The role of Action Learning as a mechanism for student support and development in the postexperience

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The role of Action Learning as a mechanism for
student support and development in the
post-experience professional domain Peter
Stock, Sian Eggert Penny SimpsonBrighton
Business School
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What is Action Learning (AL)?

• Founding figure is Reg Revans
• Learning in a group of about 6 people
• Based on real / work based issues
• To bring about change (personal and
  organisational)
• Taking action cycles of action and reflection
• Learning based on solving real problems.
• Facilitated / Self-managed Action Learning
• PACOR cycle (Bourner, 2005) repeated many times

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Revans and Bourners views..

• There can be no learning without action, and no
  (sober and deliberate) action without learning
  (Revans, 1998, p83)
• Action learning is learning from taking action
  to bring about change in the world
  (Bourner, 2005)

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Some words associated with AL.
change
challenge
encouragement
engagement
safe
action
learning
commitment
support
questioning
development
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The PACOR cycle (Bourner, 2005)
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PACOR cycle

• Plan
• Act
• Consequences
• Observe
• Reflect

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The Principle of Insufficient Mandate

• Those unable to change themselves cannot change
  what goes on around them (Revans, 1998, p85)

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How are we using it in the post-experience
professional domain?

• Chartered Management Institute (CMI) programme
• Focus here on Level 4 vocational award Diploma
  in Management
• Learners
• Almost all practising managers
• Usually in employment
• Public and private organisations
• No staff to 850 staff
• No budget to millions
• Gender mix
• Age band approx mid 20s to 60 years old

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Why research?

• Quality assurance
• Enhance programmes
• Share knowledge

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Methodology

• Questionnaire to all students in attendance at
  last session of programme i.e. (47 out
  of 58 81)
• 2 separate year cohorts
• Results analysed
• Excel for closed questions
• Content analysis for open questions (2 people to
  code)

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Key results

• Had you experienced AL before? Yes 13 No 87
• Do you consider your action learning set (ALS) to
  be successful?
• Yes 96 No 4
• Do you think you will be using AL in the future
• Yes 70 No 6 Maybe 24

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Key advantages of self-managed AL

• Support and motivation 45
• Flexibility 30
• Development 26
• Generation and sharing of ideas 21
• Problem solving 17

13
Key disadvantages of self-managed AL

• Focus 36
• Support, motivation, commitment 32
• Time 21

14
How operated

• Agreed ground rules 100
• Individual progress by questioning 94
• Scheduled meeting times 89
• Adhered to ground rules 89
• Individual issues brought 85
• Assigned action points 81
• Assigned roles 64

15
Support

• Were all members of your group able to be open
  and honest in meetings?
• Yes 87

16
Development

• Have you developed your
• facilitation skills? Yes 85
• questioning skills? Yes 83
• Has personal change and development been brought
  about for you and/or other members of your action
  learning set?
• Yes 83

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Key forms of communication

• E-mail to whole group 98
• E-mail to individuals 94
• Telephone 66
• StudentCentral - for information 53
• StudentCentral - discussion boards 40
• E-mail group discussions 34

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Why do you consider your action learning set to
be successful/unsuccessful? (1)

• Successful
• our group overall was successful because all
  members gained something from the process and
  used the action learning set to get them through
  the course

CMI Level 4 2003-2004
19
Why do you consider your action learning set to
be successful/unsuccessful? (2)

• Unsuccessful
• Too many strong personalities
• Some members were reluctant to stick to rules

CMI Level 4 2003-2004
CMI Level 4 2003-2004
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What is a successful action learning set?

• individuals with a common goal of learning and
  self-development. Ability to be open regarding
  course/work issues that can be shared and learned
  from
• we made sure we always had a laugh but were
  committed always

CMI Level 4 2003-2004
CMI Level 4 2003-2004
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What is a successful action learning set?

• a group of individuals bonding and building team
  spirit with a view to learning and developing
  both as a group and individuals

CMI Level 4 2004-2005
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ImplicationsAL for programmes

• Clear guidance about Action Learning
• Skills input
• Facilitation
• Questioning (L P Q)
• Importance of keeping students focused

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Further research

• Continue longitudinal study
• Effectiveness of AL with
• Belbin team roles (1981, 1993)
• Learning style (Honey Mumford 1986)
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (Myers
  Briggs, revised 1998)

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Summary

• people within ALS go away with a better
  understanding of how to deal with work
  issues/assignment issues/any issue

CMI Level 4 2004-2005