Learning for Sustainability: Considering Pathways to Transformation

Social-ecological systems face increasing disruptions and challenges, many deriving from human actions, and learning is frequently touted as “the way out” for addressing them. Using a systematic review of 26 studies that span about 20 years and cover four continents, this article interrogates the link between learning, action, and societal transformation toward sustainability. Transformative learning theory provides the analytical framework. Studies indicated abundant instrumental learning outcomes, and substantial communicative learning, while personal transformation was less common. Individual, interpersonal, and collective sustainability action resulted from various kinds of learning, underscoring the important role that learning can play in shaping individual sustainability behavior. Instrumental learning, in particular, provided the skills and knowledge necessary for action. While study findings confirm the fundamental importance of learning, actions were largely individual and had lesser impact at the societal level.