Action Learning

Overview

Action learning is active, serves to solve a relevant problem, and focuses on working as a team.  These are all features that support an organizational shift toward adopting HPT principles and practices.

Action learning is beneficial because it can:

• Solve real organizational problems
• Effectively and efficiently develop leadership competencies in participants
• Builds lasting teams within the organization
• Enhances the culture of a learning organization (Marquardt, 2004).

The action learning process is simple and results are immediately applicable.  It involves:

• Formation of a group
• Presentation of a problem
• Reframing of the problem with guidance from a facilitator to:
  • Determine positive long-term benefits to those impacted by the problem
  • Develop and test action strategies
  • Implement action strategies
  • Apply learning to improve future performance (Marquardt, 2004).

This method shares concepts with problem-based, experiential learning, a systematic process for:

• Identifying a problem
• Assigning tasks to be completed
• Gathering data and resources
• Thinking through the problem
• Developing a solution to the problem
• Evaluating the solution
• Reflection on the process (Driscoll, 2000).

Schank (1996), an expert in goal-based learning, proposes that learning by doing is a very effective instructional strategy for participants and organizations. The development of job aids is a fairly simple process, but it is unfamiliar to the organization and participants.  Using a problem that is real to the participants, such as learning to operate A/V equipment, allows learners to experience the benefits of the non-instructional intervention while learning how to develop them. While Marquardt’s action learning approach focuses on solving more complex problems, the job aid session may be a useful introduction to new ways of learning within the organization.  The simplicity of the topic coupled with the simplicity of the learning strategy may allow participants to take away more than just new knowledge about job aids.

Participants benefit from learning a new skill (designing job aids) and developing leadership competencies that can be applied to other problems they might encounter in their work.  Learning in the context of solving a real problem also helps the retention and transfer of knowledge.  The organization benefits because learners involved in these facilitated experiences are able to experience success without the potential for costly errors that might occur without such guidance.  The development of teams and the solution of real problems by these teams also help an organization focus on long-term performance outcomes and cultural change.

Case Studies

Michael Marquardt outlines several successful applications of action learning in a variety of different organizations in his article Harnessing the Power of Action Learning (T&D, June 2004, pp. 26-32). View the executive summary of this article.

Consultants/Experts

Combine the expertise of the following consultants to move the organization toward a more HPT-centered approach to performance.

Michael Marquadt, leader in research and implementation of action learning approach.

• Professor of Human Resource Development and Program Director of Overseas Programs at George Washington University; President of Global Learning Associates and Director of the Global Institute of Action Learning.
• HR consultant for several large corporations and governments internationally
• Author of many books and professional articles in the fields of leadership, learning, globalization and organizational change

(Source: http://www.mgmtconcepts.com/gial/michaelmarquardtbio.asp)

Chris Argyris, expert in action science approach to organizational development, “a strategy for increasing the skills and confidence of individuals in groups to create any kind of organization (thus fostering long-term individual/group effectiveness). This strategy applies to any type of organizational or interpersonal context where individuals are engaged in doing challenging, difficult things together”

• A director of the Monitor Group and Professor of Education and Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School.
• “During the past decade, Argyris has been developing, a theory of individual and organizational learning in which human reasoning (not just behavior) becomes the basis for diagnosis and action.”

(Source: http://www.actionscience.com/actinq.htm)

Roger Schank’s expertise is in computer-based learning solutions may help the organization move from classroom-based learning to more innovative goal-based learning solutions.

• Professor Emeritus in computer science, education and psychology at Northwestern University, where he founded the Institute for the Learning Sciences.
• One of the world's leading researchers in artificial intelligence and applying cognitive learning theory to education.
• President and CEO of Socratic Arts, a company whose goal is to design and implement low-cost story-based learning by doing curricula in schools, universities, and corporations.
• Approach to learning, and training in a corporate setting, involves helping people learn by doing, allowing people to make mistakes in a safe learning environment and sharing war stories with leading teachers and experts. This effort has led to his highly successful role as a teacher, consultant, and lecturer, as well as developer of extremely powerful and effective multimedia training tools

(Source: http://www.engines4ed.org/hyperbook/misc/rcs.html)

References

Driscoll, M. P. (2000).  Psychology of learning for instruction.  Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Marquardt, M.  (2004).  Harnessing the power of action learning.  T & D, 58(6), 26-32.

Schank, Roger C. (1996) Goal-Based Scenarios:  Case-Based Reasoning Meets Learning by Doing.  In: David Leake (ed)  Case-Based Reasoning: Experiences, Lessons & Future Directions.  AAAI Press/The MIT Press.   295-347.  Retreived October 29, 2004 from http://cogprints.ecs.soton.ac.uk/archive/00000635/00/CBRMeetsLBD_for_Leake.html