Theories of how individuals and organisations learn
| Term | Brief description | |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals 31 | ||
| Classical conditioning32 (learning by association) | Learning that takes place when two events are experienced together in space and time and become associated with each other | |
| Operant conditioning33,34 (the carrot and the stick) | A learning process in which behaviours are followed by reinforcing or punishing consequences | |
| Cognitive learning34–36 (learning by understanding and thinking) | • Modelling: learning that occurs through the observation and imitation of the behaviours and experiences of others | |
| • Insight: learning through the “aha!” phenomena | ||
| • Latent learning: where we soak up capacity, but this only becomes apparent when used at a later time | ||
| Learning curve37 (how we learn through time) | A line graph where performance is plotted against time during the learning process to study the process that learning new skills takes | |
| Unlearning curve | Previously plotted as above mapping performance as it declines (or is established) variously speculated as a forgetting curve; an extinction curve; or a transfer of learning curve. We suggest that the unlearning process is not a simple, unitary, or unproblematic outcome of the learning process. We speculate that it is a distinct process, usually not spontaneous but appearing in various forms and a pivotal part of the management of professional practice where risk minimisation is critical. | |
| Organisations 5, 6 | ||
| Single loop learning (the feedback loop) | Identification of problems in the present system, taking corrective action and returning performance to normal | |
| Double loop learning (changing the system) | In the light of persistent problems taking steps to change the whole system to tackle the causes of problems | |
| Triple loop learning (learning to learn) | Proactive attempts to identify what facilitates learning per se, and then to apply these generalised principles to help learning in other times and places | |