The savvy learner

Headnote

Keywords Learning, Self-managed learning, Action learning

Abstract This article defines the cultural nature and scale of change in learning consciousness that has to take place when the organisationally-based adult learner makes the transition from formal prescriptive learning practice to self-owned, self-directed learning. It articulates some of the learning-to-learn process models that introduce, accelerate, enhance and facilitate the adult person's understanding of this evolutionary journey. It also provides practical guidelines in progressively shaping their endeavours to take effective ownership of their own managerial learning at work. It draws on experience in delivering learning-to-learn programmes to suggest that the management learner in particular has to be increasingly aware and more discriminating in how they spend their time and Learning energy if they are to arrive where they want to be and at the same time satisfy all the stakeholders investments in these process events. It illustrates, using a portfolio of learning-to-learn process-management-practice ideas, how the individual and groups of learners can effectively and progressively begin to manage the quality of their experience in learning to learn. The author advises that, in the long term, taking responsibility for learning to learn is not something that can be absolved by the learner manager; it has to become a self-determined series of personally-managed events. Adult Learners have to have a heightened state of alertness to the dynamics of gradualism in managing the new learning process itself - to become "savvy" about the dynamics of the learning process and the key decision areas that will make a difference between learning satisfaction and success or failure in achieving their personal objectives.

"Savvy" - Origin: 1785 Pidgin English imitating Spanish, Sabe usted - "you know".

"Savvy" - Definition: Having the intellect to know or understand. Shrewd and knowledgeable Having practical common sense, nous and gumption Having savoir-faire the ability to say and do the right thing in any situation. Having the gift of "wit", Le. ingenuity in creatively connecting diverse ideas - a person gifted with this power.

Originating self-managed new learning perspectives

We live in an age of information and learning which is promoting another wave of theories and counter-theories about what is developmentally good for our understanding of the subject of learning.

But what does all this mean for the...