Reflections on a failed action learning intervention

ABSTRACTThis account of practice details how an action learning methodology was successfully implemented within a corporate business environment in order to aid its emergence from bankruptcy. The need to quickly develop and adopt new knowledge and business practices was critically important to the survival of the business. The business had been underperforming for several years and was in the process of emerging from bankruptcy. An action learning methodology was implemented to enable an accelerated process of organizational learning and business process transformation. Ultimately, action learning proved to be critically important for the adoption of the new approach to the business. The action learning process was responsible for tailoring the new approach to fit within the already established operating framework of the business. The new knowledge and processes that resulted from action learning were also central to an improvement in the performance of the business and a successful emergence from bankruptcy.

The Problem Action learning (AL) continues to be an important learning and development approach within organizations. Many successful AL programs use AL coaches to help facilitate the program and the learning that can occur within such programs. How might AL coaching be similar to, or different from, other types of coaching, and how might AL coaching be most effectively practiced? The Solution A review of the conceptual, theoretical, and empirical research on AL coaching will address these questions and will enable a comparison of AL coaching and other types of coaching. We draw upon the research to demonstrate effective practice and the learning that can result from AL interventions. The Stakeholders AL is used globally for learning, development, and change, and therefore, many organizational leaders are interested in the effective practice of AL and AL coaching. These leaders, human resource development (HRD) professionals, executives, internal and external coaches will benefit from this article.

The transformative potential of integrating African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS) into contemporary research practices. It highlights the limitations of traditional text-based methods and argues for the value of Action Research and Learning (AR/AL) methodologies as a framework for fostering collaboration between researchers and African communities. The paper examines how AR/AL and technology can bridge the gap between embodied knowledge and digital representation, fostering knowledge co-creation and empowering African communities. Ethical considerations are highlighted, ensuring cultural sensitivity and respect for intellectual property rights. The paper concludes by discussing the broader impact of AR/AL on African communities, including fostering knowledge sharing, building research skills, and advocating for policy change. This approach empowers African communities to become stewards of their sustainable development.

This paper assesses the impact of an innovative large‐scale action learning intervention on organizational development. It attempts to evaluate the degree of transformational change and resilience through capacity building which resulted following the intervention. It is important to note that the original specification for the intervention work did not delineate nor expect transformational change at an organizational level, but rather development and improved management capacity at an individual level. Our reflection on the research findings carried out as evaluative indicators, indicated that work undertaken as part of the intervention developed managers who thought and acted differently but also developed the organization's capacity to meet future external challenges. The paper addresses the question of how the results of the action learning intervention might generate significant organizational change. It concludes by considering the relationship of management development to organizational development and corporate transformation. Suggestions are offered about what is needed if organizational transformation is a stated aim for interventions specifically using action learning. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Action learning is becoming increasingly popular as an effective and powerful approach to learning and development. Originally mostly practised in the fields of organisational development and management education, it is now being applied in various contexts where the development of transversal skills such as critical and creative thinking, collaboration and problem-solving is vital. This paper explores how established action learning scholar-practitioners have developed their expertise over time. They examine their personal and professional journeys, reflecting on how they were attracted to the action learning community and how they developed their practice. Through their narratives, the paper aims to enhance action learning by providing valuable insights into its evolution as both theory and practice. Based on a symposium presented at the 9th Action Learning Conference, held in Manchester in April 2025, the four participants engaged in reflective discussions on their careers and contributions to the action learning community. Four themes are identified from these discussions. By sharing their reflections, the authors contribute to the ongoing dialogue in action learning theory and practice. Their insights serve as a resource for emerging scholars, practitioners and organisations seeking to deepen their understanding of action learning and apply it effectively in their respective contexts.

Integration of sustainable development goals in the field of process engineering through active learning methodologies

Taking responsibility for our stories: in reflective practice, action learning, and socratic dialogue

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce a conceptual framework for work-applied learning (WAL) that fosters the development of managers and other professionals as lifelong learners and practitioner researchers – through reflective practice, action research, action learning and action leadership, for positive organisational change.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical framework is designed from a holistic, affective-socio-cognitive approach to learning, teaching, research and development. It is based on a phenomenological research paradigm and informed by aspects of various theories, including experiential learning theory, strengths-based theory, grounded theory and critical theory/realism.FindingsBased on classical and recent literature and the authors’ extensive experience, the WAL model presented here is an effective and practical approach to management education, research and development. It is useful for present and future requirements of business, industry, government and society at large in this twenty-first century, and in pursuit of a world of equality, social justice, sustainable development and quality of life for all. This is because of the nature of the research paradigm, particularly its collaborative and emancipatory processes.Originality/valueThis paper provides a theoretical, pedagogical and methodological rationalisation for WAL. This model is particularly useful for developing individual, team and organisational learning and for cultivating managers – or professional learners generally – as practitioner researchers. These researchers may act as role models of collaborative action leadership in their organisations with a cascading effect. This paper therefore advances an incipient literature on practitioner researchers as action leaders.

Active learning is a popular approach to teaching and learning that has gained traction through research on STEM educational improvement. There have been numerous university- and national/international-level efforts focused on transitioning courses from the lecture method to active learning. However, despite these large-scale changes, the active learning literature has not been assessed on its methodological rigor to ensure instructional recommendations are rooted in rigorous research studies. The purpose of the present review was to determine areas of strengths and areas in need of improvement and to provide specific recommendations on how to continue or improve active learning research to strengthen the respective literature base and increase confidence in results. We assessed the articles included in the Freeman et al. (PNAS, 111:8410–8415, 2014) meta-analysis as well as a random sample of more recent active learning articles (2015–2022) on 12 internal validity controls (i.e., control procedure used to prevent a threat to the internal validity of a study). Results indicated that there were high percentages of articles that did not meet each internal validity control. In fact, no articles from the Freeman et al. meta-analysis and no sampled 2015–2022 articles met each of the 12 internal validity controls. Therefore, the active learning literature contains numerous internal validity control issues that need to be addressed if we are to determine the extent to which active learning interventions are effective and if there are any boundary conditions for when particular active learning interventions are or are not effective.

As Action Learning has evolved, it has been adapted to promote learning in various contexts. In this account of practice, we share our perspectives as facilitators of the application of action learning principles within Reflective Practice Forums for Mentoring and Coaching Programme Managers. The ethos of action learning was adopted with the forums to enable the programme managers to engage in regular reflections of their current practices and ongoing professional development. In our assessment of the application of action learning principles and processes within the Reflective Practice Forums, we consider the connections between action learning, communities of practice and supervision frameworks to examine and present the ‘ethos’ of Action Learning within the forums.

This paper uses action learning as a basis for producing research data that help explore the relationship between learning and listening in public organizations. The regional government of Gipuzkoa in northern Spain is engaged in a sustained effort to change the way it interacts with and interprets the future needs of society. Based on grounded theory and on a review of key concepts about critical action learning, a reflexive analysis of the implementation of the methodology of action learning with policy makers was conducted. The paper explores the learning journey participants undertake when implementing a governmental programme of citizen engagement, and shows that a space for criticality resulted in participants learning to listen to each other, and consequently to society, in ways which had previously been beyond reach. The paper concludes by discussing the learning implications for listening to society.

PurposeThe aim of this study is to obtain a broader knowledge of innovative pedagogical practices in higher education, by analysing the particular case of the Higher Institute of Administration and Languages (ISAL). The literature review reveals a gap in this scientific field, and filling this gap is as imperative as the need to articulate higher education with the Students' Profile by the End of Compulsory Schooling.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopts a qualitative methodological approach, in order to analyse the students and teachers' perceptions of the active learning methodologies implemented at ISAL. Data were collected from a closed-ended questionnaire, aimed at a population composed of students and teachers.FindingsThe literature review reveals a gap in this scientific field, particularly in Portugal. Filling this gap is as imperative as the need to articulate higher education with the Students' Profile by the End of Compulsory Schooling.Practical implicationsWith the adoption of this methodological approach, this research intends to verify not only whether the innovative pedagogical practices addressed in the literature review are implemented in this institution, but also to identify obstacles to their implementation. With regard to the results, several pedagogical innovation practices are already implemented, even though some limitations to their implementation are identified.Originality/valueThis research allows identifying indicators that are essential to outline an intervention plan in the pedagogical practices implemented at ISAL or other higher education institutions and contributes to assessing the current state of pedagogical practices in higher education.

This research paper explores the effectiveness of live coding as an active learning methodology in teaching programming, particularly in the context of diverse learning styles. Live coding, characterized by real-time coding demonstrations by instructors, has been increasingly adopted to enhance the learning experience in programming education. It offers immediate feedback, demonstrates problem-solving in action, and allows instructors to incorporate student suggestions, making it a dynamic and engaging teaching tool. However, its effectiveness varies among students with different learning preferences. This study investigates the impact of various learning style dimensions, as defined by the Felder–Silverman model, on the effectiveness of live coding in an introductory object-oriented programming course. The study was conducted at Aalborg University, Denmark, with students from the BSc Software program. It aims to provide empirical evidence on how different learning style dimensions influence student preferences and the effectiveness of live coding, offering insights to educators for tailoring active learning methodologies in programming courses to diverse learner needs.

<p>The present work addresses the structuring and application of a teaching-learning model, which explores the interface<br> between eduScrum and active learning methodologies, in particular Project-Based Learning and the Flipped Classroom, in<br> teaching-learning management of projects. Both eduScrum and active learning methodologies bring key concepts such as<br> regular feedbacks, prioritization of content applicable in practice and centralization of the process in the student. Thus, a<br> framework of 5 sprints was structured with 6 classes each to use both approaches in a complementary way, detailing step<br> by step during the research. The application was carried out in the discipline Project Management and Multidisciplinary<br> Teams in the semester of 2020/1, offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of<br> Brasília. The steps involved in the project were: literature review; application of a questionnaire to identify the requirements<br> of the discipline in the students' view; structuring the model and the necessary adaptations for remote education,<br> depending on the pandemic caused by the Coronavirus; application and evaluation of the developed model. The<br> implementation of the model throughout the semester was highlighted by the positive reception by the students and the<br> relevance of the projects developed by the groups and allowed to identify opportunities for improvement in the dynamics<br> of the activities, in the schedule and in the evaluation method. In the end, an anonymous questionnaire was obtained with<br> the students who took the course a Net Promoter Score of 82 points and an average satisfaction of 4.5 on a scale of 1 to<br> 5. These results points to the potential of using this method of non-traditional teaching in engineering education.<br>  </p>

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is seen as a vital part of a professional engineer’s career, by professional engineering institutions as well as individual engineers. Factors such as ever-changing workforce requirements and rapid technological change have resulted in engineers no longer being able to rely just on the skills they learnt at university or can pick up on the job; they must undergo a structured professional development with clear objectives to develop further professional knowledge, values and skills. This paper presents a course developed for students undertaking a Master of Engineering or Master of Project Management at the University of Queensland. This course was specifically designed to help students plan their continuing professional development, while developing professional skills such as communication, ethical reasoning, critical judgement and the need for sustainable development. The course utilised a work integrated learning pedagogy applied within a formal learning environment, and followed the competency based chartered membership program of Engineers Australia, the peak professional body of engineers in Australia. The course was developed and analysed using an action learning approach. The main research question was “Can extra teaching and learning activities be developed that will simulate workplace learning?” The students continually assessed and reflected upon their current competencies, skills and abilities, and planed for the future attainment of specific competencies which they identified as important to their future careers. Various evaluation methods, including surveys before and after the course, were used to evaluate the action learning intervention. It was found that the assessment developed for the course was one of the most important factors, not only in driving student learning, as is widely accepted, but also in changing the students’ understandings and acceptance of the need for continuous professional development. The students also felt that the knowledge, values and skills they developed would be beneficial for their future careers, as they were developed within the context of their own professional development, rather than to just get through the course. © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education