Action Learning a tool for Everyone
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"When you are deeply engaged in your own learning, the work is a joy, and the cost a trifle."Action Learning a tool for Everyone
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Action learning has many parents. It's a ubiquitous idea based on the natural way all adults love to learn.
If a little discipline and training is incorporated in your own learning process, you will make much more progress with much less cost and effort.
What is true for an individual is even more true if people are trying to work in teams. It's critical that team members are on the same task, and that they understand where in the learning process they are.
W. Edwards Deming, promoted the Shewhart Cycle, better known today as the Deming Wheel. This is a simple four step process which ensures that progress is made in a deliberate fashion and not in a series of random hops.
Prof. Reg Revans, from the UK, was the first academic to prove the value of action learning and to write a book about it. The key to the method is understanding that you don't know. Revans says, "People had to be aware of their lack of relevant knowledge and be prepared to explore the area of their ignorance with suitable questions and help from other people in similar positions." There is a research process. It involves asking yourself questions. Other people with similar knowledge and responsibilities to yourself often have surprisingly useful responses to your questions once you understand what it is you need to know.
Today several universities around the world claim to use action learning methods.
While at a high level, all sorts of interesting ideas and techniques might be developed, action learning remains a simple concept that everyone can use with minimal training. If the idea interests you do a Google search and read what Wikipedia says.
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