August 2007 - Posts

Praxis: A framework for learning by turning theory into action

posted Monday, August 20, 2007 1:06 PM by AnjaliSastry
We are using the term praxis to describe the work we're doing at the MIT Sloan School of Management to help our students turn even better ideas into even more effective action.

What does praxis mean?
Praxis refers to the exercise or practice of an art, science, or skill.  It can also mean the customary practice or conduct of something (Merriam-Webster).  These ideas lie at the heart of a practical education.  At MIT Sloan, our goal is to develop innovative and principled leaders with the skill and passion to make a difference in the world.  In order for great ideas to have an effect, they must be turned into action.  An education in praxis offers the tools for that practical action. The approach rests on a belief that we equip ourselves to have the best impact on the world by developing and practicing the requisite skills.  Praxis also plays a role in how we learn from others: the practices and conduct of real-world managers and leaders provide illustrations and examples for our own learning.

But the notion of praxis goes beyond mere practicality: it also invokes the idea of  turning theory into action (Merriam-Webster's definition includes practical application of a theory).  Pairing theory and action is a hallmark of MIT, and at the Sloan School of Management students prepare by learning theory, tools, and methods in classrooms, act as they apply them in real-world projects, and reflect on their experiences to build their own practice of effective management. The goal is not just to improve practical skills, but also to cultivate students' ongoing, practical use of theory and ideas.

The (very brief; sorry, Aristotle!) lineage of this idea:

Appreciating the value of practical application of theories is an important theme American pragmatism, a philosophical approach with deep roots in American culture. The pragmatists assess the value of ideas by their practical import, asking how they change people’s experience.  Praxis resonates in management research, too: Kurt Lewin declared that nothing is as practical as a good theory in a 1945 paper describing a research program at MIT that preceded the founding of the Sloan School of Management.  His words still frame the study of organizations, business, and management for academics throughout the world.  And in education, the notion of praxis embodies the highest goals: Praxis ... enables [learners] to engage with the situation as committed thinkers and actors (see note below).  According to this notion, in praxis for learning entails an interactive process in which both learner and teacher seek to improve the situation.

This rich history and MIT's history and traditions form a great foundation for further developing praxis at MIT Sloan. Look around our emerging website (link in my next blog post), join the dialogs in our meetings, participate in our learning experiences.  Let us know what you think.  And let us know what you do!

Note. After Grundy, S. (1987) Curriculum: Product or Praxis, Lewes: Falmer; cited and described by Mark Smith, at the encyclopaedia of informal education [www.infed.org]. More on praxis and teaching via praxis.
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