Learning ‘To Go’

Technology has changed tools that are used when learning, working and performing everyday tasks on the job and in the home. In retrospect the speed of change is astounding. Our daily news sources report constantly of how easily the unprepared are left behind due to lack of preparation or acceptance of the change that technology brings. Therefore, it is imperative that companies who intend to be successful in the global market address the training needs of  their employees in new way.  The beginning of preparation should start with the development of a plan that includes the  challenging landscape of online learning which can provide an effective, flexible, and accessible  bite size courses.  We all like  drive through pharmacy and hot food chains because these options are convenient and require less time and effort. Similarly, training programs that satisfy our need for quick solutions can change the perception of training from tedious but necessary to vital and convenient. Imagine online learning as quick, short and frequent. Long periods of learning may not work for everyone, therefore, small digestible and bite-sized chunks of information  that focuses the training material supports  performance, management or leadership capabilities.

Bite-size learning  requires minimal investment of employees’ time and help them balance busy work schedules with skills. The main advantage is that learning-to-go focuses on learning new skills, methods, or tools which helps learners to  apply the new acquired skill directly to their current work situation. The emphasis is laid on ‘just in time’ learning as opposed to “just in case” learning. Learners can use their newly acquired skills and grow further, perform better and meet the goals of the organization. Additionally, for companies bite-size learning may have a dual advantage of reduced training budgets while providing employees an opportunity to refresh their  skills or acquire new skills.

These learning to go  sessions can be delivered via podcast, short videos or even as interactive text/image. Learners can be engaged via group discussions, games and social media. 

One solution may not be appropriate for every person or every company so consider this:

Does my company need bite-size training capsules?

You may need bite-size learning if your company :

• Is introducing new systems or process in your company
• Has employees with different levels of knowledge or skills
• Needs employees to refresh skills but maintain the current performance levels
• Needs your staff to have deep knowledge in key development areas
• Has completion rates as a key to success

Excellence in Design can assist with adopting “Learning to go” for your next training program. Please contact us at contact@excellenceinisd.com

Today, most organizations are moving towards a learning culture where the employees access the most relevant, useful and readily available data to improve their work performance in this high paced competitive world. The focus of training has changed to employee retention, sales improvement and innovation. Many companies have difficulty deciding how to meet the changing needs of their learning goals and workforce demographics using the most widely and conventional ‘push learning model’.

We all must have experienced the “push” model of learning in conventional classrooms where our instructors had full control over the reason to learn. This is like the school curriculum where learners move from one module to another in the order it is laid out and have knowledge check at different points. Learners usually have an assessment at the end. The push type of learning ensures that learners move from one module to another to ensure that they have read all the information before progressing to the next stage. The experience where employees have to listen to listen to presentations back to back are ‘push’ learning examples. This kind of learning works best for compliance based training where you want to make sure that employees have read all the policies and laws.

‘Pull’ model of learning focuses on learning “just in time” type of training where learners are given autonomy over the order of information and speed in the learning process. The learners are presented with the information and they can choose what they need to know to fill in their knowledge gaps, make decisions at the workplace and take effective job related decisions. The learner is the center in this model and they learn by doing. Learners with different levels of knowledge and experience levels can be accommodated in such a model of learning. Pull model of learning can be an efficient way to learn soft skills, aptitude, real life skills and attitude. This kind of learning also works for professionals who those who do not need to know the bulk of knowledge to perform their job. Learners are pulled by scenario based elearning, videos, compelling graphics, storytelling and decision making interactions.

If you want to send out the new anti-harassment training to all employees then the push model of learning would be just appropriate but in case you want your employees to learn how to meet and greet the customer as he/she walks into the store then pull learning model may work best.