Action Learning: A 21st Century Approach to Member and Staff Development

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Action Learning A 21st Century Approach to
Member and Staff Development

• Robin OBrien and Phil Basso
• July 10, 2006

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Session Overview

• Introduction and Opening Discussion
• Theory
• Practice
• Applications for APHSA member services
• Applications in your agencies
• Closing Discussion
• Wrap-Up

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IntroductionA Core Competency for All
Professionals

• Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at
  twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays
  young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your
  mind young.
• - Henry Ford
• "Learning is what most adults will do for a
  living in the 21st century"
• - S.J. Perelman

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IntroductionYour Development Needs / Challenges

• What knowledge / skills / abilities (KSAs) are
  most critical to your agencys success over the
  next 3-5 years?
• What are the biggest challenges you face in
  helping your staff and leaders to learn and grow
  their impact on the agency?

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IntroductionAction Learning Is

• A continuous process of learning and
  reflection with the intention of getting
  something done.
• - Dr. Diane Ehrlich, Northeastern Illinois
  University
• A way of marrying individual development with
  the need to solve a problem for an organization.
• - Center for Executive Development
• Learning by doing.
• - Robin Phil

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IntroductionAction Learning Principles

• Adults learn best by
• Working on real-world problems
• Taking action, reflecting, taking action,
  reflecting
• Peer groups and facilitators can help learners
• See problems in new ways
• Discover root causes
• To take hold, learning needs to be reinforced
  over time

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IntroductionHow It Works

• Learners meet periodically
• In a facilitated peer group
• To troubleshoot real life challenges
• Over 4 9 months
• Peers and facilitators help learners examine
  their challenges in new ways
• New models
• Experience with similar situations

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IntroductionHow It Works (Continued)

• Learners apply new techniques, KSAs, etc.
  on-the-job and debrief their experiences with the
  group
• Success is measured by proficiency in action vs.
  tests, smile sheets

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Check In

• Can this approach help address any of your
• Development challenges?
• Development needs?

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TheoryHow Adults Learn
Reginald Revans Cited on Oxford Universitys
Centre for Staff and Learning Development website
L P Q (Learning Programmed Knowledge
Questioning)
Learning Equation
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TheoryLearning Action
Actions
Chris Argyris, cited in Peter Senges The Fifth
Discipline The Art and Practice of the Learning
Organization
Beliefs
Conclusions
Assumptions
Ladder of Inference
Assigned Meaning
Selected Data and Experience
Real Data and Experience
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TheoryHow Adults Learn
David Kolb and Roger Fry Reproduced from the
encyclopaedia of informal education
(www.infed.org)
Concrete Experience (1)
Experiential Learning
Observation and Reflection (2)
Testing in New Situations (4)
Forming Abstract Concepts (3)
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TheoryKicking It Up A Notch
Chris Argyris and Donald Schon Reproduced from
the encyclopaedia of informal education
(www.infed.org)
Double Loop Learning
Consequences
Governing Variable
Action Strategy
Single-loop learning
Double-loop learning
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PracticeExample OE Institute

• Participants complete
• In-depth assessment
• Comprehensive change plan
• Guided by APHSA faculty through
• Three in-person seminars with faculty-to-participa
  nt ratios of less than 51
• 11 telephone consulting sessions
• Two national conference calls with peers and
  faculty
• In-person consulting (as needed)

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Practice OE Institute Seminar Approach

• Fictional agency case study
• General models and concepts
• General work techniques
• Theory and practice discussion
• The Work
• The Big Picture
• Real World example
• Assessment Questions
• Exercise Discuss applicability to agencies
• Prepare to complete rapid change and assessment
  work

G e n e r a l
S p e c i f i c
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Practice OE Institute Participant Work

• Review standards of effectiveness and make them
  your own
• Gather and analyze data for each standard
• Current state
• Desired future state
• Organize and store data for reference
• Identify key findings
• Strengths
• Needs

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Practice OE Institute Participant Work (Continued)

• Prioritize key findings and identify root causes
• Develop detailed change and action plans to
  address root causes
• Implement plans and monitor progress

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PracticeApplication to Other Member Services

• Supervisory and Management Development
• Virtual Consultant
• Inside Out Consulting Approach
• 2007 OE Institute Data and Analysis

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PracticeWays You Might Apply Action Learning

• Leadership Development
• Supervisory Development
• Follow-up on Survey Data
• Organizational Climate
• Customer Satisfaction
• Key Process Improvement
• Evaluation / Continuous Improvement of Training
  and Development
• Your Additional Ideas

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PracticeDiscussion

• Do you already apply action learning techniques
  in any of your development strategies?
• If yes, what has been your experience so far?
• If no, how could you see this approach applying
  to your agencies?
• Do you see any additional organizational benefits
  of applying action learning in your agency?

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Wrap Up and Adjourn

• Material Covered vs. Your Expectations
• Overall Feedback to APHSA
• Our Next Steps
• Thank You!