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Systems Thinking, Evaluation, Learning, and Sustainability in Community Transformation

Format: Papers, RSD11, RSD11: Different stories in design (Bateson), Topic: Methods & Methodology

Eve Pinsker

Gregory Bateson’s logical categories of learning and communication present a lens for examining the relationships between evaluation, learning and sustainability that offers an alternative to narrow linear approaches to innovation in the design and implementation of interventions that can address complex human problems. Learning supports transformative change that is necessary for the preservation of relationships at more encompassing levels of context. Contrarily, adhering to the forms and practices required by institutionalized bureaucracy can restrict needed learning and innovation. As an exercise in autoethnography (Adams et al., 2017), the author reflects on her experience as an anthropologically-trained evaluator who has applied systems approaches to the evaluation of public health community-level interventions.

Keywords: evaluation, systems thinking, learning

Citation Data

Author(s): Eve Pinsker
Year: 2022
Title: Systems Thinking, Evaluation, Learning, and Sustainability in Community Transformation
Published in: Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design
Volume: RSD11
Article No.: 174
URL: https://rsdsymposium.org/systems-thinking-evaluation-learning-and-sustainability-in-community-transformation
Host: University of Brighton
Location: Brighton, UK
Symposium Dates: October 3–16, 2022
First published: 20 September 2022
Last update: 30 April 2023
Publisher Identification: ISSN 2371-8404

Copyright Information

Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design (ISSN 2371-8404) are published annually by the Systemic Design Association, a non-profit scholarly association leading the research and practice of design for complex systems: 3803 Tønsberg, Norway (922 275 696).

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Open Access article published under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International License. This permits anyone to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or form according to the licence terms.

Suggested citation format (APA)

Author(s). (20##). Article title. Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design, RSD##. Article ##. rsdsymposium.org/LINK

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