning requires preparation to be effective. Those engaged with integrated learning need to be close to the work, have reviewed the outputs of embodied learning in Notion and ideally been part of some embodied learning sessions. This is primarily because integrated learning seeks to ground learning in evidence. This evidence can take multiple forms including but not limited to data, stories, successes/failures, research, defining moments, comparisons between projects/activities and feedback. Therefore, before engaging with integrated learning participants should review the records of activities and embodied learning on Notion and reflect on the four key questions. Having a learning lead ensures there is someone tracking and collating embodied learning to support integrated learning.
Using the four key LocalMotion questions provides a feedback learning loop as shown in Figure 8. Where there is interest/capacity this could be supplemented by interviews or questionnaires.
This learning will support ongoing work in place and will feed into the integrated learning across places which will drive national influencing activities. Places can also use the insights from this work as part of their own influencing and communication activities. This can be done in the form of reports, blogs, infographics and/or videos.
Integrated learning needs to occur both in places and collectively across the whole initiative. Integrated learning across places will happen periodically. It is recommended that these sessions be attended by the network which is comprised of local Co-ordinators, the Director of Collaboration, funders and local learning leads if they have been appointed. We recommend that LocalMotion agree the format and frequency of these integrated learning sessions, and who engages in these, so that integrated learning happens at all levels (place, across places and nationally, as well as with funders, wider partners, system leaders and policymakers). We suggest that integrated learning across places and nationally is delivered using the emergent learning tool shown in Figure 9. A facilitation guide for the emergent learning tool is included in Section 5.
Integrated learning across the network is an opportunity to share the integrated learning from each of the places in support of answering the key LocalMotion questions from a network perspective. The process helps identify themes or patterns across the places as well as those unique contextual drivers of change.
The Emergent Learning tool has been selected as it encourages participants to ground their learning in both quantitative and qualitative data, uncover the key assumptions in their thinking and take both a backward- and forward-looking viewpoint which is essential to creating value from the learning. The tool will be used to answer the four key LocalMotion questions.
The Emergent Learning tool fits with the key principles of both Heutagogy and Symmathesy as follows:
