Mogan 7C Model of Action Learning: An Innovative Andragogical Tool for Youth Competency Development in Higher Education
1.0 The Problem: Ineffective Delivery of Youth Learning at Higher Education
Ineffective delivery of learning leads to problems such as unemployment among graduates that creates critical problems as the vast amount of money has been invested in developing such human capital. Unemployment among graduates in countries like Sri Lanka is very high. Though the unemployment among management graduates in Sri Lanka is about 10% (Fernando, Kularathne, Kumarasinghe, 2022), that of among Performing Aarts and Arts streams are 57.1% and 50.4% respectively (Sewwandi, 2022). The main reason for such high level of unemployment is skills mismatch. Attitudes of graduates also have contributed to the high unemployment rates (Hettige, 2000) as the teaching and learning process in the universities has been unable to develop employable graduates’ attitudes. Another critical reason is the education mismatch that is the mismatch between the required and offered educational level for a given job (Betti, Agostino & Neri, 2007). This is inherited by issues such as over emphasis on teacher-centered learning process.
Teacher-centric methods are referred to communication of knowledge to students where the teacher has the primary responsibility (Mascolo, 2009). In a Learner-centered learning mode, students are empowered in the learning process with the help of the teachers in constructing their understandings (Serin, 2018). It is widely accepted that in higher education learnings, learner-centered learning is fruitful (Kimberly, 2011). Learner-centered learning is crucial for developing youth learners’ skills leading to high employment levels (Overby, 2011).
2.0 The Solution: Action Learning and Action Research as Learner-centric Methods.
Action Learning offers a significant contribution to the fields of professional and management education and development, organization change, problem-solving and performance improvement, as well as to action research (Coghlan and Brydon-Miller, 2025). Action learning is related to action research, developed by Kurt Lewin for systematic inquiry for social change (Adelman, 1993; Gorge, 2023). Action research cycle has four stages: planning, action, analysis, and conclusion (Gorge, 2023). Action learning process has six components: identifying a problem; forming a group or action learning set; setting right questions to study the problem; taking a needed action on the problem; reflect on learning through the action taken on the problem; and the caching process to help the team to take action, solve the problem, and to learn ( World Institute for Action Learning, 2025).
3.0 Author’s Innovative solution: Mogan’s 7C Model of Action Learning
The innovative model of the action learning is labelled as Morgan 7C model of action learning’ where the author introduced the concepts of ‘biomimicry’ into his model that combined the action learning and action research components together. Biomimicry is learning from and then emulating nature’s forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs’ (Biomimicry 3.8, 2023). The core principles of biomimicry are learning from nature; Consciously imitating life's strategies, from forms to processes, and systems; and sustainability that is to create designs that are resilient, efficient, and integrate positively with the environment (Lamb, 2023).
The Mogan 7C Model of action learning enables learners to learn from seven contexts of: nature, industry, literature, community, culture, religion and the traditions. Further, Morgan’s 7C model of action learning promotes innovative thinking, uses multiple modes of learning such as observation, experiential learning, active listing, affective learning, and empathic learning, and develop critical skills with many other soft skills. The Mogan model’s process cycle is depicted as given in Figure 1 below. Figure 2 shows the connection among action learning, action research, biomimicry and Mogan’s 7C model of action learning.
4.0 Results from the Innovative Model of Action Learning
The learners’ innovative project outcomes were shared with around 50 industry partners, 100 students, and 30 academic staff members of the faculty on a special and colorful event called’ HR Flash’. Such new outcomes were published in a new magazine called ‘HR Flash Magazine’, enabling the young learners’ authors as well.
This new approach guaranteed students’ competency enhancement such as 21st century critical skills, soft skills as well as academic communication skills while it enhances students’ engagement in and motivation for learning, leading to the increase of graduates’ employability.
5.0 Recommendation
The author recommends the application of the Mogan 7C model of Action Learning, in higher educational institutions, especially where high graduate unemployment exists. It further can be applied in employment training at executive and above executive levels. The most powerful attribute of Mogan 7c action learning is leading the learners to find innovative and creative solutions for problems by involving’ lateral and metaphoric thinking’ by deeply observing nature and other contexts of people.
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