Systematisation of experiences within the framework of the pedagogical approach towards territorial development: a contribution to action research from the Latin American tradition

Abstract

This article attempts to link different approaches to action research by sharing a concept that holds an important place in the processes related to participatory action research in Latin America. Such a concept is systematisation. In Latin America, the framework of the systematisation of experiences indicates that it is a particular research method generated from popular education and social work, and that it shares its commitments regarding social transformation. Systematisation arises as a proposal that is based on and learns from accumulated experiences, along with new forms of participatory research and evaluation. Thus, one of the ever-present challenges is to define knowledge production methodologies appropriate to the way of thinking and acting of those who depart from practice, from action (Centro de Estudios para la Educación Popular CEPEP, 2010). Within this framework, the concept of systematisation and its challenges in the specific context of territorial development in Argentina are addressed in order to integrate new learning into action research debates, not only in Latin America, but also outside its boundaries. To this purpose, we rely on the lessons learned by a team from the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN) from Argentina based in Rafaela (Santa Fe, Argentina) working for the Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales Praxis. This team has been interacting with action research teams from the Basque Country (Spain) and the University of Agder (Norway), a space where the systematisation of experiences has emerged as a relevant and unknown methodological element in the aforementioned European contexts.