Action Learning Center

Why Action Learning?

Think about some of your most memorable moments. Have they come with fun, excitement, struggle and challenge? How about significant moments of self-discovery and personal learning?

The USM Action Learning Center (ALC), combining 15 years of experience and research, has been providing students of all ages, and members of many types of organizations, the kind of memorable moments described above-gained from participation in our array of programs. Our 70 acre facility in Freeport is the setting at which participants start their programs, then progress through sequential activities that bring them into fields and forest to experience the trust and support needed to successfully accomplish the low and high ropes elements-success defined by how they feel about themselves and their group when they leave.

Throughout the carefully sequenced series of activities, participants explore what it takes to effectively communicate with group members through participation in group problem solving activities- tasks that appear much simpler than they are! After the group works to complete the tasks, questions are focused on key factors of success - communication, support, listening, trust and many more. Particular emphasis is placed on inclusion of everyone's ideas. How did this relate to other areas of your life? Your work scenario? Your personal approach to challenges?

Each subsequent activity gives an opportunity for the group to bring concepts learned from earlier ones into play. Then the group begins to see itself getting better and better-or stuck on recurring problems-when the next challenge appears. This is referred to as "Action Learning."

As the program progresses, so may the physical challenge, where the trust and camaraderie gained in earlier activities is put to the test-through attention to safety and active spotting on the low ropes course, one of the favorite parts of an action learning experience.

The final segment of the program usually includes the team/personal challenge of the high ropes elements. With harnesses, helmets and ropes-and the most minute attention to safety-climbers ascend trees and traverse cables 15ft to 50ft in the air. This exhilarating experience puts every concept explored in previous activities into play, and challenges participants to trust themselves, their gear and their group.

Action Learning is an opportunity to change the learning environment, and find meaning in activities through action, metaphor and discussion. It is a unique chance to learn about oneself-and how one interacts with groups in a fun way. It is truly learning through experience.