Double loop Reasoning

‘Double loop’ … what?

Taking reflection one step further

Critical Practice

Mini Lecture One

Dr Fiona Beals

http://staffintranet/


This lecture will focus on the difference between single- and

double-loop learning and how you can apply this to youth development

practice.



What is single-loop reasoning?



Single-loop reasoning is reflection in the job

Youth Development Worker Presented with a Situation or

Problem

Action is taken in the moment to

correct problem



It happens in the moment


Problem


correct problem



And is often reactive


Problem


correct problem



Single-loop reasoning0 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



Single-loop reasoning0 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 reactive0 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?’



What is double-loop reasoning?



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






problem




It often happens after a situation has occurred






problem




It always involves asking ‘why did this happen?’ deeply and personally






problem




And… ‘how did my reactions and assumptions affect this situation?’






problem




It involves four steps:



1. Reflection on the theory you have about youth development and whether you actually applied that theory in the moment




problem







2. The creation of a new meaning (answer) to why a situation occurred based on your own reflections about your theory in use and the influence of your assumptions on your practice




problem








3. The creation of a new action and then the application of that action




problem









problem






3. The creation of a new action and then the application of that action

4. Further reflection (often in professional conversation) and if positive change has occurred, a change in your professional behaviour



Double-loop reasoning0 Is reflection ‘on the job’

0 It happens after a situation has occurred0 It involves asking ‘why’ at a very deep and personal level



Double-loop reasoning0 Is reflection ‘on the job’

0 It happens after a situation has occurred0 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 action0 It does involve you questioning your own assumptions and

behaviours0 Its focus is on bringing about real change in the way you

apply theory to practice



Getting Reflective

The first step into double

loop reasoning involves

knowing who you are and

your own worldview

(perspective on life and

reality). It also involves

knowing your own beliefs

about youth development.



Getting Reflective

This involves unpacking your

own ‘youth back pack’ …

And … thinking back in time,

no matter how far or wide to

ask yourself some pretty

deep questions about value

and worth.



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….



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?







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?

How have these messages shaped you today?

How do you think th

ey have shaped you as a

professional working with

young people?

Have any of the messages changed?

If so, w

hat events/moments/experiences caused

these changes for you?

If not, h

ow could you challenge some of these

messages so that you can look at is

sues from

multiple perspectives?



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



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



For example


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



For example


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



An example …



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.



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.

Before we move on, what gender did you first assume Joe to be?

Most of us, would find ourselves seeing a male in our head at

first. This is an example of a unspoken social norm/message –

first always assume male unless further evidence suggests

otherwise. It is not a family message, but a message from

history that still has traces today.

Maybe even challenge yourself to think of ethnicity – again

while Pakeha is historically an assumed norm – other

ethnicities are often assumed to be deviant? So in the case of Jo

e

most people would assume that Joe is a brown male.



Okay enough of that…



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.

This is an

example of

single-loop

reasoning…

Why?




This is an

example of

single-loop

reasoning…

Why?

0 The reflection is very much in the moment and is quite reactive – ie Adrian is just justifying why something is not working




This is an

example of

single-loop

reasoning…

Why?


0 The reflection is not internal to Adrian – it is not asking ‘why’ of ‘me’ but only of the situation




This is an

example of

single-loop

reasoning…

Why?


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



To make it double-loop

0 Adrian would need to ask why he initially reflected in the way that he did:




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?





engagement actually PYD practice?0 What assumptions and underlying theories outside of

PYD really did influence Adrian’s reflection?





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?



This is a true story…



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.



In conclusion

0 Double-loop reasoning can be hugely challenging for youth workers simply because it involves being critical about:0 Yourself and your practice0 The personal beliefs and assumptions you have about

society and youth development



In conclusion

0 Double-loop reasoning can be hugely challenging for youth workers simply because it involves being critical about:0 Yourself and your practice0 The personal beliefs and assumptions you have about

society and youth development0 And, challenging yourself to engage in double-loop

reasoning can lead to transformation in both your practice and the lives of young people



Education

Double loop Reasoning