Action Learning and Action Research

Genres and Approaches

Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt, Lesley Wood, Ortrun Zuber-Skeritt, Lesley Wood

• Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781787695399
• Topic: Éducation
• Subtopic: Théorie et pratique de l'éducation

Action Research (AR) is an ideal methodology to enable practical and emancipatory outcomes, as well as to generate relevant and authentic theory. Consequently, it has gained popularity worldwide. However, this emerging paradigm of AR in the Social Sciences has been widely misunderstood and misused by researchers, educators and practitioners. The integration of Action Learning with Action Research deepens understanding and contributes to new knowledge about the theory, practice and processes of Action Learning (AL) and Action Research (AR). It clarifies what constitutes AL/AR in its many forms and what it is not. AL and AR enable participants to effectively approach increasingly complex global challenges confronting humankind in this twenty-first century, collectively achieve practical, emancipatory and sustainable outcomes and generate relevant, authentic theory. This book, written by internationally renowned experts, is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the main genres and approaches of AL/AR. They explain the genre of their expertise, reflect on their rich experiences with it, and consider both the common features shared across the AL/AR paradigm and what is distinctive about the particular genre they overview. This book discusses the what, why and how of their particular approach and will prove invaluable for researchers and practitioners alike.

Part I

Action Learning

Part I of this book consists of four chapters on Action Learning (AL), that is, learning by doing, reflecting on what went well and what did not – and why, and learning from and with each other in small groups or ‘action learning sets’ on issues/projects of mutual concern and for the benefit of the common good. We argue that AL is a useful introduction to Action Research (AR) for understanding, experiencing and reflecting on the values, philosophy, methodology and processes of both AL and AR.

In brief, Chapter 2 provides an overview of action learning. Chapter 3 focuses on lifelong action learning (LAL) that is deliberate and sustainable, with examples of self-directed learners in poor, marginalized contexts and in developing countries, who have no access to formal education. Chapter 4 argues and illustrates that action learning and mindfulness are particularly well suited for addressing mental health issues in the workplace, a new and significant global issue. Chapter 5 discusses the integration of action learning with action research (ALAR), in concept, praxis, history and applications.

Chapter 2

Action Learning: Past, Present and Future

Robin R. Hurst and Michael Marquardt

Chapter Outline

The story of Action Learning today begins in the coalmines of Wales in the 1940s when Reg Revans began exploring new ways of solving problems by involving the miners themselves rather than bringing in outside experts. Over the next 40 years, Revans practised and wrote about action learning, bringing it to Europe, Asia and Australia. Jack Welch brought action learning to General Electric and the United States in the 1980s. Action learning, however, was little known and practised until several action learning books were published and conferences convened in the 1990s. Through the efforts of organizations such as the International Federation of Action Learning and the World Institute for Action Learning, action learning quickly became the leadership development and problem-solving methodology of thousands of corporations and government agencies around the world. Research on action learning continues to identify ever more powerful ways for action learning to be used in virtual, national and global settings. The chapter not only explores the history of action learning, and action learning in its present state, but also provides predictions of action learning in the future. This chapter is significant because it identifies the main strengths and challenges of action learning to date, and provides a vision of its future potential value and impact worldwide.

Introduction

Action Learning today had its beginnings in the coalmines of Wales during the 1940s when Reg Revans, considered the “father of Action Learning” and its principal pioneer, had the novel idea to involve the miners themselves in examining and exploring both the problems faced in the mine and potential solutions to the dilemmas, rather than involving outside experts. This focus on involving the workers in problem solving by ‘brainstorming problems’ and taking action, and reflecting on the results of their actions, became the basis upon which action learning has evolved. Revans took his new philosophy to organizations in other countries such as Belgium, where he worked for several years to help improve the country’s economic development (Boshyk, Barker, & Dilworth, 2010). He also used action learning to assist the University of Manchester in a project with the Hospital International Communications (HIC) project, which involved hospitals in London (Boshyk et al., 2010; Eason, 2017). The success of these projects, which used employees involved in the problems to aid in the solutions, paved the way for action learning as a discipline, and for its use as a powerful problem solving and management development tool.

Although Revans developed and applied many of the principles of action learning when he began working in the coalmines of Wales and in the hospitals of London in the 1940s, he did not actually use the term ‘action learning’ publicly or in his writings until 1972, when he was aged 65 (Boshyk, 2011, 2012). He was initially reluctant to define the concept of action learning, because he felt a definition might constrain the evolution and development of the action learning process. Revans (1982a) did, however, finally define action learning:

Action learning is a means of development, intellectual, emotional, or physical, that requires its subject, through responsible involvement in some real, complex and stressful problem, to achieve intended change sufficient to improve observable behavior henceforth in the problem field. In action learning, people learn with and from each other by mutual support, advice and criticism during their attacks upon real problems, intendedly to be solved in whole or in part. (pp. 626–627)

Other descriptions of action learning have emerged as scholars and practitioners on both sides of the Atlantic embraced the concept and began studying and applying the model in the workplace. Dilworth and Willis (2003) described action learning as “a process of reflecting on one’s work, and beliefs in a supportive/confrontational environment of one’s peers for the purpose of gaining new insights and resolving real business and community problems in real time” (p. 11). Yorks, O’Neil and Marsick (1999) define action learning as:

An approach to working with and developing people, that uses work on an actual project or problem as the way to learn. Participants work in small groups to take action to solve their problem and learn how to learn from action. (p. 3)

Marquardt (1999) describes action learning as:

Both a process and powerful program that involves a small group of people solving real problems while at the same time focusing on what they are learning and how their learning can benefit each group member and the organization as a whole. (p. 4)

Marquardt, Banks, Cauwelier, and Ng (2018) state:

Action learning is a powerful problem-solving tool that has the amazing capacity to simultaneously build successful leaders, teams, and organizations. It is a process that involves a small group working on real problems, taking action, and learning as individuals, as a team, and as an organization while doing so. (p. 4)

The theme running through each of these definitions of action learning is that real-world problems become a focal point for learning and for taking action. These definitions also focus on reflection as a means of learning (Dilworth & Willis, 2003). Reflection is a way of making meaning out of what has occurred or is occurring (Schön, 1987). Collaboration with others to understand meaning is also crucial to action learning. Dilworth and Willis (2003) contend it is the dialogue between group/set members that actually aids in providing the meaning to the problem, as well as the pathway to finding the solutions. Marquardt (2014) argues that fresh questions provide the basis for understanding the problem, as well as for potential solutions.

Action learning groups may be formed around a single problem or several problems. In the single-problem group, one topic is identified and all group members focus their energies on solving that problem. These single-problem sets are sometimes referred to as ‘in-company action learning’, although in some instances the problem is brought by a partner, customer, or other stakeholder organization. In multiple-problem sets, each group member brings a problem to the group for fellow members to help solve. Some organizations use the multiple-problem format (also referred to as the open-group approach, peer coaching, or learning circles) to help managers resolve leadership issues they are facing in their roles. This approach is also commonly used to bring together individuals from different environments to help one another.

Action Learning: The Past

Reg Revans, who is recognized as the founding father of action learning, often repeated the story that he first became aware of some of the key elements of action learning when his father told him about his investigations into the sinking of the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic. In his interviews with the engineers who built the Titanic, Revans’ father discovered that the engineers never expressed their doubts before the sinking because they feared asking a ‘dumb question’. Later on, Revans would advocate the importance of creating an action learning environment in which fresh, fearless questions could be asked when seeking to solve a problem. His later experiences in the Cavendish Laboratories at Cambridge University enabled Revans to understand the power of ideas from people with different perspectives, rather than expertise alone, in solving problems. His work in the coalmines of Wales supported his belief that rather than relying on outside expertise, people who had a stake in the problems were better able to solve them. Each of these experiences enabled Revans to develop the basic principles and elements of action learning.

Revans (1983) claimed, “the organization that continues to express only the ideas of the past is not learning, and training systems intended to develop our young may do little more than to make them proficient in yesterday’s technique” (p. 1). Revans presented the learning equation: L = P + Q to represent action learning in its simplest form, meaning that Learning is equal to the programmed knowledge of set/group members, added to the questioning and insight of set/group members, along with others involved in the problem-solving process (Revans, 1983).

Revans (1983) developed a number of assumptions about action learning as part of this process, including:

• Learning is cradled in the task. Action learning, itself, is part of the task.
• Formal instruction is not sufficient to solve all problems. This does not imply that formal instruction should be cast aside, but only that formal learning alone may not be sufficient to solve the problems at hand. This is where the continued questioning of assumptions is important in problem solving.
• Problems require insightful and ‘fresh’ questions in order to solve the problem. Once again,...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Introduction
• Part I: Action Learning
• Part II: Action Research (AR)
• Conclusion
• Author Index
• Subject Index