Single, Double and Triple Loop Learning

Single loop learning:-   “Following the rules”

Fits in to a more traditional dance class approach where learning is focused on a body centered approach. It is a very much Black and White way of learning and looking at things.

Students fall into two categories

• ·        If they can follow the rules – perfect a step/perform a polished routine 

    

    

•       If they can’t do a step/can’t remember what they are doing/don’t get it  

  

Dance teacher doesn’t explore WHY??

-         Why can’t they do that step?

-         Why are they struggling to understand/ remember the routine?

-         Why don’t they work well in a group/ independently?

-         Why aren’t they engaged in learning?

Double loop learning:- “Changing the rules” (so the problem does not re occur)

This about reflecting on whether the ‘rules’ themselves should be changed

-Why has this happened?

-How can we correct/improve this?

Thinking outside the Box

Thinking Creatively

Critical learning skills

Thinking like this can help us understand why a particular solution works better OR what’s the best way of doing something to achieve your goal.

Discuss with students the reasons they are struggling:

-         Expectations too high

-         Steps too hard

-         Don’t understand what they are doing

-         Need more support

Look at alternative ways of helping/teaching/delivering learning to assist students.

Triple loop learning:-  “Learning about learning”

-Learning how to learn

-Reflecting on how we learn in the first place

-What do you think of the rules?

·        How do your students learn best?

What is the best way to give them a task in order for them to best understand it and gain the most out of doing it?

…there is no point in trying to teach something in a way that a student really doesn’t understand or will not achieve any learning outcomes from.

·        This encompasses learning styles, motivation, critical learning skills. Talk to your students to see how you can maximize their learning/dance experience.

·        Teachers want their students to do well, so why not work with them in order to problem solve and understand how to get the best out of them.

The Structure

 1.     Content

What we do is based on our

History – my experiences, how have I been taught?

Habit – what am I used to doing, what am I comfortable doing

Strategy

2.     Framework

Shapes our work:

*Policies

*Procedures

*Constraints

Eg. What have I been asked to do by the principal?

      Areas I have to cover

      Learning outcomes for the term

      Time constraints

3.     Actions

What we do in class: The Process

-activities

-tasks

4.     Outcome

The results:

-the experience the students get

-what they achieve

-what they learn


 Figure 1

Single Loop- correcting an unacceptable outcome or result

 

Double Loop – fixes the framework that governs the action.  Changes a system or procedure.

 

Triple Loop – could lead to changes in overall strategy

*If you only use single loop learning you are likely to keep repeating the same mistakes

Triple loop learning helps us to understand a great deal more about ourselves and others beliefs and perceptions.

References

Different kinds of learning loops. Available at:
http://managementhelp.org/misc/learning-types-loops.pdf

Single, double and triple loop learning: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn3NqvStekY

Figure 1 available at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378009000429