The Inquiry Learning Cycle
An Adaptation of The Inquiry Learning Cycle for Adults
As we learned in the last newsletter, mental models play a huge part in our lives, knowingly or unknowingly. In today’s newsletter, I want to introduce you to a very helpful learning model called The Inquiry Learning Cycle that I would like to adapt and expand on to make it easier to apply. My hope is that these explanations and adaptations can help you to adopt this learning cycle into your life.
Funny thing is before I even started learning about learning cycles and frameworks, I created my own learning framework which I will introduce to you in another newsletter at a future date.
Tuning In
When we’re tuning in it means that we are paying attention to things that interest us or things that will help us to improve our lives. Interest and curiosity play a huge part in being able to learn well and remember what we learn for longer periods of time. Interest and curiosity are important, but things that will help us progress in our careers are just as important and should not be neglected when it comes to living our lives well.
Imagine tuning in like a signal for you to dig deeper.
Finding Out
This is when you take the time to dig deeper. Read every book and article, and watch every video you can about the particular topic you have ‘tuned in to’.
I highly recommend using what is called the zettelkasten method to take high-effective memory enhancing notes. You can read the short review of How to Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens to get a better idea about the zettelkasten method or watch this video that I took and have since adapted even futher.
Sorting Out - Making a Plan
This step is when you take what you have learned and try making connections. Make a plan of action. What knowledge that you have gained do you want to make part of your life?
Journaling is a tool I use on a regular basis to help internalize the knowledge I’ve gained or any other issues that may have been going on in my life. I also use, in the same notebook as my journal, my notebook for writing down the plans that I want to complete.
Writing things down is one of the best ways to remember what you need to do but even more important is the next step of experimenting.
Going Further - Experimenting
Knowledge does not make much of a difference in one’s life until it becomes a part of one’s character. The best way to make knowledge part of your character is to act on it. And in order to get better at something you must continually experiment.
Take into consideration that this experimentation stage is referring to a new activity that you are not very familiar with. It’s like the discovery stage where you decide whether you want to continue doing the particular activity you’re experimenting with.
Taking for example, if you decide that you want to write a book then you can start experimenting with writing an outline then go from there to write 200 words per day. Start simple and easy then move up from there.
Making Conclusions - Reflecting and Feedback
Reflection is such an important part of learning and improving any skill. Even for people who have been working at the skill for a lifetime. The way I usually reflect is through my journal or simply by thinking upon the results of my actions. Writing your reflection, is, of course, the best option.
You can ask yourself questions like:
‘What went well?’
‘What could I have done better?’
‘Is this worth continuing?’
‘What will I do next time around?’
Feedback from other people is a great way to improve your work. I know sometimes it may be impossible or impractical to get feedback about your work but if at all possible whether it's a friend, mentor, or colleague the time invested in feedback will be worth it.
Let's also draw our attention to making conclusions as our time is extremely precious. We have such a limited amount of time that each choice we make should be taken with care even a decision as simple as what we eat for breakfast or how much time we spend reading. If you eat huge strips of bacon, grits smothered in butter, and fried eggs every morning then you’re bound to have a heart attack eventually. If you're reading too much and don't make time for experimentation or reflection then you're bound to stay stuck.
My point is that in order to make progress we need to conclude whether it is worth our effort, emotional attachment, and time to continue onto the next step of taking action and deliberate practice.
Taking Action - Deliberate Practice
Deliberate practice is defined as being effortful in nature, with the main goal of personal improvement of performance over a long period of time. Each time you perform you focus on a specific area of improvement while still taking into consideration areas where you can continue to experiment.
All of these points on The Inquiry Learning Cycle should be revisited on a regular basis. So even if you have got to the point of taking action and deliberate practice you're still going to be learning new tools to add to your repertoire that way you can build upon your previous experience and never plateau.
I wish you luck and continued success in progressing on your learning journey and hope that this newsletter has helped you understand your learning process better.
What are your thoughts about The Inquiry Learning Cycle?
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