ACTION LEARNING FOR CLTS AND SLTS

What is Action Learning? It is NOT research in its normal sense. Research is someone from
outside trying to find out about something using normal research methods.

Action Learning is learning from and about action. It is actors us - trying to learn from our
actions and experiences, and from the actions and experiences of others. It involves reflecting on
and writing about what we are doing and learning, about questions, challenges and ideas thrown
up both by our experiences the way we have done things, our meetings, conversations,
reading, visits, observations, and so on -and by the experiences of others.

So workshops for sharing experience, like those in Lusaka, Bamako and Lukenya, are action
learning. In those cases, the AL led to statements which went far beyond what any one of us
could have done on our own. But that is only one form that AL can take. What we at IDS do, ie
staying in touch with those involved in CLTS, asking questions about experiences, reflecting on
what we have been told, linking it with what others tell us, and then sharing this via the website,
blogs, publications and informal conversations these are also all forms of action learning.

Another form is trying things out, innovating, finding what works and what does not, noticing
what others do, reflecting on what can be learnt and then sharing it with others:

Trying a new method, a new way of doing something. It can be quite simple. You
may think it unimportant. Dont let that put you off. Sometimes the simplest things
are vital but overlooked. What about a new way of encouraging Natural Leaders,
more frequent visits for follow-up, who you see and how you behave in follow up,
uses of mobile phones, supporting government health workers, how to trigger and
follow up so that community members who are better off help those who are least
able, how you try to monitor progress..Tell us!

Experimenting, taking risks, trying out new things, and sharing what works and
what does not, and the lessons learnt

Noticing what others do their actions, what works and what does not, and practical
lessons

Sharing with others NOT BY WRITING REPORTS spare us! which are so often a
laborious pain, but in

o Blogs yes write like an email to a friend, straight out. Be open and frank.
Make it interesting.

o Mini case studies. They dont have to be long, half a page, a page. Just a bit
of background, what happened, your reflections and any lessons learnt

These should be fun, enjoyable, even provocative. Blogs can start up exchanges from which we
all learn. We have had this recently with handwashing in CLTS, and with CLTS and PHAST.

AL is sometimes described as a cycle of action, experience, reflection, planning and then action
again. In real life it isnt often so formally linear. All of these occur together. BUT CRITICAL
REFLECTION IS CRUCIAL; for this an action learning diary is a good idea. But in any case WRITE
SO THAT YOU CAN SHARE YOUR LEARNING.
MAKE IT A HABIT TO STOP FOR A FEW MINUTES. REVIEW WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WHAT YOU HAVE
LEARNT TODAY, WHAT OTHERS CAN LEARN. THEN WRITE SOMETHING SHORT, QUICK AND
INFORMAL. AND SHARE IT.

IT IS A GOOD WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. MAKE IT A PLEASURE. MAKE IT FUN. ENJOY!!!!! AND
GOOD LUCK

Accra 28 February 2012 Petra and Robert