There is an increased demand for integrating learning in our daily work: becoming learning organisations; relating learning with change management; encouraging learning at individual, -interpersonal, organisational and society level; and integrating lessons learned in our work. Particularly where complex issues are at stake and there is a need for many stakeholders to collaborate, creating an environment where people can learn and share lessons is crucial to bringing about change. How can we create an environment where people feel safe to discuss not only successes but also failures? How can we make sense of our findings so that they lead to action? Within this context it is important to think through what learning really means to us. We apply different learning concepts, such as Kolb’s learning styles : learning from concrete experiences, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Individual learning styles are acknowledged and combined in a multi-stakeholder setting so as learning to assure that learning cycles take place. At the same time we stimulate that lessons are not only learned at the level of implementation but also at a deeper level of thinking and values. Single-Double-Triple loop learning is important in this respect. We also consider it important to critically reflect on our findings and linking these to our original evaluation or learning questions: what happened, by, so what and now what? This is essential to ensure learning is linked to action. Organisational learning theories underpin our work.
M4SDI 