The Science
Learning Power as a measurement model
The measurement model for Learning Power was developed through a series of factor analytic studies at the University of Bristol between 2000 and 2019. The 54K data set for modelling the Crick Learning for Resilient Agency (CLARA) profile was published in 2015, building on several previously published peer reviewed studies. Originally called ELLI the research with users of all ages enabled the team to refine and develop the model. In particular, this process demonstrated that resilience was not simply one dimension of learning, but an outcome of a rich learning process that is fuelled by self-leadership. The model has demonstrated its reliability and validity over many iterations and across cultures. The purpose of the measurement model is to stimulate ‘self-directed change’.
The formal definition of learning power is:
‘the process through which we regulate the flow of energy, experience, data and information over time in the service of a purpose of value’
Crick et al (2015)
The structural equation modelling studies (2015) show that the dimensions of learning power are related to each other, wtih Mindful Agency being the most powerful, predicting creativity, curiosity, sensemaking and hope and optimism. Two relationship dimensions work together - belonging and collboration. Orientation to learning is about a person’s openness to the unknown and their willingness to pursue reflective change.
Rapid feedback about a person’s Learning Power dimensions enable them to pay attention to their world in two different ways: first to their own story and context and their sense of purpose and secondly to the systems thinking skills they can operationalise to help them achieve their personal or professional goals.
SELECTED PEER REVIEWED REFERENCES
Deakin Crick, R., Huang, S., ahmed-Shafi A. & Goldspink C. (2015) Becoming a Resilient Learner; the internal structure of learning power, British Journal of Educational Studies, British Journal of Educational Studies, 63, 121-160. DOI 10.1080/00071005.2015.1006574
Deakin Crick, R., Haigney, D., Huang S., Coburn, T. & Goldspink C., (2012) Learning Power in the Work Place: the Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI) and its reliability and validity and implications for Learning and Development, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Routledge, ISS 0958-5192, DOI 10.1080/09585192.2012.725075.
Ren K, Huang, S. Crick R. (2020) “学习能量”的意蕴和测量 (The Implications and Measurement of Learning Power) Journal of Educational Development, 1.5.
Deakin Crick, R. & Yu, G. (2008) The Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI): Is it valid and reliable as an assessment tool? Educational Research, 50,4, 387-402.
Deakin Crick, R., McCombs, B., Haddon, A., (2007) The Ecology Of Learning: Factors Contributing To Learner Centred Classroom Cultures, Research Papers in Education, 22,3, 267-307.
Deakin Crick, R. (2007) Learning to learn: The dynamic assessment of learning power. Curriculum Journal,18,2, 135-153.
Deakin Crick R., Broadfoot P. & Claxton G. (2004) Developing an Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory: The ELLI Project, Assessment in Education, 11, 3, 247 - 272.
Hasan Fehmi Özdemir, Ömer Kutlu, Shaofu Huang, Ruth Deakin Crick, (2022) A comparative Adaptation of Crick Learning For Resilient Agency (CLARA) with Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory, International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 9, 4, 1030-1061.https://doi.org/10.21449/ijate.1058145
Learning Power and Learning Journeys
The Learning Power assessment tool (CLARA) was designed to stimulate self-directed change. We identified the qualities that enable people to learn more effectively in order to provide feedback that enabled them to become the authors of their own learning journeys - to know what to in the face of risk, uncertainty and challenge. A series of studies demonstrated that Learning Power is most effective when set within a learning journey which takes place over time in a particular context because this re-sequences the learner’s encounter with existing funds of knowledge, regulatory frameworks and the flow of data and information that bombards us all every day. The learner starts with their own experience, with a meaningful challenge in a particular place and from there, navigates their way forwards to a solution which is fit for purpose.
We must re-integrate the human being into the cosmos and the cosmos into the human being.
Edgar Morin
Our work in mapping and tracking the embodied human process of solving complex problems, stimulated by learning power, has led to the identification of a series of ‘thinking skills’ that facilitate a genealogical journey beginning with purpose, context and place, capturing rich data and information from experience and observation. From there the learner begins to formulate unique questions, uncovers stories and ‘maps the challenge’ space. Inspired by Walter Benjamin, Foucault and others, this approach is fuelled by the learner, who then brings their unique questions to bear on existing funds of knowledge as part of solution finding. It focuses on distinctively human intelligences which can then drive unique change strategies or build ‘fit for purpose’ solutions. The focus is on the agentic choices the learner makes along the journey in making sense of complexity - integrating the human with the technical.
SELECTED PEER REVIEWED REFERENCES
Crick, R., McDermott, T. Hutchison, N. (2021) Learning Design for Sustainable Development, Journal of Education, Teaching and Social Studies, 3,3. ISSN26422328
McDermott, T., Crick R. & Hutchison, N. (2020) A Competency Model for Complex Problem Solving, Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Management 2020 International Annual Conference, H. Keathley, J. Enos and M. Parrish eds.
Deakin Crick, R., Godfrey, P. & Huang S. (2014) Systems Thinking, Systems Design and Learning Power, International Journal of Engineering Education, 30,1.
Deakin Crick, R. (2009) Pedagogical Challenges for Personalisation: Integrating the Personal with the Public through Context-Driven Inquiry Curriculum Journal, 20,3, 185-189. Special Issue Editorial.
Deakin Crick R. (2009) Inquiry-based learning: reconciling the personal with the public in a democratic and archaeological pedagogy, Curriculum Journal, 20,1,73-92.
Deakin Crick R. & Hoskins B. (2008) Competences for learning to learn in the EU, European Educational Research Journal, 7,3, 308-310. Editorial.
Deakin Crick, R. (2008) Key Competencies for Education in a European Context: narratives of accountability or care? European Educational Research Journal, 7,3,311-318.
Jaros, M. & Deakin Crick, R. (2007) Personalised Learning in the Post Mechanical Age. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 38, 6, 423-440.
Learning Power and Performance
There are many ways in which learning power has been shown to impact on performance - both for individuals, teams and organisations. Early data sets showed a positive relationship between grades and learning power (except for creativity!) whilst several quantitative studies demonstrated organisational and relational factors which depress learning power. For example, a culture of top down control is associated with lower levels of learning power - whereas a culture where trust is at a premium is associated with higher levels.
Studies exploring patterns in the data have shown that we can identify different archetypes associated with particular characteristics. A learning power profile can indicate how deeply engaged - or not - a person is with a project or within an organisation. For example, in one business, the most creative and active learners felt disengaged from their business, whereas those who were passive and waiting to be told what to do, felt they belonged. That data informed the business transformation strategy so that the business rewarded the actual change agents, whilst challenging the most passive. Given an anonymised data set, we can identify the most ‘at risk’ individuals and, with appropriate permissions, this can inform meaningful interventions that work.
Performance management is complex - and reductionist measures don’t work. Focusing on the core processes which lead to higher performance is far more productive. What remains outstanding is the need to develop richer measurement models that measure what matters and do justice to the complexity of human beings in complex systems. At WILD we measure success on projects through the lens of ME, MY SKILLS and MY PURPOSE, requiring a much richer data literacy.
As Deming argued so powerfully
What gets measured gets managed – even when it's pointless to measure and manage it, and even if it harms the purpose of the organization to do so
SELECTED REFERENCES
McDermott, T., Crick R. & Hutchison, N. (2020) A Competency Model for Complex Problem Solving, Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Management 2020 International Annual Conference, H. Keathley, J. Enos and M. Parrish eds.
Crick R. & Bentley J. (2020) Becoming a Resilient Organisation: integrating people and practice in infrastructure services, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 1-18, https://doi.org/10.1080/19397038.2020.1750738
Ren K, Huang, S. Crick R. (2020) “学习能量”的意蕴和测量 (The Implications and Measurement of Learning Power) Journal of Educational Development, 1.5.
Deakin Crick, R., Huang, S., Godfrey, P. Taylor C., Carhart, N. (2017) Learning Journeys and Infrastructure Services: a game changer for effectiveness, ICIF White Paper, University College London.
Deakin Crick, R., Knight, S. and Barr, S., (2017) Towards Analytics for Wholistic School Improvement: hierarchical Process Modelling and Evidence Visualisation, Journal of Learning Analytics, 4, 2, 2017.
Deakin Crick, R. Barr, S. & Green H. (2016) Evaluating the Wider Outcomes of Schooling: Hierarchical Process Modelling and School Leadership, Educational Management, Administration and School Leadership, 0,0 published online July 9, 2016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143215597233
Deakin Crick, R. & Ren, K. (2013) Empowering underachieving adolescents: an emancipatory learning perspective on underachievement, Pedagogies: An International Journal 8(3) 235-254 DOI:10.1080/1554480X.2013.795670
Ren, K. & Deakin Crick, RE. (2011). '探索有效终身学习之指标：“学习能量”及其动态测评'. 教育学报. Journal of Educational Studies, 7(6), 84 - 90.
Learning Power and the Formation of the Self
Perhaps the most futures focused aspects of the science of learning power is the contribution it can make to new thinking about what it means to be a human being in the information age.
Qualitative and narrative studies from the start, demonstrated the power of a learning power profile to frame a different sort of conversation about the self - one which integrates story with behaviour change inspired by thinking skills that empower the human-as-agent to achieve their purpose. That conversation is powerfully enhanced through a coaching relationship characterised by trust, affirmation and challenge.
There are studies which demonstrate the relationship between learning power and positive citizenship activities, human values and future meta-skills, the latter summarised as ‘self leadership, learning relationships and complex problem solving’. It’s not about imposing an outcome, but appealing to that which is distinctively human in all of us and aligning the personal story of the individual, with the story of their organisation and the wider story of their culture.
Metaphor, image, signs and symbols all contribute to the language of learning power - as well as words. Once an individual or team experience the hope of agency it’s like an ‘epiphany’ that can’t be unlearned.
There are powerful touch points with emerging neuro-science research into the ways in which different brain hemispheres allow us to attend to teh world and the importance of balancing imagination and intution with evidence and reason in human decision making (McGilchrist) as well as new approaches to psychotherapy where Self Leadership is taken to the next level - the therapist’s focus is on empowering the Self to find healing and emotional literacy through relationship (Schwartz) - or the integrated Adult in the language of Transactional Analysis, fuelled by physis.
Illustration by Kerry-Anne at Black Butterfly Designs. WILD acknowledges the Wannaruah People and pays respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as traitional custodians of the land on which this image of Mindful Agency was created.
SELECTED REFERENCES
Buckingham Shum, S., Littlejohn, A., Kitto, K. & Crick, R. (2022). Framing Professional Learning Analytics as Reframing Oneself. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 15(5), pp.634- 649. https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2022.3190055
Deakin Crick R. and Goldspink G. (2014) Learning Dispositions, Self-theories and Student Engagement, British Journal of Educational Studies, 62,1,1-17. DOI: 10.1080/00071005.2014.904038.
Deakin Crick, R. & Jelfs, H.(2011) Spirituality, Learning and Personalisation: exploring the relationship between spiritual development and learning to learn in a faith-based secondary school, International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 16, 3, 197-217.
Deakin Crick R. and Hoskins B. (2010) Competencies for Learning to Learn and Active Citizenship: different currency or two sides of the same coin? European Journal of Education, 45,1,121-137.
Deakin Crick, R. & Grushka, K. (2010) Signs, Symbols and Metaphor: Linking Self with Text in Inquiry Based Learning. Curriculum Journal, 20,4, 447-464.
Goodson, I. & Deakin Crick, (2009) Curriculum as Narration: Tales from the Children of the Colonized. Curriculum Journal, 20,3, 225-236.
Crick R, (2018) It’s a Gift: disposed to learn, Corwin Press, Sydney.
Deakin Crick, R. & Wilson, K. (2005) Being a Learner: A Virtue for the 21st Century. British Journal of Educational Studies, 53, 359-374.
Key WILD Design Principles
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”
Human beings are complex living organisms
Learning Journeys are the intentional movement between purpose and performance by people in a particular place
Learning power is the way in which we regulate the flow of energy, information and data over time in order to achieve a purpose of value
Learning and leadership are twin sides of the same coin
Organisations and communities can deliberately design for learning and leadership at every level
Learning Journeys are narrated not imposed operating at the intersection of personal, organisational and societal stories
Learning Journeys lead to behaviour change at scale
Learning Journeys enable a focus on improving processes which result in improved performance
Learning Journeys enable us to do more with less
Learning Journeys lead to personal and professional resilience