1. Do action learning sets facilitate collaborative, deliberative learning? A Focus Group Evaluation of MSc pre-registration nursing students’ experience. – Charlotte Maddison & Gus Strang

2. Research aim
To investigate whether by participating in action learning, the MSc pre-registration nursing students have been able to engage in what Michael Eraut (2004) has described as collaborative, deliberative learning.

3. Background –knowledge and learning
Knowledge – two types described by Eraut (2000)
Codified – explicit, disseminated through formal programmes of study. It is subject to quality control, peer review and is awarded high status within education.
Personal – explicit or tacit, knowledge that a person brings to a situation, enabling them to think and perform.

4. Background –WORKPLACE LEARNING
Formal education and training provide only a small percentage of what is learned at work (Eraut, 2000, 2004, 2007,2010).
Much of what is learned in the workplace is classed as non-formal or informal, in that it arises from situations that are not previously agreed or negotiated as learning activities.
Often hidden because it is part of everyday practice, and results from everyday encounters and experiences.
Influenced by social interactions, the need to solve problems and address issues such as productivity and quality, and to cope with change.

5. BACKGROUND -TYPOLOGY of informal learning(ERAUT,2007)
Based upon three levels of intention.
Implicit learning – learning occurs without conscious intent. There is an absence of explicit knowledge.
Reactive learning - occurs rapidly within an action, offering limited opportunity to consider that activity.
Deliberative learning which will involve a review of previous actions, events and experiences in the workplace, and is likely to relate to work related goals
Each level of learning is in response to a trigger or experience and will involve a degree of reflection. ‘Act of attention’.

6. BACKGROUND – LEARNING FROM OTHERS: A DELIBERATIVE PROCESS
Learning with and from others is commonly observed in the workplace (Eraut, 2000).
This may occur through the immediate consultations and collaborations with the team or working group, or it could be outside that group. Consistent with the deliberative process described previously.
The success of this approach will depend on the individual’s ability to talk about the prior experience and to think about their knowledge at work (Eraut, 2007), which offers a case for the use of structured reflection to facilitate workplace learning.
? Does this happen during the action learning sets

7. ACTION LEARNING
The notions of critical reflection, and collaborative, deliberative learning are consistent with the concept of Action Learning.
Introduced by Revans (1982,1983, 2011), action learning enables knowledge to be acquired through reflection on what has happened, offering insight into future actions (Weinstein, 1998).
No learning without action and no action without learning (Revans, 1982, 1983, 2011)
Supports Eraut’s (2004) contention that the major source of professional learning is in the workplace.

8. Action learning – the process
Action learning involves the development of a group otherwise known as an action learning set(ALS);
Purpose of the ALS is to focus on problems, tasks and/or issues that a set member identifies.
Group members then offer support and challenge to enable the other to make progress on that issue.
It should be purposeful and lead to an action.
The outcome is intended to be the development of the individual, as well as the development of the workplace.

9. ACTION LEARNING
Action learning requires individuals to undergo a reinterpretation of their existing knowledge and prior experiences, causing them to re-examine ideas that they would otherwise have continued to take for granted (Revans, ,2011).
Can facilitate the 'act of attention', described by Eraut and enable an individual to critically reflect upon areas of an experience that might otherwise be missed.
Action learning sets are an established part of the pre-registration MSc Nursing Curriculum – NMC requirement for inter-professional education.

10. Methodology/Methods Interpretivist Research Methodology
Focus Group Interviews – 11 participants
Purposive sampling
Light touch ethics approval
Pairs work on study headings (written)
Interactive group discussion

11. Methodology/Methods Theme 1: Collaborative/inter-professional learning
Theme 2: Reflection on practice
Theme 3: Problem solving/case studies
Theme 4: Communication
Theme 5: Rejection of codified learning

12. Theme 1: Collaborative/inter-professional learning
Social significance of learning
The collegiate identity was a big thing.
I can……empathise with others
You can have a better understanding of how other nursing disciplines view things.
Helps you widen your viewpoint.
Dissatisfaction as only nursing
It would be really valuable to involve even more disciplines
It is about exposing you to other disciplines

13. Theme 2: Reflection on practice
Opportunities for reflection and deliberative learning:
Time to reflect, and time to discuss those things (the student implied that the action learning sets have allowed this to happen).
Space for reflection thing is working
(in response to the previous participant.) Yes, and thinking time.
I have been able to reflect with students from other cohorts
Coming here to reflect as a group gives me some kind of comfort
A chance to reflect and I realise it’s ok

14. Theme 2: Reflection on practice
Opportunities for reflection and deliberative learning:
We talked about questioning our values and when I am thrown in and have no control. It gave me a chance to reflect and examine the fact that things will not always work as I expect. It gives me a chance to examine my values. Gave me a chance to explore the importance of what I think. To reflect on my inner self and how I value things and how it might be different
I think it helps us get rid of those stereotypical views.
It challenges your professional values

15. Theme 3: Problem solving/case studies
Reviewing a case or a scenario or focus upon a specific practice issue most useful
A case for discussion makes it easier.
And it gives being here a reason, and it makes it useful for practice.
Problem-solving. Thinking outside your box.
Like when we did domestic abuse… it generated interesting discussions and questions from the different nursing perspectives.
And when we did the breastfeeding session. (participant agrees with the previous comment)
And the mental health care.

16. Theme 4: Communication
Action learning sets had contributed to the development
Builds future communications
Facilitates and promotes good communication
Improves confidence when you speak to colleagues
It promotes communication with people you would not usually communicate with.
Communicate with other and get your point across
Helps improve communication with other nurses
People have brought in own experiences I think it has improved communication

17. Theme 4: Communication Deliberative learning through communication
Communication improves with time as we become more experienced.
Progressively there is a lot more to discuss.
However, the following comment suggested that the participants did not feel that their communication skills had improved as well as they might.
There was quite a few teacher-led sessions which set the tone. This may have stifled communication and learning

18. Theme 5: Rejection of codified learning
Formal education and learning contributes minimally to the overall knowledge utilised when practising in the workplace
In the first year, I didn’t feel like they were meeting the learning outcomes because they (the ALS) were more taught. And so that felt like a real clash with the whole point if they are more rigid and inflexible
Yes, I agree. I didn’t know what it was for but as time has gone on. But the last one with the scenario we had is exactly what I envisaged them to be

19. Conclusions
Participants value the opportunity to participate in action learning sets.
Bringing students together from different fields of nursing has potential to enhance their ability to reflect upon and learn from practice experiences, in a supportive environment, thus promoting collaborative learning
Can facilitate purposeful & deliberative learning in terms of outcomes and future actions