In action learning, the group creates knowledge
through 1) concrete experience; 2) observing and
reflecting on this experience; 3) forming generalizations
from experiences; and 4) testing the implications of
those generalizations.
Through these four stages of knowledge creation, the
learning takes place at two levels: the first level is the level
of the actual problem-solving task; the second level is the
level of reflection on how the group worked together.
For example, the concrete experience mentioned above
involves solving the problem. Clearly, the group learns
as it finds the strategies to resolve the problem. But, at a
second level, the group is also learning through the
group experience required to resolve this problem. For
example, the group learns how to interact effectively,
overcome disagreements, and tackle other group issues.
At the observation and reflection stage, the group
observes and reflects at the first level on the strategies
chosen to resolve the problem. Will those strategies work?
But at this stage as well, the group reflects at the second
level on the skills that they learned in the process:
group skills, such as decision making and group interaction,
as well as individual learnings.
Forming generalizations involves, at one level, generalizing
the specific solutions developed in the group to
address other problems. At the second level, it involves
generalizing the group skills learned in the process.
Finally, the test and experiment stage involves testing
the strategies to resolve the problem at one level, while
at the second level, the group reflects on whether its
new behaviors and values acquired in the action learning
process will help them work on additional problems.