The Learning Ladderfrom knowledge driven instruction to wisdom focused learning |
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The top rung: Adult learning focus on managerial success |
| The penultimate rung: Practising & testing decision-making | |
| The middle rung: Learning focused on developing managerial wisdom | |
| The first rung: Simulated, controlled & coached experiences | |
| The bottom rung: Exploring, challenging & using acquired knowledge |
| The Learning Ladder attempts to present the work of educationalists a form that relates to business people and provides a strategic structure to managerial development initiatives. So the concepts behind the Learning Ladder are drawn from the work of Bloom, Bateson, Kolb and Knowles etc. | |
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Exploring,
challenging & using acquired knowledge Metaphorically, just as one can learn about the covering power and color of paint from the can in the store, we learn things in the class room. But, the colour is always slightly different from the colour on the can and the covering power is never quite the same. So, before starting using knowledge, it is necessary to explore and practice using it. This is just how our little person is approaching her painting project. She has acquired several sample paints, opened them and has explored their use. Simulation is a way of exploring knowledge, developing understanding and embedding the knowledge in a real-world context. |
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Simulated,
controlled & coached experiences Consider the important things you have learned. Were these in the classroom or were they from (often bitter) experience? Yet, learning in the real world (like our little person's experience) is messy. Even if you take time to reflect on what you have learned from the experience, you may not be able to identify the learning and generalise it so that it does not happen again. However, using simulations you can gain experience in a controlled and coached environment. An environment where the experience is risk free and much less messy than the real-world. |
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Learning focused
on developing managerial wisdom The dictionary definition of wisdom is defined as the possession of experience and knowledge together with the power of applying them critically. So, here we are concerned with developing critical thinking skills - the ability our knowledge and wisdom in an effective way to solve problems. Simulation provides a way of testing and developing problem-solving skills and preparing business people to handle new challenges. Here, our little person is has wisely climbed the ladder and now is pulling up the paint on a rope. |
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Practising &
testing decision-making Decision-making occurs both pre and post wisdom-development. Pre wisdom-development is used to gain experience. And, post wisdom-development, it hones and assesses the managers' ability to apply their wisdom. Here the little person is applying the paint (knowledge) while wisely holding on, but experience means that he can lean out from the ladder - but this may be a risky decision. With, simulation decisions are made with out risk. |
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Adult Learning
focus on managerial success Managerial success, like learning success and house painting, is multidimensional. It must be efficient, effective and consistent and, like our purple house, involves judgement. Efficiency is not just cost reduction. When painting our house we could reduce costs by buying a cheaper paint and applying it thinly. But, to adequately protect our investment (in the house or learning) we must ensure that the (paint and learning) does not fade with time and that it does not crack and peel (become outdated). Simulation ensures this. Effectiveness means that like the paint there must not be gaps in learning and everything must be covered uniformly. |
Consistency means that every business person should gain from the learning initiative.
Judgement (and, perhaps, fashion) means that perceptions of what is regarded as managerial success change over time and, like our purple house, formulaic management solutions may become outdated. But, if learning has been directed towards creating wisdom, the business person is able to handle these changes.
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