Double loop Reasoning
- 2. This lecture will focus on the difference between single- and double-loop learning and how you can apply this to youth development practice.
- 3. What is single-loop reasoning?
- 4. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem Single-loop reasoning is reflection in the job
- 5. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem It happens in the moment
- 6. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem And is often reactive
- 7. Single-loop reasoning 0 Is reflection ‘in the job’ 0 It happens in the moment that a youth development worker (or professional) is presented with a situation 0 It is often reactive
- 8. Single-loop reasoning 0 Is reflection ‘in the job’ 0 It happens in the moment that a youth development worker (or professional) is presented with a situation 0 It is often reactive 0 As such … 0 It often finds shallow answers to issues which are hard to change (eg. the young person did not want to engage) 0 It can lead to no change at all or just the same old rules being followed 0 It ignores asking the question ‘ why did this situation occur in the first place?’
- 9. What is double-loop reasoning?
- 10. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem Further reflection occurs after the situation to address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice Double-loop reasoning is reflection on the job
- 11. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem Further reflection occurs after the situation to address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice It often happens after a situation has occurred
- 12. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem Further reflection occurs after the situation to address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice It always involves asking ‘why did this happen?’ deeply and personally
- 13. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem Further reflection occurs after the situation to address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice And… ‘how did my reactions and assumptions affect this situation?’
- 14. Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem Further reflection occurs after the situation to address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice It involves four steps:
- 15. 1. Reflection on the theory you have about youth development and whether you actually applied that theory in the moment Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem Action is taken in the moment to correct problem Further reflection occurs after the situation to address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice
- 16. 1. Reflection on the theory you have about youth development and whether you actually applied that theory in the moment Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem 2. The creation of a new meaning (answer) to why a situation occurred based on your own reflections about Action is taken in the your theory in use and the influence of moment to correct problem your assumptions on your practice Further reflection occurs after the situation to address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice
- 17. 1. Reflection on the theory you have about youth development and whether you actually applied that theory in the moment Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem 2. The creation of a new meaning (answer) to why a situation occurred based on your own reflections about Action is taken in the your theory in use and the influence of moment to correct problem your assumptions on your practice 3. The creation of a new action and Further reflection occurs after the situation to then the application of that action address own practice, assumptions and organisational practice
- 18. 1. Reflection on the theory you have about youth development and whether you actually applied that theory in the moment Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or Problem 2. The creation of a new meaning (answer) to why a situation occurred based on your own reflections about Action is taken in the your theory in use and the influence of moment to correct problem your assumptions on your practice 3. The creation of a new action and Further reflection occurs after the situation to then the application of that action address own practice, 4. Further reflection (often in assumptions and organisational practice professional conversation) and if positive change has occurred, a change in your professional behaviour
- 19. Double-loop reasoning 0 Is reflection ‘on the job’ 0 It happens after a situation has occurred 0 It involves asking ‘why’ at a very deep and personal level
- 20. Double-loop reasoning 0 Is reflection ‘on the job’ 0 It happens after a situation has occurred 0 It involves asking ‘why’ at a very deep and personal level 0 As such … 0 It often finds that the theory you hold about youth development may not necessarily be what you do in action 0 It does involve you questioning your own assumptions and behaviours 0 Its focus is on bringing about real change in the way you apply theory to practice
- 23. So … growing up … Think about the following key big picture ideas and write down the key messages (family mottos/sayings)you would have had as a child growing up. For example, in my (Fiona’s) family, I learnt in my family that ‘poverty’ (a big picture idea) was not a big issue in New Zealand. Unlike other countries we have a welfare system and if people actually got ‘off them bums’ and worked then no-one would be poor. This was a key message for me – and I had to question it later on….
- 24. So … growing up … 0 How did your family define/talk about success and how can you have a successful life?
- 25. So … growing up … 0 How did your family define/talk about success and how can you have a successful life? 0 What did you learn about the value of school/ education/tertiary education?
- 26. So … growing up … 0 How did your family define/talk about success and how can you have a successful life? 0 What did you learn about the value of school/ education/tertiary education? 0 How about the causes of poverty – how did your family talk about poverty?
- 27. So … growing up … 0 How did your family define/talk about success and how can you have a successful life? 0 What did you learn about the value of school/ education/tertiary education? 0 How about the causes of poverty – how did your family talk about poverty? 0 Te Tiriti o Waitangi – When it came to the Treaty, even Waitangi day, what messages did you hear about New Zealand’s past, present and future?
- 28. So … growing up … 0 How did your family define/talk about success and how can you have a successful life? 0 What did you learn about the value of school/ education/tertiary education? 0 How about the causes of poverty – how did your family talk about poverty? 0 Te Tiriti o Waitangi – When it came to the Treaty, even Waitangi day, what messages did you hear about New Zealand’s past, present and future?
- 29. These messages, unexamined, will… 0 Influence how your own principles of positive youth development will be put into practice 0 Unintentionally affect how you put theory, even PYD theory, into practice
- 30. For example 0 If you were raised to believe that working hard will lead to success, you might find yourself reacting to young people in social disadvantage with the same messages
- 31. For example 0 If you were raised to believe that working hard will lead to success, you might find yourself reacting to young people in social disadvantage with the same messages 0 Then …. when the young person fails to respond you might use words like ‘choice’ and ‘disengagement’ to see the behaviour as a fault of the youth
- 32. For example 0 If you were raised to believe that working hard will lead to success, you might find yourself reacting to young people in social disadvantage with the same messages 0 Then …. when the young person fails to respond you might use words like ‘choice’ and ‘disengagement’ to see the behaviour as a fault of the youth 0 While some of this might have some truth … it means that you will find it hard to make a difference because you will not be addressing the wider social issues that lead to disadvantage
- 33. An example …
- 34. Trying to give a voice to youth Adrian has been working in a youth centre for a year. He has been using Photovoice as a PYD approach to engage youth in storytelling. Joe, a 16 year old, has refused to engage in the project and sits to the side in most meetings. Adrian has put Joe’s behaviour and disengagement down to the facts that Joe is living with a local gang and spends most of her time huffing (sniffing petrol). Adrian believes Joe is out-of-it most of the time so simply can’t engage.
- 35. Trying to give a voice to youth Adrian has been working in a youth centre for a year. He has been using Photovoice as a PYD approach to engage youth in storytelling. Joe, a 16 year old, has refused to engage in the project and sits to the side in most meetings. Adrian has put Joe’s behaviour and disengagement down to the facts that Joe is living with a local gang and spends most of her time huffing (sniffing petrol). Adrian believes Joe is out-of-it most of the time so simply can’t engage.
- 36. Okay enough of that…
- 37. Adrian has put Joe’s behaviour and disengagement down to the facts that Joe is living with a local gang and spends most of her time huffing (sniffing petrol). Adrian believes Joe is out-of-it most of the time so simply can’t engage.
- 38. Adrian has put Joe’s behaviour and disengagement down to the facts that Joe is living with a local gang and spends most of her time huffing (sniffing petrol). Adrian believes Joe is out-of-it most of the time so simply can’t engage. 0 The reflection is very much in the moment and is quite reactive – ie Adrian is just justifying why something is not working
- 39. Adrian has put Joe’s behaviour and disengagement down to the facts that Joe is living with a local gang and spends most of her time huffing (sniffing petrol). Adrian believes Joe is out-of-it most of the time so simply can’t engage. 0 The reflection is very much in the moment and is quite reactive – ie Adrian is just justifying why something is not working 0 The reflection is not internal to Adrian – it is not asking ‘why’ of ‘me’ but only of the situation
- 40. Adrian has put Joe’s behaviour and disengagement down to the facts that Joe is living with a local gang and spends most of her time huffing (sniffing petrol). Adrian believes Joe is out-of-it most of the time so simply can’t engage. 0 The reflection is very much in the moment and is quite reactive – ie Adrian is just justifying why something is not working 0 The reflection is not internal to Adrian – it is not asking ‘why’ of ‘me’ but only of the situation 0 The reflection would ultimately not lead to change
- 41. To make it double-loop 0 Adrian would need to ask why he initially reflected in the way that he did:
- 42. To make it double-loop 0 Adrian would need to ask why he initially reflected in the way that he did: 0 Was putting the reflection back on Joe and her engagement actually PYD practice?
- 43. To make it double-loop 0 Adrian would need to ask why he initially reflected in the way that he did: 0 Was putting the reflection back on Joe and her engagement actually PYD practice? 0 What assumptions and underlying theories outside of PYD really did influence Adrian’s reflection?
- 44. To make it double-loop 0 Adrian would need to ask why he initially reflected in the way that he did: 0 Was putting the reflection back on Joe and her engagement actually PYD practice? 0 What assumptions and underlying theories outside of PYD really did influence Adrian’s reflection? 0 What would have been an alternative response/reflection which would allow Adrian to question his assumptions?
- 45. This is a true story…
- 46. In this case … Adrian did give it a go. He was right that Joe had been huffing but in talking to Joe about the stories being told (not Joe’s huffing behaviour), Adrian found that Joe actually disagreed with the youth in the group. Most youth felt that gangs were bad, but Joe had found acceptance in a gang family. She felt that the Adrian and the young people would not like to hear her view because ‘it was wrong.’ Adrian was then able to change the methodology so that Joe’s perspective came through. Adrian also found himself learning more about the reality of Joe’s life and disadvantage in her community.
- 47. In conclusion 0 Double-loop reasoning can be hugely challenging for youth workers simply because it involves being critical about: 0 Yourself and your practice 0 The personal beliefs and assumptions you have about society and youth development
- 48. In conclusion 0 Double-loop reasoning can be hugely challenging for youth workers simply because it involves being critical about: 0 Yourself and your practice 0 The personal beliefs and assumptions you have about society and youth development 0 And, challenging yourself to engage in double-loop reasoning can lead to transformation in both your practice and the lives of young people