Purpose: This paper aims to deepen the understanding of strategic learning through the lens of environmental jolts. Design/methodology/approach: Strategic learning is explained from the three paradigms of organizational learning. Findings: Organizational learning provides a firm foundation to develop and elaborate the concept of strategic learning that can help organizations gain competitive advantage and adaptive capability. Research limitations/implications: Alan Meyer's environmental jolt model is meaningful in that it is derived from stimulus-response model, which still explains important aspects of strategic learning. Practical implications: Embedding a strategic learning capability will help organizations development fit with external environments. Originality/value: This paper enlightens strategic learning as a Model II learning at the system level from a stimulus-response mechanism and opens up new possibilities of incorporating higher-order capability.