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Contents

Preface (Tamás Kozma)

PART I. BACKGROUNDS
Learning communities and social innovations (Tamás Kozma)
Investigating learning communities - methodological background (Edina Márkus, Károly Teperics & Sándor Márton)

PART II. CASES
Formal education and community learning - the case of Drávafok (Tamás Ragadics & Éva Annamária Horváth)
Common values - and cultural learning - the case of Tésenfa (Julianna Boros, Eszter Gergye & Tímea Lakatos)
Cultural and community learning in Földeák (Anita Hegedűs)
The role of sports in community building and developing learning - the case of Hajdúnánás (Barbara Máté-Szabó & Edina Márkus)
Community learning and social innovation - the case of Hajdúhadház (Dávid Rábai)
Community centre: an opportunity for breaking out (Sátoraljaújhely) (Dorina Anna Tóth

PART III. CONCLUSIONS
Conclusions (Tamás Kozma)

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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Preface

The present volume introduces the first findings of the LearnInnov Project (Community Learning and Social Innovation). The chapters show the theoretical frame of the research project, its first results, its methods, and its future perspectives.

The LearnInnov Project has grown from its antecedents, the LeaRn Project (Learning Regions in Hungary, 2012-2016). The result of the LeaRn Project was a cartographical map of the learning regions, cities and communities in Hungary. Those learning regions, cities, and communities have been studied by statistical indicators of four 'pillars' (dimensions). These were: formal, non-formal, cultural and community learning activities of the local society in the socio-territorial units (towns, settlements, habitats). The 'pillars' were characterised by statistical indicators and the statistical indicators were quantified by census data. This data was collected from all the country's socio-territorial units (settlements, habitats) and analyzed together. The main finding was that statistical data of three "pillars" largely reinforced each other - but community learning data differed considerably from others The data of cultural learning compensate for the shortcomings of formal learning to a certain extent, although formal learning cannot, of course, be compensated. We found three learning regions in Hungary, which have already developed and a fourth one which is emerging. Our urban areas develop into learning cities. Many settlements are trying to evolve into a learning community, but they are still isolated from each other.

These were the most important results of the LeaRn Project. However, we could not analyse the transformation processes at territorial and community level. How will a territorial unit transform into a learning community? What do their inhabitants need for it? How can it be supported? These issues are addressed in the LearnInnov Project.

The LearnInnov Project aims at discovering, describing, presenting and analyzing social innovations by which territorial units might become learning communities. 'Social innovation' means grassroots initiatives that change the community and prove to be sustainable. Social innovation starts when the community is challenged from outside. Meeting the challenge community hunts for new information, knowledge, and competencies. This effort strengthens the community and becomes part of the community's identity. It is why social innovation is closely related to social learning. Without learning, there is no innovation, and without social learning there is no social innovation. Successful social innovations create and develop the so-called learning communities.

This volume presents cases of this development. We studied cases whose statistical indices differed from what might have been expected. We went to find out why one or another statistics deviate from the rest. What we found were social innovations that have pushed the community in a new direction.

The case studies have drawn attention to some of the transformations we did not expect. Organising sports events, local music concerts, and festivals, collecting local history memories are usually the 'social innovations' that local communities and their leaders use as means and tools for developing their territorial units as 'learning communities'. These are not economic innovations, which would be unavoidable for territorial growth. But in some cases they prepare economic innovations. Not every local innovation will turn into economic innovation. Economic innovations, however, cannot start without innovative local communities.

The first chapter of the book tries to explain the relationship between social innovation and community learning. In the next chapter, we have collected some typical case studies. The closing chapter presents the method by which the cases were searched, described and analyzed.

This volume presents the first findings of the LearnInnov Project. Further results are constantly being communicated in conferences and other public forums. We try to understand the relationships among social innovation, community learning and social transformation. By doing so, the LearnInnov Project contributes to the wider understanding of social transition, since innovations in local communities form the chain through which the whole society is gradually transformed.

Tamás Kozma

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