Research into the role of the learning function suggests that 2022 could be the year its star rises. LinkedIn Learning’s 2021 workplace learning report revealed that upskilling and reskilling is the top priority for 59% L&D professionals globally – a 15% increase since last year.
Of course, the pandemic put an immediate stop to in-person learning as organisations pivoted courses online, but going forward the challenge will be to find the optimal blend between digital learning and live learning, according to Ben Sweetman, director of content and learning design at training company QA.
“We’ve talked to customers and the main thing they want to get from workplace learning is getting better outcomes for learners. They want to be able to prove that learning has helped people get better at their job,” he explains.
Sweetman cites research into digital engagement by tech company Twilio, which found that 97% of companies felt the pandemic had accelerated digital transformation in their organisation – meaning there’s an urgent need to deliver skills to stay competitive.
Beyond binary
QA believes that organisations can do this through a “Total Learning” approach. Rather than offer a “binary” choice between in-person or digital learning, the aim is to complement one with the other, Sweetman says.
“Blended learning itself is not new,” he adds, “but we wanted to take the unique element of live learning and put it in the context of how people would apply the knowledge at work.”
Learning strategy
In practice, this might take the form of a cohort of employees completing some e-learning before attending a “live” (over video rather than in person) session where they can discuss and practise what they have learnt.
“We felt the mix of digital and live needed to change, so we’re moving away from the live session being the primary way to deliver knowledge. In the live session you have that interaction with expert trainers but also your peers, so it’s interactive and practical,” he adds.
The session can become a “safe space” where learners can try out the behaviours that embed the skill – for example, learning about agile development or new approaches to project management.
Inclusive space
“The e-learning helps them to get to the same shared starting point and learn at their own pace. Then in the live they can try something out,” says Sweetman. Tools such as interactive whiteboards ensure that everyone can contribute “in a much more even way”, he adds.
They also mean the project can be added to in future or learners can refer back to their work – something that would be less practical after a classroom session. Other interactive tools recreate those “accidental” moments of connection with other learners that employees might get at an in-person course.
“We worked from the goal backwards – what is the learner trying to achieve? This doesn’t need to be an exam or a certificate, it’s whether their manager or employer thinks the learning has added value,” adds Sweetman.
Learners can earn “impact badges” to show that knowledge has been applied, and this in turn increases engagement with learning, according to QA.
“E-learning helps them to get to the same shared starting point and learn at their own pace. Then in the live they can try something out” – Ben Sweetman, QA
“Our interviews with users showed that their main motivation for doing a course was to be better at their current role or develop their career, rather than the certificate itself,” he says. “Being able to prove you’ve implemented that knowledge is fundamental to being promoted.”
Applied learning
Being able to apply skills quickly will be fundamental to organisations’ response to the talent shortages and reskilling requirements ahead.
Sweetman concludes: “This is where the application of work knowledge is exciting – when people move into new areas and need new skills, it’s one thing to give them new knowledge but the difficulty is applying that in a work context.
“It’s not just theory, it’s applying it. So if you’re learning about data analytics, how do you take that theory and apply it to the data you have and draw insights? QA’s heritage is in tech skills but they’ve moved out of the IT department and into the entire business, whether you’re in marketing, HR, finance or another function.”
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With a survey earlier this month showing organisations were relying too much on courses rather than opportunities to apply the learning, getting that mix right should be top of the agenda for 2022.
