Learning heuristic or political rhetoric? Sustainable mobility and the functions of ‘best practice’

Macmillen, James; Stead, Dominic

doi:10.1016/j.tranpol.2014.05.017

Cited by 29 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…These are places where policy actors build trusted relationships (McCann 2010) and establish or maintain networks (Stone 2012). Within transport research, conferences (and study tours) are recognized as instrumental in policy learning (Attard and Enoch 2011;Bok 2015;Pojani and Stead 2015) as they offer opportunities to uncover best practices (Macmillen and Stead 2014) and to build "consensus and influence public opinion" (Attard and Enoch 2011, 550). However, generally, differentiations between conferences and other learning forums (i.e.…”

Section: Conceptualizing Conferences As Venues For Situated and Embodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpacking policy transfer as a situated practice: blending social, spatial, and sensory learning at a conference

Glaser

Brömmelstroet

2020

Applied Mobilities

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Conferences are theorized as crucial sites, not only for professional development, but also for policy learning. However, little empirical evidence has examined pathways for why and how learning is realized. Using a unique case approach, this paper unravels conference learning dimensions by combining literatures of policy transfer and policy mobilities with situated learning theory. Our case was a four-day international conference on cycling, taking place in the Netherlands, a country well-known for high rates of cycling and commonly sought for advice on cycling policy. Using a questionnaire with participants (n = 293) together with ethnographic fieldwork, we examine key attributes. Structure for fieldwork derived from situated learning theory, where learning is a social phenomenon embedded in sensory and spatial circumstances. Findings demonstrate that acquiring technical understanding (i.e. design specifications, sample policy language) was less prominent than the acquisition of social and experiential knowledge. Additionally, the bicycle acted as a sensorimotor transition instrument for spatial discovery, evoking emotion, and social connection. The conference represented an opportunity to convene both tacit and explicit knowledge, where an embodied experience (for example, riding a bicycle in the Netherlands) may also act as critical asset to professional development in this emerging practice. The paper adds to the debate about learning in transport policy practice by unfurling contextual mechanisms and engaging with practitioners in "their world"-an ordinary practice of attending a conference in a unique location.

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Section: Conceptualizing Conferences As Venues For Situated and Embodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unpacking policy transfer as a situated practice: blending social, spatial, and sensory learning at a conference

Glaser

Brömmelstroet

2020

Applied Mobilities

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“…It can be concluded that learning about the practices behind the so-called good practices finally makes the difference. Apart from being a means of 'heuristic learning' [38] good practice examples can serve also other functions -that cannot be referred to in detail here -like enabling (as a vehicle for inspiring, mobilising and motivating different actors inside and outside the municipality), agenda-setting and place-marketing [39].…”

Section: Conclusion and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Replication vs mentoring: Accelerating the spread of good practices for the low-carbon transition

Boulanger¹,

Nagorny²

2018

Int. J. SDP

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The challenge of making cities more sustainable is one of the major constraints that has to be addressed at all political levels. Many innovative planning solutions are now underway in various European cities of any scale. One way of making the transition to low-carbon cities happen is the approach of replicating successful demonstration projects. During several years of participatory observation in European projects and municipal consultancy as well as through qualitative interviews with municipal technical staff working on climate change, we observed that replication is seen by the European Commission as well as national governments as a major solution for speeding up the transition EU wide. The research includes an evaluation of already funded EU projects using a replication approach. It is commonplace that replication is not likely to happen 1:1, because each city has its own challenges. Nonetheless, the process behind replication attempts leads to considerable learning effects. We found out that learning from good examples serves several purposes for managing the transition, e.g. inspiration and motivation of technical staff, mobilisation of stakeholders or political commitment. The paper concludes with an analysis of success factors and barriers for replication drawing on real life examples. The findings recommend making supporting schemes more effective by evolving the concept of unstructured replication towards a mentoring approach based on scientific steering.

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“…According to Macmillen and Stead (2014), "academic researchers have for example advocated best practice approaches for urban transportation planning and employer mobility policies, nongovernmental organisations have published best practice guidelines on cycling policy and the reduction of transport-related energy consumption, national governments have sponsored best practice schemes for achieving sustainable freight distribution and transport integration, and supranational bodies, such as the European Commission and the Organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD), have issued publications on international best practice in road safety and greenhouse gas abatement policies for transport. "…”

Section: Urban Mobility and Economic Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

What are the preferences in the development process of a sustainable urban mobility plan? New methodology for experts involvement

Valero-Gil

Allué-Poc

Ortego

et al. 2018

IJISD

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Sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMP) have been trying to solve mobility issues by identifying suitable measures to be implemented according to citizen's behaviour and their expected impact. With the aim of improving the actual process of urban mobility development, here it is presented a new methodology, the mutual learning workshop (MLW). This methodology is specially designed to facilitate the joint work of experts advising SUMPs development. A total of 4 MLW were organised and 12 J. Valero-Gil et al. different urban mobility topics were approached. Discussion processes were moderated by experts in urban mobility from nine countries, who were leading the worktables and role playing activities. Using such methodology, the results of the 36 topics discussion and 12 role play activities are presented as important topics detected in the development of SUMPs and best practices found throughout Europe.

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Learning heuristic or political rhetoric? Sustainable mobility and the functions of ‘best practice’

Cited by 29 publications

References 24 publications

Unpacking policy transfer as a situated practice: blending social, spatial, and sensory learning at a conference

Unpacking policy transfer as a situated practice: blending social, spatial, and sensory learning at a conference

Replication vs mentoring: Accelerating the spread of good practices for the low-carbon transition

What are the preferences in the development process of a sustainable urban mobility plan? New methodology for experts involvement

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