The original meaning of the phrase “talk is cheap” is to suggest that just saying something is less effective or believable than taking action.   But sometimes talking or discourse as Mezirow calls it is actually what leads to action.  And since discourse is a cost-effective learning experience, we should employ it as a strategy in our work-places, classrooms, and personal lives.   Of course, to be effective as a strategy for learning, the discourse must be well-managed.

You’ll remember for a previous post that In Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, he notes that there are four key elements to transformation:

1. A Disorienting Dilemma
2. Critical Reflection
3. Reflective Discourse
4. Taking Action

How do we promote reflective discourse?  Stephen Brookfield tells us that the process involves a community of our peers.  In the world of faculty development and higher education, we might rely on learning communities to provide a venue for reflective discourse.   Learning communities can exist in any type of organization, though, and may even be organically formed by individuals undertaking similar work projects.    To promote reflective discourse using learning communities, consider the following steps:

• Start with a reasonably-sized group, 6-10 people is ideal.
• Determine a time to meet and frequency of meeting ahead of time to gain commitment from all members. Every 2-3 weeks for an ongoing learning community is usually enough.
• Make the group voluntary or solicit applications to gather a willing group.
• Provide objectives for the group, so joiners are working toward shared goals. Consider a survey to determine the needs.
• Set group norms, so the learning community will have a common base for discussions.
• Be explicit by sharing the definition of reflective discourse and demonstrating it for the group.

Learning communities can also exist online and work well for connecting virtual employees.  Face-to-face meetings can take place over a web-conferencing service such as Webex or Zoom but online discussion boards are also highly effective because they give participants time to read one another’s posts and reflect before writing a reply.

Educational learning communities are often about personal improvement of teaching or learning, but business learning communities can also be about the growth of employees.  Learning community members might work on vision development, problem solving, new idea generation or building an enhanced corporate culture, all of which will benefit the company while benefiting the employee.   The collaborative nature of a learning community builds skills and confidence in using reflective discourse helping employees grow and creates relationships that can lead to deeper understanding of difference.

 

For more information:

Brookfield, S.  (2009).  Engaging Critical Reflection in Corporate America.  In J. Mezirow, E. Taylor & Associates (Eds.), Transformative learning in practice (pp.125-135).  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mezirow, J., & Associates (2000).  Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.