Action-learning Cycle

Action-learning Cycle

Action-Learning is the process of consciously learning from one’s own experience and that of others – in order to improve future practice (both personal and professional).

The ideal Action-Learning is an upward spiral of learning, which leads to greater and greater effectiveness. Taylor et al, wrote in "Action-learning for development", that the full power of leaning can only be realized when one cycle of learning builds on the previous one to improve the effectiveness of the future action.

Action-Learning Cycle model, similar to the experiential learning cycle (from David Kolb), has the actual experience or action as the core element of it. Without undertaking any action, it is impossible to reflect and to consider which improved action should be planned and undertaken in the future. On the other hand, learning here refers to our learning from that experiences or actions, and not refer to knowledge we get from books, teachers, lecturers or experts. So, the model might be useless when a person is not valuing or considering his/her experience as useful source for learning.

Currently, in the Cambodia's development sector, people started to value experiences as good sources for learning (this is a challenge for Cambodians as they have a pattern to learn from teachers). A lot of workshops and forums were held to provide opportunity to development practitioners to share experience in order to learn from each other. However, my observation was that not many NGOs and individuals are familiar with the action-learning model, and have integrated it into the culture of their organization to become part of a "learning organization".

Action-learning cycle has four elements or steps: action, reflection, learning and planning. This model needs some adaptation, especially the questions in each steps in order to be relevant and useful to the Cambodian context. First, learners must have implemented "actions", and after a period of time, they step back from "doing the actions" to conduct reflection by reviewing those actions, analyze (reflect) them, draw the learning, and plan concrete future action based upon. After the past learning has been put into future plan, it is time to act.

Action

What actually happened?

What are feelings of people involved in the experience?

Planning

Based on the lessons learned drawn, indicate what to do differently in the future when meeting similar situations or circumstances.

Reflection

For each action, think of what worked well and analyze the underlying supportive factors, then think of what did not work well and find out the underlying hindering factors.

Learning

Draw lessons learned from the analytical reflection. Lessons learned can be positive or negative learning. They can be the conclusion from reflection, new insights, new things discovered etc.

Note:

During the course of my professional experience, Cambodian learners can do step 1 and 4 (review of actions and planning) well, but they always struggle in doing step 2 and 3 (reflection and drawing the lessons learned).

It is helpful to have someone, who is familiar with the tool, to facilitate the reflection process. It frees the people involved in the experience to work and think in a more focused way.

In order to increase effectiveness of practice, it is recommended that individual/organization should use this tool to conduct reflection on a regular basis (every 2-3 months at least).

Sources:

Vision Quest Africa: strategic life management, course materials, 2003.

Taylor et al: Action-learning for development: Use your experience to improve your effectiveness, CDRA, 1999.