12. Action Learning: Let’s do it!
Now that the organisation has an understanding of the key elements of fatherinclusive practice and a plan to enhance service delivery, it’s time to implement the plan and make adjustments as and where necessary.
Action Learning is the approach that links the world of action with the world of learning through a reflective process within small cooperative learning groups’ (McGill & Beatty 1995). Action Learning can occur when a group of people with varied levels of skills and experience meet regularly to work on individual members’ real-life issues with the aim of learning with, and from each other. It is a form of learning by doing.
Action Learning was developed by Professor Reg Revans in the coal industry in England and Wales in the 1940s. It has become widely used as a strategy to promote learning and facilitate organisational change. Action Learning can be applied in situations to:
- address issues that are complex and not easily resolved
- find solutions for underlying causes of problems
- maximise new opportunities
- generate creative ideas.
The key steps in the Action Learning process include:
- clarify the objective
- form a group
- analyse the issues
- reframe the problem
- determine goals
- develop action strategies
- take action
- repeat the cycle
- capture learning.
More about Action Learning can be found at:
www.12manage.com/methods_revans_action_learning.html
Skills Toolbox 2 will help you begin considering some of the Action Learning process.
Skills Toolbox 2
- How do you evaluate centres/services and reflect on your own practice from a father-inclusive perspective?
- Seek feedback from colleagues and clients (including fathers), regarding the appropriateness of services and your own practice.
- Identify aspects of the service/centre and your own practice where fatherinclusive practice could be strengthened.
- Incorporate father-inclusive practice into the design, development and delivery of future services and your own practice.