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MONDAY, Oct. 17 (HealthDay News) --Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing isn't likely to replace conventional Pap tests as a cervical cancer screening tool among women older than 30, a new report suggests.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force published recommendations for cervical cancer screening in 2003, and researchers are now seeking to fine-tune these guidelines. The results from two evidence reviews, both published Oct. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, seek to clarify and improve upon these guidelines.
"Cervical cancer screening is a public health success story," said study author Dr. Evelyn P. Whitlock, a preventive medicine specialist at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore. "The number of women dying from cervical cancer has been cut in half due to regular screening."
But "there are still about 12,000 women diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and 4,000 women die from cervical cancer each year," she said. "We need to continue to improve so we have a fully successful screening program. We are trying to improve on success and that is a pretty high bar."
To compare the two types of testing, the researchers analyzed four studies they deemed of fair-to-good quality, encompassing nearly 142,000 women.
HPV causes many cases of cervical cancer, and incorporating HPV testing into cervical cancer screening programs may catch more at-risk women. However, the researchers found that HPV testing, on its own, yields too many false positives which results in unnecessary testing, anxiety and health care costs for many women.
According to the new report, HPV testing is more sensitive, but less specific than the Pap test, Whitlock said. "This means that more women who have nothing wrong with them will test positive with HPV testing, and this may cause potential harm," she said.
During a Pap test, a doctor scrapes cells from a woman's cervix and a laboratory examines these cells for abnormalities. When a type of Pap test called a liquid-based cytology test is performed, testing for HPV can be performed at the same time.
Dr. Elizabeth A. Poynor, a gynecologic oncologist and pelvic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said this is a work in progress. "We are still learning how to incorporate HPV testing into our current algorithm," she said. "Women need to ask their physician which screening strategy is best for them based on their personal risk factors."
Another review article looked at the appropriate ages to initiate and discontinue cervical cancer screening. The authors conclude that screening for cervical cancer should continue to begin at age 21. If a woman age 65 or older has had an adequate number of normal Pap test results and is not considered high risk for cervical cancer, she can stop screening at age 65. Older woman who are considered at high risk for cervical cancer include those who have had previous high-grade cervical lesions or a history of cervical cancer.
Dr. Mark Wakabayashi, chief of gynecologic oncology at the City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif., said that the real issue is that some women never get either test. "The ones who don't get Pap tests are the ones who are dying from cervical cancer," he said. "We are trying to be more cost-effective with our screening for cervical cancer, but we don't want to mess with success."
More information
The American Cancer Society provides more information on cervical cancer screening.
SOURCES: Evelyn P. Whitlock, M.D., MPH, preventive medicine specialist, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Ore.; Mark Wakabayashi, M.D., chief, gynecologic oncology, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, Calif,; Elizabeth A. Poynor, M.D., gynecologic oncologist and pelvic surgeon, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Oct. 18, 2011, Annals of Internal Medicine
|Copyright©2010 ScoutNews,LLC.
All rights reserved


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Events across the Chicago area began Sunday to commemorate Memorial Day.
West suburban Naperville's leaders dedicated a new memorial to our fallen troops this Memorial Day weekend.
The bronze sculpture stands in Exchange Club Veteran's Plaza on the Riverwalk at Jackson Avenue just east of Webster Street.
It depicts boots, a rifle, a helmet and dog tags.
The sculpture was supposed to be a part of the plaza when it was built in 2008 but was eliminated due to cost. There was always an understanding it would be added in the future.
People were also out running for our troops and their families today in the western suburbs.
The 10th annual Got Freedom Race hit the road this morning in Arlington Heights. It's put on every year by Salute Inc, a non-profit organization that provides financial support to military men and women.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bontrager Solstice Cycling Jersey
Gear up for your next road ride in a cycling jersey that delivers an exceptional day on the bike. The Solstice short sleeve jersey combines breathable fabrics and a loose fit for ultimate comfort and freedom of movement. Three open back pockets are spacious enough for a spare tube and an extra croissant from the café.
Key features
- Soft, breathable, main material provides moisture-wicking performance
- Half-length YKK front zipper for ventilation on long climbs or warm days
- Three open back pockets provide convenient access to your ride needs
- Drop tail for cycling-specific fit
- Reflective elements enhance visibility for maximum safety
- Elastic waist for cycling-specific fit that stays put
- Non-restrictive loose fit allows for freedom of movement and casual style


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What's on the menu on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day? Champagne, of course, would be my beverage of choice with either of the below celebratory recipes. Wishing a happy, healthy and safe New Year to all.
Gravlax with Honey-Mustard Dill Sauce
Classically, gravlax is created by weighing down a whole fillet of salmon for 2-3 days with a mixture of sugar, salt and a thick packing of herbs. This version is cured with curry powder, cilantro and tequila and served with a dollop of crème fraiche.
Yield: about 20 servings
1 side salmon filet, skin on, about 2 1/2 lbs. neatly trimmed
1/2 cup tequila, vodka or other clear liquor of choice
1/2 cup coarse (kosher) salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup curry powder
1 large bunch cilantro, washed, spin-dried and roughly chopped
1 to 2 packages Westphalian style thinly sliced pumpernickel
Crème fraiche
Caper berries for garnish (optional)
1. Remove bones from salmon with tweezers or tip of a small knife. Pat salmon dry with paper towels.
2. Combine salt, sugar and curry and sprinkle 2 to 3 teaspoons of spice mixture on the bottom of a Pyrex or shallow earthenware dish, large enough to hold the fish. Place salmon, skin side down in the dish and pour the tequila over it. Rub the spice mixture into the salmon flesh. Cover with plastic wrap and weight down with a heavy object, such as a filled coffee can. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 days and up to 3 to 4 days. Turn the fish each day, basting with the liquid that develops.
3. When ready to serve, scrape the marinade from the fish and discard the cilantro and liquid. With a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut salmon into paper-thin slices on the bias, as for smoked salmon. (The remaining skin may be grilled or sautéed in a hot non-stick skillet rolled up and cut into thin slices for an optional garnish.) Serve slices of gravlax on pumpernickel points. Dab with crème fraiche and add caper berries if desired.
Plaza Cafè's Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto, Figs and Baby Arugula
Yield: One 10 to 12-inch pie
Balsamic vinaigrette*
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups washed and spin-dried baby arugula
1 ball basic pizza dough
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded Italian Fontina cheese
1 large red onion, thinly sliced and caramelized*
4 to 5 fresh figs quartered
6 ounces prosciutto de Parma, sliced paper thin
For the balsamic glaze (optional)
Reduce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar to 1/4 cup over medium heat
1. In a small bowl whisk together the shallots and balsamic vinegar. Slowly add the oil whisking it into the mixture: season to taste and toss with the arugula: set aside.
2. On a large, oiled, inverted baking sheet spread and flatten the pizza dough with your hands into a 10- to 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Do not make a lip. You may end up with a rectangle rather than a circle; the shape is unimportant, but do take care to maintain an even thickness, rolling out a necessary.
3. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to two levels of heat, medium-high and medium-low. The fire is hot when you can hold your hand over the coals for 3 to 4 seconds at a distance of 5 inches. Use your fingertips to lift the dough gently by the two corners closest to you, and drape it onto the grill. Grill the flattened pizza crust on a clean, well-oiled grill, about 2 minutes over medium-high heat. When crust is slightly puffy and the undersides stiffen slightly, flip crust to the cooler part of the grill and brush with olive oil. Within a minute the dough will puff slightly, the underside will stiffen, and grill marks will appear.
4. Toss the caramelized onion and cheese over the crust and scatter the dressed arugula over the cheese. Arrange fig quarters over the arugula and drape the prosciutto slices over the figs. Drizzle over balsamic glaze. Slide onto a cutting board: let rest a few minutes then slice through with a chefs knife or pizza cutter.
*Note: Caramelize the thinly sliced onions in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for 10 to 12 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently. Prepare the balsamic vinaigrette ahead then dress the arugula before placing on the pizza. The balsamic glaze can also be reduced ahead and set aside until needed.
Visit savoringthehamptons.com for Silvia's blogs and more recipes.


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Push Browser is a fully featured web browser for iOS device that lets you instantly share links across mobile devices and desktop browsers.
What makes Push Browser different from other solutions is that it also sends links from iOS to desktop by pushing data to the browser using Comet.
Suppose you're reading an interesting article on your favorite news website and need to leave for an urgent appointment. Simply click the extension icon in your desktop browser to send the link to your iOS device and Push Browser will automatically open the link, ready for you to view on the go.
It works the other way round too. When using your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, it is easy to come across long articles, maybe it's a page that's design-intensive or just isn't what you want to view at the moment. Push Browser allows you to send those articles or pages from iOS to your desktop browser with the push of a button.
Push Browser works by using a web service to connect your desktop browser to your iOS device. Once you have the app installed, all you need to do is download a browser extension from http://pushbrowserapp.com to get started.


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UFC Fight Night: Alexander Gustafsson scores TKO against Jimi Manuwa
LONDON — A rematch of 2013's "Fight of the Year" is halfway to reality, as Alexander Gustafsson (16-2 mixed martial arts, 8-2 UFC) scored a second-round TKO win over a dangerous Jimi Manuwa (14-1, 3-1).
The light heavyweight bout was the main event of today's "UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa" event at O2 Arena in London. It streamed on UFC Fight Pass. The result clears the way for Gustafsson to rematch current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, should he defeat Glover Teixeira in their April meeting.
Manuwa started quickly with a straight punch and kick to the legs at the opening bell. Gustafsson answered on the feet but then wisely took the action to the floor and immediately looked to attack the left arm from half-mount. Manuwa kept the limb safe but remained trapped on his back for much of the round. A late scramble saw Manuwa get to his feet with one minute remaining, but he couldn't capitalize before the end of the round.
There was a brief stoppage in the opening stages of the second round, as Manuwa received an accidental poke to the eye. On the restart, Gustafsson immediately pushed into a clinch, where a well-placed knee stunned his opponent. A series of pinpoint hooks then sealed the deal, as Manuwa crashed to the canvas, and the big Swede followed with more strikes on the canvas, forcing referee Marc Goddard to call off the fight at the 1:18 mark of the second frame.
Afterward, Gustafsson made it clear he wants a rematch with Jones, who downed him in a thrilling September 2013 matchup that wound up as a consensus pick for MMA's "Fight of the Year."
"Jon Jones, I want my title shot again," Gustafsson said. "I'm right here. Whenever you want."
Gustafsson is now 7-1 in his past eight fights. Manuwa loses for the first time as a professional.
In the night's co-feature, a lightweight bout that on paper seemed certain to dazzle fizzled in the cage as Michael Johnson (15-8, 7-4) outpointed former training partner Melvin Guillard (31-13-2, 12-9).
Throughout the three-round matchup, Guillard waited to uncork the perfect power punch. However, the patience proved problematic, and Johnson seized the initiative with persistent combinations, refusing to let his opponent bait him into a fight-ending counter.
The bout was technical, if not entirely exciting, but Johnson walked away with a convincing decision win with score of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.
Complete "UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa" results include:
Alexander Gustafsson def. Jimi Manuwa via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 2, 1:18
Michael Johnson def. Melvin Guillard via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Brad Pickett def. Neil Seery via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Gunnar Nelson def. Omari Akhmedov via submission (guillotine) - Round 1, 4:36
Ilir Latifi def. Cyrille Diabate via submission (neck crank) – Round 1, 3:02
Luke Barnatt def. Mats Nilsson via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:24
Claudio Henrique da Silva def. Brad Scott via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Igor Araujo def. Danny Mitchell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Louis Gaudinot def. Phil Harris via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:13
John Morgan also writes for MMAjunkie.com
Matt Erickson contributed to this report.


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There are various math functions which currently return a second value via a pointer given in the argument list. For example:
gentype fract (gentype x, gentype *iptr)
gentype sincos (gentype x, gentype *cosval)
A common use for sincos might be the construction of rotated unit vectors, where it would be useful to write:
float a;
vec2 v;
v = sincos(a);
Unfortunately with sincos in it's current form it's impossible to do this without a temporary variable, as taking the address of a vector component is illegal.
//This is illegal
vec2 v;
float a;
v.x = sincos(a, &v.y);
// So it has to be this
float t;
v.x = sincos(a, &t);
v.y = t;
This is just one use case though, and having (for example) sincos return a vec2 would stop the following
float16 a;
float16 sina, cosa;
sina = sincos(a, &cosa);
The problem here is that the function is really trying to return two values, and C has the limitation that it only has a single return value. It could return a struct, but that would need the definition of a struct for every function that wanted to do this, including all overloaded versions. Language such as Python solved this by using n-ples (n element tuples) and I think the would be a good addition to the OpenCL language. The result would be code like this:
float a1;
vec2 v;
(v.x, v.y) = sincos(a1);
float16 a2, sina, cosa;
(sina, cosa) = sincos(a2);
//Dummy definition of sincos to show function definition
(gentype, gentype) sincos(gentype angle) {
return (sin(a), cos(a));
In some ways this can be thought of as an anonymous struct. Maybe normal brackets are the wrong thing to use to group n-ples, as I think that return statement might already have a meaning, but that's just syntax. Adding this would make code nicer to read, and has the advantage that it's obvious to the compiler that the variable 'cosa' in the above example is being overwritten, meaning any previous value does not need to be preserved making some optimisations possible.
Any comments?


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All Soul's
Episcopal Church
All Soul's Episcopal Church invites the public to join the Amazing Love Healing Ministry for a Healing Conference featuring the teaching of Pastor Sharon Lewis and the Rev. Ron Kuykendall, Friday, Jan. 25, at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 26, at 9 a.m.
The event is free and open to both men and women.
All Soul's Episcopal Church is located at 14640 N. Cleveland Ave., North Fort Myers.
Branch of Life
Christian Fellowship
The Branch of Life Christian Fellowship is a bilingual, spirit-filled, contemporary Christian church.
Sunday services are at 10:30 a.m. with Children's Church provided. Wednesday Bible Studies are at 7 p.m. All faith backgrounds are welcome.
Call the church office at 239-464-4803, or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Cape Alliance Church
Cape Alliance Church's current sermon series is "Journey with God; cure for a wasted life."
Cape Alliance Church is located at 4307 Skyline Blvd., Cape Coral. Telephone: 239-542-7844. On the Web: Cape4Christ.com. Sunday worship celebration is at 9:30 a.m. - family atmosphere, casual dress. Nursery care through age 4; Children's Church for children age 5 through 5th grades.
Cape Baptist Church
Come celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with Cape Baptist Church this Sunday, Dec. 23, at 6 p.m. The choir will be presenting the Christmas story in song. Following the musical presentation we will be having a candlelight service. You and your family are invited to attend this special, free event so don't miss out!
Other church events: Ladies Bible Study, Friday, at 10:30 a.m., and AWANA, Wednesdays, at 6:30 p.m.
Join the church this Sunday as Pastor Holler continues his series in 1 Timothy.
Cape Baptist Church is located at 435 S.E. 10th Terrace in Cape Coral. For additional information, call 239-242-8022
Cape Christian Fellowship
Cape Christian Fellowship has a worship time and style to fit everyone. Services are Friday at 6:30 p.m., Sunday at 8:30, 9:45 and 11:15 a.m. Church online is Sunday at 11:15 and Wednesday night at 8.
Cape Christian Preschool has just opened a new classroom - for more information or to schedule a tour, please call 772-5781.
Cape Christian is located at 2110 Chiquita Blvd. South, 1/3 mile north of Veteran's Parkway. Visit www.capechristian.com or call 239-772-5683.
Cape Coral Church of Christ
Cape Coral Church of Christ invites everyone to learn to understand the Bible. Come and join the congregation for Bible study and worship services:
n Sunday, 9:30 a.m., Bible Study
n Sunday, 10 a.m., worship
n Sunday, 6 p.m., worship
n Wednesday, 7 p.m., Bible study
Cape Coral Church of Christ is located at 1010 S.W. 20th Ave. For information, call 239-283-4880.
Cape Coral
Community Church
Cape Coral Community Church will hold three Christmas Eve Candelight Services Monday, Dec. 24, at 4, 5:30 and 7 p.m.
Bring the whole family and experience the sight and sounds of the season. Enjoy singing carols, hearing the Christmas story and candle-lighting, while singing "Silent Night." There will be a special performance by Teen Challenge. Please bring a canned food item to support the local food pantries.
Cape Community Church is located at 811 Santa Barbara Blvd. For information, visit www.capecoralchurch.com
Cape Coral First United Methodist Church
It's A Wonderful Life Advent Preaching Series continues Sunday Dec. 23 with "It's A Wonderful Life-Love."
Christmas Eve Candlelight Services:
n 5 p.m Children & Family Service
n 7 p.m. Candlelight Service
n 11 p.m. Candlelight Service
Bring a new family to one of our dynamic Christmas Eve Services.
Every service features beautiful music, a dynamic Christmas message, and the magic of carol and candles.
GriefShare is a special seminar and support group for people grieving the loss of someone close. Classes are Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Parlor (room 104). Each GriefShare session includes a video seminar and group discussion. During small group discussion time, you'll have the opportunity to interact with others who have experienced a recent loss, learn about their experiences and share your own. GriefShare is a nondenominational group and features biblical teaching on grief and recovery topics. You are welcome to begin attending the GriefShare group at any session. Each is "self-contained" so you do not have to attend in sequence. You will find encouragement and help whenever you begin.
Foundations Early Learning Center provides childcare; preschool and afterschool care for children from infants to 4 years old in a new facility as part of the growing family & youth programs at Cape Coral First United Methodist Church. Free VPK is being offered. The preschool's website is www.foundationselc.org. It offers small class sizes with an experienced staff and affordable rates. A discount is available for children of "first responders" (police, fire, EMT) as well as Lee County teachers. Come visit, tour the facility, and meet Director Mary Richardson. For information, contact firstname.lastname@example.com or call 239-542-4051.
The Intersection Youth Ministry of Cape Coral First will be talking about Temptation and how to avoid it. The group will be looking at the life of Solomon from the Old Testament. Middle school students meet from 5-7 p.m. and high school students meet from 7-8:30 p.m. All students gather in The Intersection Youth Center, located on the upper floor of the church. Our Curbside Caf will also be open! All students, 6th -12th grade are welcome!
Cape Coral First is located at 4118 Coronado Parkway, Cape Coral. Phone: 239-542-4051. www.capecoralfirst.org .
Sunday services are at 8:45 a.m. - Traditional Service, and 11 a.m. - Casual Service. Come as you are!
Christian Church
Have you put the ornaments on your Christmas tree yet? Crosspoint Christian Church got some ornaments that you probably need, not for your tree but for your life. Crosspoint invites everyone to its new message series, "The Christmas Tree," began Sunday, Dec. 9. This three-week series will focus on the ornaments of hope, grace and love that all of us could use in our lives.
Crosspoint is located at 204 S.W. 11th Place, Cape Coral. Worship services are at 8:30, 9:50 and 11:10 a.m. every Sunday. A safe, enriching program for children birth through elementary is available during all three services.
For more information visit us at crosspointcape.com
DayBreak Fellowship
DayBreak Fellowship meets for a contemporary worship service at 6 p.m. Saturdays in the sanctuary of New Hope Baptist Fellowship, 431 Nicholas Parkway E., Cape Coral. Kids Church for children age 5 through 5th grade is available during the worship service along with a safe and caring nursery for babies through age four. Adult Small Group meets at 5 p.m. prior to the worship service.
The women's small groups will have a Christmas party and ornament exchange Sunday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. Locations vary; please call the church office for further information at 573-9009.
'Epiphany Episcopal Church
Epiphany Episcopal Church is located at 2507 Del Prado Blvd., S., one block south of Veterans Parkway.
Refreshments will be served following the service. For more information, contact John Geib at 574-3200.
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Cape Coral
The church invites everyone to its special Christmas Cantata next Sunday, Dec. 23, at 10:25 a.m., and the candlelight service with Lessons in Carols on Christmas Eve from 6-7 p.m.
Sunday morning worship service starts at 10:25 a.m., to noon. Adult and Youth Sunday school classes, ages 2 through 8th grade, are offered starting at 9:15 a.m. During the worship service, a Sunday school hour for infants to Pre-K is available. Sunday evenings at 5:30, dinner is held together in Fellowship Hall followed by a time of prayer at 6 p.m. The children's program and youth group meet on Sunday nights as well. There will be no evening activities Dec. 16.
The new year is just around the corner and Women of the Word is kicking off the 2013 year with an exciting new bible study! Starting Jan. 15, the women of EPC will be studying the book of Galatians. Two sessions are being offered, 9-11 a.m., and 6:30-8 p.m. If you have small children, bring them along, we have exciting activities planned for them! (Note: only in the 9-11 a.m. session). Registration will begin soon!
Counseling services are offered to individuals, couples and groups. All of us, from time to time, face challenges that threaten our security and exhaust our emotional and spiritual strength. It is not God's design that we struggle through these difficult times alone help is available. Colleen Shue is our new Director of Counseling. Call 549-5556, extension 18, to make an appointment. No fees for church members and a sliding scale fee for non-church members.
Evangelical Presbyterian Church is located at 701 Mohawk Parkway, across from Wal-Mart on Skyline Boulevard. For more information on Evangelical Presbyterian Church visit www.epchurch.net or call 549-5556.
Faith Bible Fellowship
Looking forward to Christmas is our Christmas series continuing this week through Christmas. The church is looking at Old Testament Prophecies pointing to the coming of the babe in a manger. Sunday morning, Dec. 23, The church will have a special play by our children and youth: The Christmas Box.
Faith Bible Fellowship is a young church in town with ordinary people, but an extraordinary God! Pastor Dan Roth and the FBF family invite everyone join the church for Praise and Worship service Sundays at 10 a.m. It meets at the Cape Coral Youth Center, located off of Santa Barbara Boulevard and Mid Cape Terrace, at 315 S.W. 2nd Ave., Cape Coral. For more information or directions, visit FBF411.com or call us at 239-458-0020.
Living Waters Family Worship Center
Living Waters Family Worship Center is a non-denominational, full-gospel, Holy Ghost-filled Christian church ministering in the Cape Coral/North For Myers area. It is a house of worship dedicated to prayer, praise and the teaching of God's Word.
Intercessory Prayer: 8 a.m.; Adult and Children's Sunday School, 9 a.m.; Sunday Morning Worship, 10:15 a.m.; and Wednesday Evening services, 7 p.m.
Living Waters Family Worship Center is located at 1025 Santa Barbara Blvd., in Cape Coral. Visit www.livingwatersfwc.org.
Lucy's Love
and Light Ministries
Everyone is welcome to attend Lucy's Love and Light Ministry Christmas Spectacular.
The event will begin at 12 p.m., today, Dec. 22, and will feature hot meals, food, clothing, Christmas presents, music, and other wonderful gifts to those in need. We will be helping the homeless, needy and children of our community.
We expect to help at least 300 children and around 400 people altogether. Lucy's Love and Light Ministries is located at 2900 North Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers.
Visit www.lucylovelightministries.org or call (239) 321-1543.
Messiah Lutheran Church
Come drive through Messiah Lutheran Church's annual Live Nativity Diorama tonight, Dec. 15, 7-9 p.m. A costumed cast re-enacts scenes from Bethlehem on the church grounds located 1 mile West of US 41 on the corner of Pine Island Road and Corbett Road. Bring family and friends, and enjoy the true meaning of the season. Free will offering.
Messiah Lutheran Church will hold a concert on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. The concert is called "Light One Candle," come join the Messiah Chancel Choir, Handbell Choir and the Messiah Motet Ensemble as they celebrate the four Advent themes of peace, hope, joy, and love. Enjoy many of your favorite songs of the season accompanied by an instrumental ensemble. Freewill offering. Info: 239 995-0133.
Trinity Reformed Church
Trinity Reformed Church of Cape Coral will hold the following services and programs Sunday, Dec. 23:
10:30 a.m. - Sunday morning worship service - Sermon: "The Birth of a Savior" (Luke 2)
6 p.m. - Reading of the Nativity Accounts: "Glory to God: Good News to Men: Messages from the Nativity Accounts." (Selected Scripture from Matthew and Luke)
The messages will be offered by Stephen Wetmore.
Our Missionary of the Month is Dr. Sylvia Martinez. She runs the Luke Society in the Dominican Republic, giving care to the poorest of the poor among the people of that country and to Haitians near the border who work the sugar can fields.
Trinity Reformed Church is a member of the United Reformed Churches of North America, a federation of churches located throughout the United States and Canada. We are part of the wider Reformed and Presbyterian family of churches.
Listen to the church's sermons every week for free at www.sermon-audio.com/trinityreformed. Trinity Reformed Church is located at 2220 Hancock Bridge Parkway.
For more information, call 239-574-1424.


text:
Noah Trister
EAST LANSING, Mich.: Braxton Miller threw for 179 yards and ran for 136, and No. 14 Ohio State held off No. 20 Michigan State 17-16 on Saturday, giving Urban Meyer a win in his first Big Ten game as Buckeyes coach.
Miller put Ohio State (5-0, 1-0) ahead 17-13 with a 63-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith in the third quarter, and the Buckeyes� maligned defense held Le�Veon Bell and the Michigan State running game in check. Meyer becomes the third coach to start 5-0 in his first season at Ohio State. Carol Widdoes and Earle Bruce also did it in 1944 and 1979.
Michigan State (3-2, 0-1) has lost four home games in a row against Ohio State.
Michigan State took a 13-10 advantage in the third on a terrific individual effort by Keith Mumphery. With the ball on the Ohio State 29 after a personal foul call on the Buckeyes, Mumphery took Andrew Maxwell�s short pass and eluded four tacklers before dragging a couple more Buckeyes into the end zone.
The lead didn�t last long. Miller barely picked up a first down with a run on third-and-1, then lofted a deep pass on the next play to Smith, who beat Johnny Adams along the right sideline to put Ohio State ahead to stay.
Miller turned the ball over three times in Michigan State territory, including a fumble early in the fourth � but the Buckeyes actually caught a break on that play. The ball bounced right to Kurtis Drummond of the Spartans, who began running down the right sideline before the play was blown dead and Miller was ruled down.
The call was reversed after a review, giving Michigan State the ball at its own 32 � but the Buckeyes were saved from a big return that would almost surely have followed if the call had been correct to begin with.
The Buckeyes then appeared to have stopped the Spartans when Maxwell under�threw a pass on fourth-and-1 from the Ohio State 44, but Travis Howard was called for defensive holding on the opposite side of the field, keeping the drive alive.
Dan Conroy�s 48-yard field goal pulled Michigan State within a point with 7:07 remaining.
Miller remained down holding his left knee after his fumble but was able to come back the next time Ohio State had the ball. The Spartans forced a three-and-out anyway and took over at their own 20 with 5:39 left, down 17-16.
They could manage only one first down before having to punt, and they never got the ball back.
Miller was 16-of-23 with an interception. Maxwell went 22 of 42 for 269 yards.
Bell ran for only 45 yards on 17 carries for the Spartans.
Ohio State drove 75 yards in eight plays to open the game, taking a 7-0 lead on Jordan Hall�s 1-yard scoring run. Miller had runs of 20 and 13 yards on the drive, but he was hit along the sideline at the end of the latter one and was shaken up.
He had to leave the game but was back for his team�s next possession.
The Spartans answered immediately with a 34-yard field goal by Conroy, and that was all the scoring for the half. Miller threw an interception and lost a fumble in second quarter, but Conroy missed a 42-yard attempt in the final minute.


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NO Water? No Water Pressure? Out of Water?
No Problem…
No Water?
There is nothing more irritating than going to take a shower at your Willow Creek house and find out that there is no water at all! No water pressure - what do you do?
Homeowners in Willow Creek contact the plumbers at Austin Plumbing Company for urgent help. No water means you are having a problem with your submersible well pump. Or, the problem could be with the pressure tank.
Well Pump With No Pressure
There are a couple of quick reasons you may find yourself with no water pressure in your Willow Creek residence. The electrical switch could be tripped causing no electricity to the well pump. There is also a chance the pressure switch could be failed. Flip the circuit breaker on and off, back to on and see if your well pump turns back on. Observe the contacts on the pressure switch. The contacts on the pressure switch should be clean and free of dust build up. Be careful there is 115 volts or 220 volts of electrical power supplying the pressure switch control. It is best to turn off all power when working on the well system even if you're observing from a close distance. Always turn off the power to the pressure switch before removing the cover.
Well Water
Do you know where your well is located on your property in Willow Creek? With the power off remove the well cap. Observe all electrical wires look for arching or any wire that may be burnt or shorted out. If you find a burnt or shorted out wire this will cause lack of well water. If all electrical connections appear to be in proper order turn the power back on and listen for the sound of your submersible well pump running. If you hear the pump running for a few seconds than turn off and back on again your well pump motor may need repair. If you are capable, disconnect the wires at the well location and check for proper electrical current.
If you are still experiencing no water, very poor water pressure, or water that is fluctuating up and down contact Austin Plumbing Company or give us a call at 262-367-3808. Plumbing help will be on the way to your Willow Creek residence.
Jet Pump Problems
Did you ever turn on a faucet to find no water pressure at all? If your well pump keeps losing pressure, or you continue to run out of water you could have one or more of these common water pump problems in your Willow Creek residence. Before assuming that there is no water at all in the well, check to see that your water pump is functioning properly. See if the check valve or foot valve could be causing the problem. In some cases, a hole in the pipe leading to the pump can occur. This happens most frequently between the pressure tank and the submersible jet pump. And of course there is a chance that the pump system has just quit pumping water.
Unfortunately, when a well pump decides to quit working often times there are no fore warnings signs. Did you know that the average life of a submersible well pump is 10 years? However, we have replaced many well pumps that have been in operation over 20 years. Residence of Willow Creek have found the product life can vary depending upon the quality of the water in the well. When areas have high iron and sulfur content, well pumps do not last as long.
There are several major brands of submersible well. A few common brands include Red Jacket Pump, Jacuzzi Pump and Myers Pump. This list is not a complete list but is a good sampling of the major brands found in the Willow Creek area we serve. Most well pumps manufactured today have a Franklin Electric motor. If you are experiencing any water pump problems or pressure problems please contact Austin Plumbing Company or call your Smell Good Plumber at 262-367-3808.


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Action Learning in a Nutshell
Robert L. Dilworth
There can be few tasks so daunting as to describe action learning in an abbreviated and concentrated way. Those who have experienced action learning know the wide variety of forms it can take. There can be vast differences of interpretation and application. The lack of a tightly defined framework can be a distraction, especially to those accustomed to curriculum design. On the other hand, the flexibility of action learning in promoting learning and elevating organizational performance can be highly attractive.
This article covers action learning in a contextual way, first, by relating it to two societal trends. Three examples are then provided that leave the reader free to interpret their significance and how they differ from traditional approaches to problem resolution. The remainder of the article then outlines action learning principles. The goal is an integrated view of action learning in application, including some contrasting beliefs.
Action learning is gaining in popularity as a way to improve performance, promote learning, and position organizations to adapt better in turbulent times. It is also seen as a way to develop the capabilities of individuals, teams, and overall organizations. An excellent report, Continuous Learning, published by the Canadian Centre for Management Development (1994), suggests that "some of the most interesting and promising innovations in management learning have taken the form of what is called action learning."
The number of corporations that have or are now using action learning approaches is growing. They include TRW, Inc., General Electric (GE), Andersen Consulting, Conoco, Whirlpool, Ameritech, and GEC (England). Public sector organizations are now also represented, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Defense Management Systems College (DMSC) of the U.S. Department of Defense.
Action learning, as a concept, dates back more than 50 years. It has, until recently, received more interest and attention outside the United States. Its roots can be traced to action research, a concept and term originated by the German psychologist, Kurt Lewin, in the 1940s (Weisbord, 1987, pp. 183-195). Reginald W. Revans, of England, originally an astrophysicist, pioneered the concepts related to action learning over more than 50 years ago. His effort is extensively documented and involved much in-depth research, including work in coal mines, hospitals, and with industry in Belgium.
Key Questions About Action Learning
Given the keen interest in action learning in the 1990s, the pivotal question becomes, "What is action learning?" There are associated questions as well: "Why is there so much interest in action learning today?" "How can action learning be applied?" "What are the perceived benefit values?" "How can action learning be related to performance improvement?"
This is when things get difficult because defining action learning is not easy to do. Action learning can take a variety of forms. In other cases, it can be closely interwoven with other organizational interventions. In such cases, a number of labels may apply, including organization development (OD), management development, team building, and transformative learning. Revans, even with all his writing on the subject, avoids defining "action learning". He is more inclined to describe action learning in terms of what it is not. Revans, in effect, holds the view that to try and build finite structures around it, as is usually done with management concepts, only robs action learning of its power. It can be like trying to sail the Queen Elizabeth II in a bathtub. A highly definitive concept with narrow parameters simply does not fit the subject. The eclectic nature of action learning, drawing from various disciplines, also makes finely chiseled depictions difficult.
My strategy for explaining action learning in this article is to frame it in relation to societal trends and the prism of practice. This will allow me to isolate some of the most basic characteristics and underpinnings associated with action learning.
I will begin with two broad societal trends that are perceived to be influencing present day interest in action learning. Then I will turn to three actual examples of action learning, two from the United States and one from Europe. What contributed to the positive results realized in each instance? The concluding coverage in my article will map some of the major features of what is commonly associated with action learning. This will also encompass some of the issues that can arise in implementing an action learning program and how to go about putting such a program in place.
Two Societal Trends and Their Implications
The first societal trend relates to significant disillusionment with initiatives to improve the quality of work life and performance. It is frequently expressed in terms of marginal results and knee-jerk, short-lived initiatives. The disillusionment often stems from management approaches that do not prove out. This can take several forms:
- The initiative was launched without a full awareness of its implications, and the workforce may have been left in the dark. This can be particularly true in downsizing situations. In a survey of 547 companies that had downsized, the American Management Association (AMA) found that operating costs had improved for fewer than half, while 77 percent experienced a decline in employee morale after downsizing (Boyett & Boyett, 1996, p. 54).
- Top management said they supported the initiative but then became distracted by crises and daily work activity, and the initiative died on the vine. It can also be a case of management losing heart when they do not see immediate results. This can be true with regard to quality management initiatives, even when experience shows that you can go through a productivity dip for one to three years while the quality program is being brought fully on line. In other cases, top management turnover occurred, and the workforce was immediately asked to go a different direction. Cynicism ensued. The net result can be deep reluctance on the part of employees to mobilize behind management initiatives except on a superficial level.
- Consultants came in, applied (or recommended) solutions, and then left systems that continued a downward spiral. Then, secondary consultants were called in to fix residual problems after the first intervention. This can lead to confusion of objectives and a workforce essentially immobilized by uncertainty.
The second trend relates to learning organizations and continuous learning. Interest in this area is now becoming pervasive, and there is reason to believe that it will be a lasting focus. There is an awareness that organizations as human systems must constantly learn to adapt if they are to survive. As the turbulence of the environments in which organizations exist accelerates, the learning must be continuous, as opposed to being anchored to intermittent formal training. This second trend also spawns intensive interest in workplace learning.
There are at least three questions that arise when considering the need to orient on learning organizations:
- What constitutes a learning organization? (The concept is still evolving.)
- How do you jump-start an organization to get it into a learning mode?
- How do you go about shaping the "organizational DNA" to sustain a learning organization culture once it is created?
I personally believe that the answers to these questions can be linked to action learning, and the number of corporations turning to action learning tends to confirm this. Action learning is usually discussed in relation to organizational learning and creation of a learning organization. In some cases, the organizations decide to try action learning out of disillusionment with approaches that failed. There can also be a belief that action learning can be an important vehicle for transformation of organizational culture, increasing the learning capacity of the enterprise and empowering workers.
Three Examples of Action Learning in Practice
Rather than launch into an explanation of what constitutes a learning organization and action learning, let me start with three examples.
Example 1: Computer Technology
I headed a major organization with hundreds of computers organized in an Intranet. The organization was highly dependent on this communication mode for tens of thousands of daily transactions in conducting its highly complex and diversified business operations. Therefore, the efficiency and responsiveness of the computer capability directly influenced organizational performance.
We observed that the computers were slow to respond in moving between screen images. Such time delays collectively constituted a major drag weight on performance. My internal computer experts had promised prompt resolution but failed to deliver. The problem persisted even after the national headquarters of the major computer firm was activated (I personally wrote a letter to the Chief Executive Officer), and further troubleshooting was accomplished. The computer firm expressed the belief that the problem was unfixable and that a new multi-million computer system would be required.
Convinced that a solution was possible, even after the further "expert" initiatives proved unsuccessful, I called together my 22 management trainees from the fourteen directorates in my organization. All trainees had basic computer literacy, but only two were on a development track to becoming computer specialists. While serving in the same large organization, some of the trainees had never met before. Most had never worked together.
I informed the trainees of the problem, its significance to the organization, our unsuccessful efforts to solve it, my belief that it could be solved, the importance of avoiding the cost of a new computer system, and my belief that working to solve the computer problem could constitute a wonderful learning experience. They were asked if they would be willing to take on this problem as a group. After huddling briefly, they came back and accepted the challenge. There were comments circulated in the organization that the trainees must be extremely naïve to believe they could resolve such a problem. Others commented about the unfairness of asking trainees to take on such a challenge. The trainees never showed any evidence that the problem was beyond their depth. On the other hand, the trainees did view the problem as extremely challenging. My computer experts offered to attend the organization meeting called by the trainees, but the trainees declined, preferring to follow their own instincts and call up specific expertise as appropriate.
What happened? A month later, the computer problem had been fixed. The trainees briefed their problem solving approach to me, the in-house computer experts, representatives from the national computer firm, and other computer organizations. There was high interest in how a seemingly intractable problem had been overcome.
It became apparent in listening to the trainees that they had explored some avenues not explored by others. Their problem solving approach was of their own design. They found an array of causal factors rather than any single problem driver. Because our computer system interfaced with others in the overall organization, the trainees had gone outside our organization. They found sister organizations suffering with the same inefficiency. The trainees therefore adopted a total systems approach and set about solving the problem in the other organizations as well. The trainees statistically demonstrated that their time expenditure in doing the problem solving would be quickly amortized in terms of measurable improvements in organizational performance. They also gave considerable thought to what they had learned and classed it as one of the best learning experiences of their lives. A camaraderie grew out of the experience. They had bonded as a group and asked to be allowed to take on other complex troubleshooting projects.
What are the implications and lessons learned?
- Because they did not know a great deal about computers, the trainees were induced to ask fresh questions.
- The problem was real, and once they accepted responsibility for the project, they were expected to solve it.
- Trainees did not know enough to start with customary troubleshooting techniques. They invented their own process.
- They drew fully on the intellectual resources of their trainee group. There was no leader. They operated as equals in a trusting environment.
- They were absolutely certain of top management support and backing.
- They broke their overall group of 22 down into smaller groups of roughly six each to examine various aspects of the problem as they understood it.
Example 2: Florida Power and Light
Florida Power and Light (FPL) was the winner of the Deming Prize for Quality in 1990. This is a Japanese award named after an American, Edward Deming. FPL was the first U.S. corporation to earn the award. It was also the first major quality initiative related to the service sector, as opposed to manufacturing, in the United States.
At about the time that they earned the Deming Prize, FPL had experienced a difficulty with its power generation systems. In fact, the problem had persisted for several years, and various task force attempts to solve it had failed. FPL was experiencing an unacceptable inefficiency relating to the conversion of energy to electricity in its power generation systems. Electricity generated was significantly less than it should have been, based on energy input to power generator systems. They called together a team of people from different FPL areas to troubleshoot the problem. Team members had not worked together before as a team. They had a range of skills.
The team solved the problem, developed a strong team spirit (they asked the company to continue them as a team for other problem solving), and gave their presentation of results in shirts with their self-determined team name, "Drips," embroidered on them. The team name related to some of the problem sources they had identified.
The "Drips" found that there were many individual problems, not one overriding circumstance that was causing the inefficiency. They found, among other things, that birds nesting on power lines across the state of Florida could lead to problems, one of them being shorting out of lines.
What are the lessons learned in this case?
- They were not mired down in the past. They started a new line of inquiry.
- They asked fresh questions. It represented unfamiliar territory to several of the team members. Therefore, they had to question assumptions and explore avenues that traditional troubleshooting approaches might have overlooked.
- What they learned achieved some breakthroughs in thinking about problems of the type addressed. In other words, the established company knowledge in this area had to be updated and modified.
- It was a real problem, and they were expected to solve it.
Example 3: Belgium
This example is drawn from the experience of Reginald Revans. Revans is recognized widely as the principal pioneer of action learning and has done much research in this area. The example involves the five universities of Belgium working with a number of larger companies, with the goal of elevating the economic performance of Belgium (Revans, 1982, p. 329). Begun in 1968, action learning was the technique of choice. Various companies identified pressing problems within their firms and an internal client organization dedicated to problem resolution. As this national program began, a group of five senior executives was brought together as a group (called an action learning set in Revans' parlance) to deal with problems within the various companies.
The five executives had never worked together before, and each came from a different background. Each executive was matched with a company and their problem. In every case, the executives had a background different from the company and problem they were being asked to examine. One of the executives who came from a major bank was asked to deal with the problem surfaced by the largest steel company in Belgium. The problem concerned the inability of the steel company to produce adequate quantities of alloy steel. They had strong technological expertise, and their research and development was of the first order, yet the Japanese outpaced them in the area of production.
Each executive worked with the firm assigned, and then the five executives met as an action learning set at regular intervals over the course of a year in sharing their learning experience and pooling their knowledge.
The executive examining the problem with the steel company interviewed a number of personnel, including the chief executive officer during his fact finding. In the end, he discovered that the problem of alloy steel production had little to do with production capability. The problem stemmed from company policy related to its compensation system that went back many years. All company compensation policies, from entry level to corporate board room, were predicated on tonnage of steel shipped. Since alloy steel is light weight, there was no incentive to bring production to the required levels. Once that became known, it became possible to correct for this constraint. An action learning set within the specific client organization of the company was then activated to determine solution options. In the end, many action learning sets of executives were formed in Belgium to address major industrial problems using this model.
What were the lessons learned?
- As was true of the other examples, working on unfamiliar problems triggers fresh questions.
- The energy and synergy generated by working with people from dissimilar backgrounds (the group of executives, in this case) can stimulate learning.
- The participating executives learned a great deal and developed their managerial expertise in the process.
Relating Theory to Practice
There are several fundamental aspects of action learning that relate to the examples given and the ability to stimulate continuous learning.
Change Versus Learning
Change now tends to outdistance our ability to learn. Established knowledge can quickly be outdistanced by the pace of new challenges and events. This happened in all three examples provided. Knowledge on hand tended to misdirect inquiry rather than facilitate problem resolution. It was only when new lines of inquiry and fresh questions were introduced that problems were overcome. In each instance, the organization learned new ways of coping with problems. Those working in the groups (sets) learned the value of pooling their intellectual capital. The learning that occurred had greater value strategically for the organization than the immediate tactical advantage of early problem correction. The learning capacity of the participants and organizations involved was enhanced. This enhancement made the organizations better able to deal with change dynamics.
As Revans points out in all of his writing, you must capacitize organizations to learn apace with (ideally, faster than) change if you expect to survive. This has applicability to both individuals and organizations. If you fail to keep current from a competency point of view, as an individual, the degree of success you can expect to experience in your career will tend to be limited. The risks to an organization are equally severe as we enter the 21st century. You either become a learning organization or lose your competitive edge.
A way to explain the need for synchronization of change and learning can be related to the example of a small aircraft that encounters severe air turbulence aloft (analogous to the velocity of change in the environment surrounding organizations). The pilot, as the story goes, has three choices. First, she or he can slow down the aircraft. However, when the law of physics is taken into account, this will only add to aircraft instability. Second, the pilot can simply maintain speed. However, with the external environment moving at an accelerated pace, this also tends to produce instability. The answer lies in the need to increase the speed of the aircraft (in terms of organizations, this is the learning component). The point of the story is that the learning capacity of organizations tends to lag behind the dynamics of what confronts them as we enter the 21st century. The answer lies in improving the intellectual capital and learning properties of organizations.
Learning Comes First
The most important link to action learning is that you bring people together for reasons other than problem resolution. You want a problem solved, but the primary value is in the learning that occurs. You want to build the learning capacity of the organization as a way to boost organizational performance. Therefore, the employment of action learning is strategic rather than tactical. You need fresh thinking if you are to avoid responding to yesterday's challenges as today's problems and tomorrow's opportunities engulf you. The goal becomes dynamic equilibrium, with learning and change intertwined.
The Learning Equation
Revans suggests that learning is derived two ways–both through programmed instruction (which he calls "P") and questioning insight (the "Q"). The "P" comes through textbooks, lectures, case studies, computer-based instruction, simulations, and the like. This is an important source of learning but carries with it an embedded caution flag: the "P" is all based in the past. Therefore, it is unlikely to match precisely with today's needs. In the worst case, it fogs your lens and can lead you astray. That happened in each of the three examples given.
In every example provided, the pitfall of imperfectly constructed past knowledge was avoided by beginning with questioning insight ("Q") rather than by using past knowledge as the first reference point. There is great power in this conception. By going through the "Q" step first, you are able to begin gauging whether the information available is adequate to your needs. It will lead you to a determination of the relevancy of information. It will also point to areas that will require creation of new knowledge (new "P"). The key is to start with fresh questions, not with constructs from the past.
Problem versus Setting
As Revans reminds us, there are two kinds of problems and two kinds of settings where they are found. The problem is either familiar or unfamiliar. The same applies to the setting. Most problem solving to be accomplished in organizations is done in natural work teams in a familiar work area. This tends to make us comfortable with what we know and with the established way of thinking.
When we are asked to examine a familiar problem in an unfamiliar setting, it can open up our eyes to new alternatives. We may also find ourselves addressing an unfamiliar problem in a familiar setting. This was true to a large extent in the computer responsiveness problem I outlined. This kind of situation also causes us to ask fresh questions and reexamine our basic assumptions.
The Belgium case involved an unfamiliar problem and unfamiliar setting for the business executives involved. In addition, each executive was surrounded by unfamiliar colleagues. It promoted new ways of going about learning and problem solving. Revans considers this the most potent form of the action learning experience.
In action learning, you deal with real problems, not problems that have been prefabricated for instructional purposes. The best way to promote fresh questions and new thinking is by causing the problem, setting, and colleagues to be unfamiliar.
Action Learning Sets
Usually, action learning is accomplished in action learning sets of five or six to provide a group size that promotes ease of communication. A facilitator can be used. Some of us believe that facilitation should be used primarily at the start of an action learning experience and then quickly fade out. Revans believes that learners are their own best facilitators. There can be an important role for facilitators in helping the learners slow down their process in order to allow sufficient time to reflect on learning. Reflection is an important part of an action learning experience. Executives, in their impatience to move forward and solve problems, can find it extremely difficult to take time to reflect on what has been learned. When they are encouraged to do so, reflection on learning can represent a positive executive development and individual growth experience. A facilitator can help participants learn this skill. Members of the set, as part of the norming process, can also promote use of reflection in the learning process.
A Summary of Action Learning Fundamentals
- Questioning insight is always the start point.
- The problem must be real.
- The problem to be solved can be tactical or strategic, but the learning is strategic. You are striving to continuously upgrade the intellectual capital of the firm in terms of adapting to change and sustaining a competitive edge. This is a key ingredient of the learning organization.
- Reflection is as important as action. Learning journals/logs are a good way to induce greater reflection and enhance the learning that occurs.
- Three basic questions commonly begin the action learning process in addressing a real problem. First, what should be happening? Second, what is stopping us from doing it? Third, what can we do? This is reminiscent of Kurt Lewin's Force Field Analysis (Driving Forces and Restraining Forces) (Weisbord, 1987, pp. 77-79).
- Learning is the primary goal, even though the problem solving is real and important. Learning is facilitated, to include breaking out of well-established mind sets by having the setting, the problem, and colleagues to some degree unfamiliar.
Why is Action Learning Gaining Attention?
What is driving organizations in terms of rapid environmental change requires rapid real-time adaptation. Action learning is well suited to this type of adaptation. Work complexity and organizational design also make it a natural intervention. Work complexity is moving downward in organizations as the need for timely action and multiple competencies grows. In its early use, action learning tended to focus on executives, as occurred in Belgium. Today, the realities of the workplace and growing competency base make it a model that can be used at all levels in an organization. In fact, in Sweden, action learning has even been employed in the K-12 classroom environment, with parents, teachers, and children participating in the experience.
The need for organizational integration in responding to change also fits well with action learning. The concept of action learning tends to be very egalitarian, with action learning sets operating without a designated leader. Any mantle of authority is usually left at the door. This makes action learning a good fit with self-directed work teams (SDWT). Such teams are rapidly becoming a feature of U.S. business organizations.
There is also a growing awareness of the learning challenge now confronting organizations. You see this in the choice of terms now becoming common place: organizational learning, continuous learning, life-long learning, deutero-learning (learning to learn), boundarylessness, self-ordering systems (chaos theory), integration with environment, learning organizations, building (and sustaining) intellectual capital, self-directed learning, the emerging concept of the chief learning officer (CLO), and virtual organizations. Because of the significance assigned to real problem solving and unfamiliar venue, action learning meshes well with the need for spontaneity and speed of adaptation. TRW has a program designed to underwrite its emphasis on globalization. It involves taking executives away from their corporate site to work on such issues in action learning sets. TRW then may send them overseas in order to further induce fresh thinking and elevate the degree of learning taking place.
Action Learning As Distinct Phases
Let me tie the concept down as a progression of phases. Each phase sets the stage for the next phase. It is a cascading effort.
- By placing individuals in unfamiliar settings and having them work on unfamiliar problems, you induce fresh questions. When we are out of our comfort zone, of necessity we must look at things through a different lens.
- When you ask fresh questions, you begin to unfreeze and reshape your underlying assumptions. It can be transformative learning.
- As assumptions come into question, they are either confirmed, modified, or rejected. When we end up changing the texture of our assumptions, we then begin to create new mental models.
- The new mental models, together with the shifts in underlying assumptions that prompted them, cause reassessment of the programmed knowledge ("P") at our disposal. This causes us to reject some of the "P" available and replace it with new "P".
- The learning capacities and performance levels of the enterprise are enhanced by the renewal accompanying generation of new knowledge and questioning insight ("Q").
Implementing Action Learning
Broadly conceptualizing action learning is one thing, but how do you go about the actual process of implementation? The concept can be strongly resisted. The training community can see such an experiential approach as threatening to long-established training programs. It can even be viewed as placing traditional training jobs in jeopardy. Top management can frown on it because it does not fit the established mold. It can be a desire for quantitative results. Action learning can and has produced this, but it can be difficult to measure results in traditional ways and in the short term. How do you go about gauging the increase in learning capacity of the organization? While some tools for doing this are emerging, it is still in its early stages. Top executives can also resist on the basis that it seems nonsensical to take executives out of their primary area of expertise and assign them responsibilities for solving a problem outside the bounds of that expertise.
What follows is an abbreviated sequential look at steps in implementing an action learning program.
Gaining Early Understanding and Support
As already outlined, both the training community and top management can resist an action learning approach. Therefore, it is important that they understand the rationale behind it and how the concept is being used elsewhere. It can be useful to expose both trainers and top executives to the concept, including the opportunity to meet with those who have used the action learning process. Trainers need to understand that the introduction of action learning does not cause the human resource development (HRD) function to go away. It simply changes the focus and kinds of skills HRD professionals need to possess.
This early acquisition of support is critical. Without such support, only a limited action learning program is usually possible.
Cultural Receptivity
If the culture of the organization is lacking in trust, this can be a major impediment to action learning. It operates best in a wholesome organizational climate. If the organization is heavily authoritative or status-conscious, this can also impose a constraint. Fear and uncertainty also work against action learning as an intervention. If top management is really on board, action learning can be employed to transform organizational culture in arriving at a more trusting and productive work environment. It can be an important force in opening up communication flows. But you do need very strong leadership at the top to bring about such a change. This is really true of any major shift of organizational direction, not just that specific to action learning.
Selecting a Problem
Because action learning is strategic and primarily designed to promote learning, the problem needs to be selected carefully. This also relates to how you will use your small groups (action learning sets). One option is to have the set take on a shared problem as was true in the computer problem case example. Another approach is to have each member of the five or six member set work on a different problem but learn from each other (the Belgium model).
Problem selection (and how you use the action learning set) can also serve strategic interests of the organization. For example, a problem might be selected for the set to work on that causes integration of various processes across the organization. If each member of the set operates on a separate problem, the set members individually need to be capable of dealing with the complexity involved, because while they can draw on the views of other set members, they will be left to deal with their own focus area and much of the fact finding and analysis.
Determining Set Composition
The determination of who will be in an action learning set is again strategic. It is not something that should be done randomly. There can be value in bringing people together from different organizations to work on a problem. Beyond the potential value of an unfamiliar problem for learning purposes, such a cross-section can help build organizational integration through creation of networks that did not exist before.
There can be an issue around voluntary versus involuntary membership in a set. My own view is that volunteers are desirable, but set assignment itself needs to fit strategic interests. If set selection is voluntary, you can end up with a clique of friends or people with compatible views. Your goal is to build in diversity. The problem solving and learning properties tend to be elevated through incorporation of a variety of perspectives.
Learning styles are another important factor in set selection. If you have all activists in a set and no reflective types, you can end up with a rush to judgment. Presence of reflectors will help slow the process sufficiently to better consider available options. It should also allow greater focus on the learning taking place. The Learning Style Questionnaire (LSQ) developed by Peter Honey and Alan Mumford (based on David Kolb's model) specifies four learning styles (activist, reflector, theorist, and pragmatist) (Mumford, 1993, pp. 53-57). It is not a case of being one or the other. There are cases of an individual being strong or weak in all four types. It represents how we communicate, view our world, and what we emphasize in our life experience. It can be a gauge to how well we listen and what we hear. Strong activists can be disinclined to spend time in a reflective mode. While no instrument is fail safe, the LSQ can be helpful in balancing set composition. In addition to learning styles, it is also useful to balance gender, age, and ethnicity in sets. This adds diversity and richness.
The Facilitator Role
It is common to employ a facilitator with a set. As mentioned previously, there are wide differences of view on this. A good start point is to consider the role of the facilitator. It can be an important role at the outset in helping the set norm itself in terms of interpersonal dynamics. If you are dealing with mature learners, the role becomes more problematic thereafter. The facilitator is not a member of the set, and the mere presence of a facilitator can influence (even damper) what occurs. As a reality of group dynamics, there is no such thing as a benign presence. I have seen facilitators rejected in several instances because of perceived interference with set operation or simply unwanted presence. The presence of a facilitator, even when they remain silent for the most part, can influence interaction within the set.
My own belief is that the facilitator can play a key role in "jump starting" the set activity and orienting the set members on basic fundamentals of action learning (e.g., all set members are equal; the importance of listening to the views of others). After that, I believe the facilitator needs to fade back to what can be called mentor status. The facilitator is available as needed and will provide perspectives related to action learning but never tell the set how to deal with an issue. How the set deals with its problem is left to the learners. In my experience, it can be wise to make the presence of a facilitator at a set meeting "by invitation only." Some advocates of action learning take a diametrically opposed view and believe that a facilitator presence at set meetings is necessary. My position is that people do not "learn how to learn" through the guidance of others so much as they do from creating their own meaning.
The Problem and Learning Balance
There can be a great urge to race forward to problem solutions in a set–and that is one of the goals. The learning can receive insufficient emphasis in such a situation. As a result, the action learning experience can become little more than another task-force-related excursion.
One way to avoid this common phenomenon is through proper priming of set activity at the start. This is something a good facilitator will do. It is also extremely useful to have set members keep a daily learning log, and then develop a reflective essay on the learning experience at program end. It can be beneficial to have participants think of several critical incident categories in making entries in their learning log.
- When was I most engaged?
- When was I most distanced?
- When was I most affirmed?
- When was I most puzzled?
- What was the single most important thing I learned today? Why? How will I capitalize on it in the future?
Self-Norming of the Set
Set members need to learn about each other early in the action learning experience. You need to make the time to do this. The facilitator can assist. What background and skills are at the table? How can they potentially contribute to problem resolution? During this early state, norms also need to be determined. A recent set I was associated with came up with these norms:
- We will meet only when all members can meet.
- We will debate earnestly but never attack one another.
- All will carry their share of the responsibility.
- We will listen to one another.
The norming process is particularly significant because there is no designated leader. Therefore, interpersonal relationships become critical. In my recent experience, sets have operated throughout the action learning process without a single leader emerging. All tend to share the role. This is, of course, also a product of careful set member selection so there is relative parity in intellectual level and how personalities mesh. When the norming process is short-circuited because of pressure to get on with problem solving, it can become necessary to reopen the norming process. I watched a set in 1996 cease problem solving activities for half a day until the group could come to a meeting of the minds on what had turned out to be unfinished business in the norming area. In this instance, one of the set members had displayed excessive dominance, and the set had to talk it through.
Because action learning sets operate as self-directed teams, they can be an ideal bridge for those organizations moving in the direction of self-directed work teams. Action learning promotes empowerment and self-reliance. I have also seen it significantly elevate the self-confidence of participants.
Dealing With The Client
Working with a client can be new ground for set members. The facilitator can assist as an agent in the process but should never act as the representative of the set. I recently saw a facilitator overstep the role in speaking for a set with the client–and with the set present. The facilitator did not enjoy the full respect of the set again. One or more set members may end up selected by their fellows to be liaison with the client. Such an arrangement can prove necessary, but all set members should meet with the client concurrently whenever possible.
Alpha, Beta, Gamma
Revans speaks of Alpha, Beta, and Gamma in relation to action learning. In order to provide an integrated overview of action learning, let me address these three indices briefly.
System Alpha, in Revans' definition, falls between the subjective and objective. It moves from personal values to external circumstances and internal resources. They were alluded to early in this article as the start point when an action learning set begins work. There are three questions that get asked. What should be happening? What is stopping it from happening? What can I do to remove the blockage? (Revans, 1982, p. 14)
System Beta relates to a five-stage process, endlessly repeated (as Revans describes it) as participants (set members) move toward their goals.
- Survey or observation.
- Hypothesis or theory (in formulating courses of feasible action).
- Experiment or test.
- Audit or evaluation (what happened?).
- Review or ratification (comparisons between expectation and experience) (Revans, 1982, p. 725).
Here you see the cycle repeating. As is done in action research, in effect, you research, act, review results, and repeat the cycle. It is trial and error, following the logic of the scientific method.
System Gamma is the interaction between the manager (or set member) and the situation she or he is trying to influence. (Revans, 1982, p. 348). This cannot be discounted. We are who we are and relate to events from our own unique framework of knowing. This is another reason why set members need to know other set members at a deep level. In the process, we also come to know ourselves better. This, by itself, can be an important learning outcome. System Gamma can end up being transformative of the individual learner and the organization involved.
What action learning can provide is elevated levels of discernment and understanding through the interweave of action and reflection. In a time of rapid change, it can be an intervention of choice. GE uses it throughout its global operations. In some cases, it takes the form of what is called the work-out, i.e., group work on real problems in real time, with key executives expected to provide on-the-spot decisions to employees as proposed solutions to problems are offered. At the higher levels of the company, it can take the form of change acceleration programs. Here you see the clear linkage between change and learning.
Action learning takes careful thought in execution. It can run cross-grain with established ways of doing business. While growing use of cross-functional (and global teams) is symbiotic with action learning principles, some corporations still think almost exclusively in terms of formal training. Since action learning can provide learning experiences outside the bounds of formal training programs, it can be viewed as a threat. The suggestion that people be considered for problem solving activity outside their expertise can also be viewed as a strange proposition.
One thing is clear. More and more corporations are turning to action learning because it is viewed as a way of transforming the culture and providing continuous learning. Some view it as the gateway to learning organizations. Most importantly, they have found it an excellent tonic for driving performance improvement.
Barker, A. (1997). Of…action learning, humanity, management and morality. Unpublished manuscript.
Boyett, J.H. & Boyett, J.T. (1996). Beyond workplace 2000. New York: A Plume Book.
Canadian Centre for Management Development (1994). Continuous learning (CCMD Report No. 1). Ottawa, Canada: author.
Chawla, S. & Renesch, J. (Eds.) (1995). Learning organizations: Developing cultures for tomorrow's workplace. Portland, OR: Productivity Press.
Dilworth, R.L. (1996). Action learning: Bridging academic and workplace domains. The Journal of Workplace Learning 8(6), 48-56.
Dixon, N. (1994). The organizational learning cycle. Berkshire, England: McGraw-Hill Book Company Europe.
Marsick, V. (1987). Learning in the workplace. London: Croom Helm.
Mumford, A. (1993). How managers can develop managers. Brookfield, VT: Gower.
Mumford, A. (Ed.). (1994). Authors and authorities in action learning. England: MCB University Press Ltd.
Pedler, M. (1996). Action learning for managers. London: Lemos & Crane.
Pedler, M., Burgoyne, J. & Boydell, T. (1991). The learning company. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Pedler, M. (1991). Action learning in practice. Vermont: Gower Publishing Company.
Revans, R. (1983). ABC of action learning. Kent, England: Chartwell-Bratt Ltd.
Revans, R. (1982). The origins and growth of action learning. Lund, Sweden: Student Litteratur.
Revans, R. (1980). Action learning: New techniques for management. London: Blond & Briggs, Ltd.
Revans, R. (1971). Developing effective managers. New York: Praeger Publishers.
Weinstein, K. (1995). Action learning: A journey in discovery and development. London: Harper Collins Publishers.
Weisbord, M. (1987). Productive workplaces. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
The late Robert L. (Lex) Dilworth was an Associate Professor Emeritus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, USA. He received his doctorate from Columbia University in Adult and Continuing Education. His specialties included human resource development (HRD), action learning, and organization development (OD). He spent a number of years involved with action learning internationally, including time spent in extensive collaboration with Reg Revans and Albert Barker of England, as well as Verna Willis at Georgia State University. Before he entered his educational career, he was a Regular Army Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. His military assignments included service as The Adjutant General (TAG) of the U.S. Army.
This article originally appeared in Performance Improvement Quarterly, 1998, Volume 11, Number 1, pp. 28-43.


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Adams feels fine after longest outing in four years
PHOENIX -- Phillies right-hander Mike Adams hadn't pitched two innings in relief since June 6, 2010 against Philadelphia when he was with the San Diego Padres.
But Adams went two innings on Thursday night in Los Angeles and got the victory, even though he allowed a game-tying home run. He struck out three and has looked strong despite making his season debut on April 18 after completing his right shoulder surgery rehabilitation.
"I feel fine. I was able to keep my pitch count down," Adams said. "I've found a routine that's working for me right now and I'm just trying to stick to the plan."
Adams said pitch count aside, he was needed for another inning so he worked the eighth against the Dodgers and shut them down.
"Really impressed with his command and his quality of pitches and he's down in the zone. Looks real tough on right-handed pitchers for sure," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said of Adams. "Threw some good sliders right out of the bullpen. Real effective with that, but he's throwing strikes, he's ahead of the hitters and from what I've seen, some hitters have had a hard time picking him up."
Sandberg attributed that to the "herky-jerky" nature of Adams' delivery and how he hides the ball, along with good pitch location.
Adams being in a groove isn't a good sign for National League West opponents. Adams, who Sandberg said was available out of the bullpen Friday despite his long outing, entered the Arizona series with a 1.27 career ERA against the division. It's the lowest ERA of any pitcher in Major League history against the NL West, with a minimum of 110 innings pitched.
NL West batters were hitting just .163 against Adams in his career going into Friday's game.
"It's always been fun pitching on the West Coast," Adams said. "The weather's a lot different. You don't tire out as easily. Other than here [Chase Field] and Colorado, the air is not so thin and there's bigger ballparks."


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Why 'Iron Man 3''s Mandarin Is the Best Comic Book Movie Villain of All Time
A funny thing happened over the weekend: $175 million worth of people saw Iron Man 3 and a lot of longtime Marvel fans left the theater unhappy. Why?
Spoilers Ahead!
About halfway through the film, Tony Stark learns that the Mandarin, the supervillain who has been making his life a living hell, isn't real. He's a bumbling, substance-addicted actor named Trevor, hired by Guy Pearce's Aldrich Killian to be a distraction from what's really going on. It's a huge twist, something that Marvel managed to keep entirely out of the marketing for the film in every way. Many viewers have argued that this twist completely deflates the movie, removing a potentially great villain from the film and tarnishing the legacy of one of Iron Man's most infamous nemeses from the pages of the comics.
Actually, it's this twist that makes the Mandarin one of the best and smartest comic book villains since, well, ever.
Let's sidestep the fact that the Mandarin is an awful villain on paper, a "yellow peril" Asian stereotype that may have been passable in the '60s but is wildly offensive today. Let's just accept that the character had to be completely and totally reconfigured for the modern era. What cowriter/director Shane Black and actor Ben Kingsley do is completely disarming and hilarious: they re-create him as the "Ultimate Supervillain." They make him a bad guy so over-the-top, silly and preposterous that of course he's a figment of the real threat's imagination. How do you quietly get away with doing evil? You simply create the perfect fake bad guy.
Iron Man 3 paints Aldrich Killian, the real villain of the movie, as being a media-savvy guy, a mastermind who knows how to divert the attention of the masses. He's like a movie producer -- he has a flair for the dramatic. For the first half of Iron Man 3, Kingsley's take on the Mandarin is actually pretty mysterious and chilling, but when Tony discovers the truth and the jig is up, the character's mystique deflates instantly.
But that's the point!
What do you need to create the ultimate bad guy? A complex wardrobe. A funny voice. A "master plan" that doesn't really make sense. It's easy to imagine Killian watching and taking notes from The Dark Knight Rises' Bane, seeing what the villains in superhero movies actually act like before creating his own. Heck, the Mandarin's whole "Super Osama bin Laden" schtick feels like something that was specifically focus-tested to frighten Americans. In short: the Mandarin isn't a great villain because he's actually a true threat. He's a great villain because he's a product, a goofy and dramatic boogeyman created by the real bad guy to allow him to work in the shadows, letting him continue to conduct traumatic experiments on wounded war veterans. For those who think Iron Man 3 is too goofy, let that sink in for a moment. That's one of the most chilling concepts ever created for a comic book movie.
And for comic book purists, it's not like the Mandarin doesn't actually exist. Kingsley's outing as a bumbling actor doesn't mean the threat isn't a real thing. All it does is increase the impact of the real lead villain, Aldrich Killian, who, as he says himself, is actually the Mandarin.
Let's talk about Killian/the real Mandarin. We know that he's the kind of guy whose experiments are turning vets into human bombs and randomly killing people around the country. We know that he's planning to privatize and control both terrorism and the government, creating constant supply and demand for his corporate interests. We know that he has a chip on his shoulder the size of a planet. We know that Guy Pearce plays him with the over-the-top menace of a classic '80s action-movie villain. We know that he has superpowers from his Extremis technology and can breathe fire (!). Most importantly, we know that he's the dark side of Tony himself, a monster our hero created a decade ago. We know that he's become a war profiteer, the one thing Tony has dedicated his life to never being.
In other words, the real Mandarin isn't the supervillain figurehead with the wacky wardrobe and the bizarre voice. He's something far more real and thematically satisfying. Pearce's performance may chew on the scenery, but his character's motivations are as down to earth and selfish as anything we've seen in the Marvel movie universe. He's a bad guy so smart that he creates a satire of an actual villain to take the blame for his crimes.
Now that's an amazing bad guy.
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Phonics Coloring Book
I've been working on a Phonics Coloring Book to help L learn her letters. We're doing a little home pre-schooling, and I thought this would be fun. L loves all the school activities, as long as it's a little laid back. She's only 3 after all.
The printable version of the coloring book is now in the shop. It includes a small book that you can print on regular letter paper with an opening for each letter of the alphabet. Each letter has a picture to color and space for little ones to practice writing their letters. In addition to the book, it also includes instructions for printing and assembling the book, and a full size coloring page for each letter, assembled as 2 easily printed pdfs. I drew pictures of animals and objects that my 3 year old would easily know to help her recognize the sounds and associate them with the letter. Also, I was careful to make the letters in fonts that actually look like the way you write letters, without all the extra flourishes, which can be confusing.
I'm giving away coloring pages for the letters L-O-V-E and a composite page, which would make a cute valentine coloring page. Download here or buy the entire printable book here. Share the love!
4 comments:
- Chara said...
Wow! Did Louise write her own name?
That is so cute.
- Laura said...
yes, Chara. She can write most of the letters herself, but usually won't. So I write her name lightly in pencil and she traces over it. So cute.
- wonderwheat said...
I absolutely love this! I've been thinking of making a little book sort of like this. When I taught at our church preschool last year I ended up doing a lot of random drawings to make into color or activity sheets for our class when we couldn't find printables that we liked. But all your drawings are so much nicer than mine. I need way more practice! Maybe I'll find more inspiration once Owen gets here. I'm already excited about home schooling and he's not even born yet. :o)
- Claire said...
I'm trying to decide whether or not to buy the "printable" book or the one already printed. How many pags. is the one that I print myself...I'monly asking because we have the worlds WORST printer, so it may make a difference! Thanks, friend. This is really perfect. Great child's gift, too! -Claire


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A Morehead City police officer shot by a fellow officer last week during training continues to recover in the hospital as the investigation into the incident progresses.
A Morehead City police officer shot by a fellow officer last week during training continues to recover in the hospital as the investigation into the incident progresses.
Officer Garrett Hardin, 22, was listed in fair condition Monday at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, where he has been hospitalized since the Oct. 2 shooting.
Hardin was shot in the sternum while training in the parking lot outside the Morehead City Police Department. Family members have said he was not wearing a bullet-proof vest at the time.
The State Bureau of Investigation has identified the officer involved in the shooting as Marvin Willis III, according to Noelle Talley, public information officer for the N.C. Department of Justice.
The Morehead City Police Department, however, is not releasing or confirming the identification, citing the pending investigation.
�Our investigation is still open and we don�t believe it to be public record information (until the investigation is resolved),� said Morehead City Police Chief Wrenn Johnson.
There is an internal investigation under way by the police department as well as an investigation being conducted by the SBI, which is protocol when there is an officer-involved shooting.
Johnson said that under department policy, she is to receive a report on the status of the internal investigation within seven days of the incident and the investigation is to be completed within 30 days.
Johnson was not specific but said there were several officers placed on administrative leave following the incident according to procedure in such cases, some of whom are back at work.
�Not all of them are back on duty. There were several people placed on administrative leave,� she said.
Hardin�s condition was improved from last week. He underwent extensive surgery Wednesday and was previously listed in critical condition.
Jannette Pippin is a reporter with the Jacksonville Daily News.