Double loop learning

Double loop learning was a term originally coined by Chris Argyris; his work influenced organisational learning theory, action research and the relationships created between the people and the organisation. Current organisational development, organisational learning and change management theories are seeking cost effective strategies to establish continuous organisational wide learning leading to a sustainable competitive advantage - double loop learning fits the organisational model.

According to Argyris, the theory of learning firstly involves the identification and secondly the correction of error. Where a fault is detected, Argyris suggests people look for differing strategies addressing work within the specified governing variables. So, given established values, goals or plans are deemed operational and not questioned. Such established rules are regarded as single-loop learning.

The alternative response is to question the governing variables subjecting them to critical analysis and thus described as double-loop learning. This level of organisational learning then leads to alterations in the governing variables shift the methodology that the strategies and consequences are constructed.

As I am a student of behavioural training concepts, the work of Robert Mager heavily influenced the formation of learning objectives and criterion based instruction. Changing learning objectives around goes against what I learned so it took me a while to get used to change learning objectives mid-instructional event. That being said, as an organisational learning program design, double loop learning is a successful training methodology.