Oxleas Nurse Education

What is Action Learning Sets?

Action learning is a continuous process of learning and reflection based on the relationship between reflection and action. An action learning set is a group of people who work together with a facilitator over a period of time and who learn from each other and support each other. A set is not a support group as the process followed and the conventions of action learning require a discipline and style of learning that is commonly absent from a support group, nor is it a therapy group.

Action learning is a dynamic approach to learning, utilised across many sectors. It is a proven form of organisational development and it also offers individuals a space away from the focus on task to consider more deeply the ways in which they work.

The set contract can be very effective for workers who do not regularly work together on task issues but who benefit from coming together to explore common issues, develop better team communication and want to be supported and challenged to work more effectively.

Learning Outcomes

Being in action learning sets provides:
- Space for individual reflective learning
- Learning to take back to the day job and translate into action
- Support and challenge from peers
- A chance to test beliefs, assumptions and learn what works
- A safe environment to explore new ways of thinking and doing
- Personal, as well as professional, learning and development
- Insight into how others achieve different solutions
- A chance to progress new opportunities and develop new ideas
The sessions will develop skills in:
- Active Listening
- Open questioning
- Decision Making
- Coaching
- Reflection
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Facilitation
- Diagnostic and problem solving
- Project management
- Creative thinking
- Leadership

Values required for Action Learning:
1. Belief that we can do something about our situation (a positive approach)
2. Reflection is a key to learning from experience
3. No one is more expert than the presenter on his / her own issue
4. Support & challenge each other
5. Empathy
6. Quality of attention
7. Trust & Confidentiality

Role of the facilitator:
1. To provide a framework within which set members can develop and reflect on their practice and enhance their role and skills in the job.
2. To provide a safe framework within which group participants can bring issues about work and reflect on the issues, exploring them and identifying new approaches to addressing them.
3. To support group members to reflect on task, process and learning achievements.
4. To support the group to work together, modelling good practice in accordance with the process and principles of action learning.
5. To ensure that the group operates within an equality and anti-discriminatory framework.
6. To manage the group process ensuring that the structure of sessions is adhered to and that the time is managed.

What is the process of the meeting?

Check in

Brief round where each member of the group checks in, giving a short
update on what has been happening and whether there are any current issues for them.

The check in can also enable members to “leave their baggage” and
participate fully in the subsequent group process.

Finally it is also an opportunity in a few moments of silence to tune into both physical and inner state and become aware of these before the set starts.

Bidding

Group members can bid to use time in the session to “work or present” on
a particular issue.

Work (Action Learning)

A member who wishes to use time in the session presents their issue and the group then supports the member to explore, progress or resolve the issue.

Initially there may be a round of clarifying questions that will ensure all in the set have fully understood what the presenter had spoken about.

Members then ask the “presenter” open questions that will facilitate reflection, exploration and analysis of the issue, task or problem. The aim is to move the individuals thinking on
so that they are better able to resolve the issue to their satisfaction. It is important that it is recognised that no one is more expert than the presenter on their own
issue.

The individual who is “working” is not time limited (other then by the overall constraints of the session) and they will decide when they wish to stop working.

Closing Round

Each member gives the individual who has been “working or presenting” some feedback on the session, making any concluding remarks, using the round to acknowledge any issues that may have come up for them (including
issues that may have been obstacles in the way of assisting and supporting the
person “working”) and providing any summary thoughts for the individual to take
away.

The last person to speak is the person who has “worked”; they can use the time to briefly acknowledge the groups contributions, summarise the action they may take as a result of the session or they may chose not to add anything further to the closing round.

Using action learning to support newly qualified nurses in practice article.

210414-Using-action-learning-to-support-newly-qualified-nurses-in-practice (NT article April 2021 not for publishing on websites)

Using an action learning methodology to develop skills of health managers article.

Using an AL Methodology to develop skills of health managers 2018

What is Action Learning Sets?

Learning Outcomes

Values required for Action Learning:

Role of the facilitator:

What is the process of the meeting?

Using action learning to support newly qualified nurses in practice article.

Using an action learning methodology to develop skills of health managers article.