The Learning Cycle

There's a world of pedagogical frameworks and overcomplicated discussions on effective modes of delivery that get people bogged down. When we strip it back to its basic form, education is simply Story (Theory) and Play (Applied Theory). You hear a Story, you Discuss the story to understand it, you Play to evaluate those concepts, you Reflect on that experience, then you summarise with a Story - round and round it goes. Nothing more complex than that really.

You can enter this cycle at any point - starting with a story, a discussion, a practical activity, or a reflection. Once you're in the cycle, it keeps turning.

Story (Theory)

What stories do you tell? What concepts, ideas, or information do you introduce? Think about: What are you teaching them? How do you present it? Lectures, readings, videos, case studies, demonstrations, examples - what's the content they're absorbing?

Discussion (Understanding)

Where do students talk through ideas to make sense of them? Think about: Seminars, tutorials, Q&A, peer discussions, online forums. Where do students explain concepts to each other, ask questions, make connections, work through confusion?

Play (Applied Theory)

Where do students practice and apply what they're learning? Think about: Labs, workshops, problem sets, projects, simulations, case studies, creative work, experiments. Where do they actually DO something with what they've learned?

Reflection

Where do students step back and analyse what they've experienced? Think about: Reflective writing, debriefs, learning journals, peer review, feedback sessions. Where do students analyse what happened, what they learned, what worked, what didn't, and why? Do they have opportunities for quiet reflection?

How does this cycle repeat and deepen across your course?

Each time through the cycle, students should be working at higher complexity. How does the challenge/difficulty increase from Week 1 to Week 12?