- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-Space_(conceptual_framework)
- from wiki – early inspiration for Cynefin, see https://thecynefin.co/part-one-origins-of-cynefin/
- https://conikeec.substack.com/p/navigating-the-information-space
- Nonaka & Takeuchi’s SECI model of knowledge creation
- Kolb's ELT
- from Wiki: inspired by the work of the gestalt psychologist Kurt Lewin, as well as John Dewey and Jean Piaget
- https://experianta.com/kolb-learning-styles/
- Criticism from wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop
- https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-08806-001
Link: https://chatgpt.com/share/68f920b3-3aa0-8002-bd9a-b0b7ea4154f1
| Model | Core Process | What Makes It Dynamic | Best Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolb | Experience → Reflect → Conceptualize → Experiment | Learner cycles through modes | Foundational experiential learning |
| Boud/Walker | Reflection central to learning | Emotion/context matter | Professional learning |
| Gibbs | Structured emotional reflection | Actionable feedback loop | Clinical/teacher training |
| SECI | Tacit↔Explicit knowledge spiral | Expands collectively | Org/knowledge management |
| I-Space | Flow through codification/diffusion | Information ecology | Complex adaptive orgs |
| Expansive Learning | Contradiction-driven growth | System-level evolution | Teams, innovation |
| Double Loop | Challenge assumptions | Adaptive self-correction | Strategic learning |
| Design Thinking | Empathize–Iterate | Rapid prototyping feedback | Creative & agile contexts |
| TBR | Connect–Practice–Commit | Rapid, brain-based cycles | Facilitation/training |
See: https://chatgpt.com/share/68f91949-1d5c-8002-8fc5-dcfecb8389c2
Integrative Model (Visual Idea)
Imagine:
Kolb’s cycle as a horizontal cognitive loop (experience → reflection → concept → action)
TBR’s 4Cs as vertical scaffolding (classroom structure that guides movement through that loop repeatedly)
They form a spiral learning architecture — each iteration increasing complexity, ownership, and abstraction.
| Kolb’s Cycle | TBR Framework | Conceptual Overlap |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete Experience (CE) — Doing, trying, sensing | “Connections” — Engage learners immediately through interaction, reflection on prior experience | Both start by activating existing schemas and engaging emotionally + physically. |
| Reflective Observation (RO) — Reviewing and reflecting on what happened | “Concepts” — Learners make meaning, organize and label their experience | Reflection drives meaning-making; both emphasize metacognition. |
| Abstract Conceptualization (AC) — Forming theories, generalizing | “Concrete Practice” — Learners apply and test new ideas | Both shift from reflection to building frameworks or testing hypotheses. |
| Active Experimentation (AE) — Trying out new knowledge in action | “Conclusions & Celebrations” — Learners plan next steps, articulate takeaways, commit to action | Each closes the loop through action planning and reinforcement. |
Throwing ideas against ChatGPT
Both cycles describe a dynamic transformation between tacit and explicit forms of knowing — but Kolb focuses on psychological and cognitive processes of individuals, whereas Boisot focuses on information and social diffusion processes across systems.
| Theme | Kolb | Boisot |
|---|---|---|
| Core metaphor | Learning as transformation of experience | Knowledge as movement through information space |
| Epistemic movement | Concrete ↔ Abstract | Contextual ↔ Codified |
| Ontological movement | Tacit → Conceptual → Tacit | Uncodified → Codified → Uncodified |
| Level of analysis | Individual (micro) | Organizational / societal (macro) |
| Driving forces | Reflection, experimentation | Codification, diffusion |
| Outcome | Adaptive learning, personal transformation | Organizational intelligence, cultural evolution |
If we imagine the I-Space as the landscape, Kolb’s learning cycle is the engine that moves an individual through it.