I have been a bit harsh in seeming to blame the preoccupation with the classroom for obstructing the transformation of training but I'm using 'classroom' as shorthand for a teacher-centred, command-and-control, bounded learning experience where students are kept on a conceptual short-leash.
What we need to accept is that we have to relinquish control. That doesn't mean allowing students to learn by accident - it's not the 60's after all - but to behave as a partnership. The most effective results will be when the student manages her own learning. With BL we have the means to do that. Stereotypes give us a rough idea of what to expect from different groups: we know the generations approach things differently, but so do the two sexes and so do different cultures. Add to that the well-known variation in learning styles and it's a pretty rich mix.
Some of this is hard to accept. While we acknowledge different learning styles other aspects are harder to digest.
Doing it differently
Doing something different requires resources so it's only worth doing for high-value projects. This may mean high value in terms of money - for example a residential course that's really expensive to run - but it might also mean high value in terms of the business: a change management program after a merger, a new process for customer-facing staff, a technology-system roll-out. In fact any project that can not afford to fail.
Reaping the benefits
If we put our efforts into high-value projects then this is where the BL idea of the 'learning never stops' will have the greatest effect. I was talking recently to someone doing consultancy with a major company that had just completed 6Sigma training. He said that what was so extraordinary was that they were still totally clueless. They were walking around with the badges and yet the training might as well have been painted on. It had made absolutely no difference to their behaviour. The 'sheep-dip' instruction method of training was probably to blame in this case.
Practicalities
So let's have a go: in the next post we'll test-drive some simple examples. In the meantime I have two things to ask you.
A request
Firstly: if you have any examples to share with the readers then please send them in. They might be successes or disasters, how to do it or how not to do it.
An Invitation
Secondly: hear someone else in SkillSoft talk about BL. The web event is on April 26th at 2pm EST. The link is on the right....
What we need to accept is that we have to relinquish control. That doesn't mean allowing students to learn by accident - it's not the 60's after all - but to behave as a partnership. The most effective results will be when the student manages her own learning. With BL we have the means to do that. Stereotypes give us a rough idea of what to expect from different groups: we know the generations approach things differently, but so do the two sexes and so do different cultures. Add to that the well-known variation in learning styles and it's a pretty rich mix.
Some of this is hard to accept. While we acknowledge different learning styles other aspects are harder to digest.
Doing it differently
Doing something different requires resources so it's only worth doing for high-value projects. This may mean high value in terms of money - for example a residential course that's really expensive to run - but it might also mean high value in terms of the business: a change management program after a merger, a new process for customer-facing staff, a technology-system roll-out. In fact any project that can not afford to fail.
Reaping the benefits
If we put our efforts into high-value projects then this is where the BL idea of the 'learning never stops' will have the greatest effect. I was talking recently to someone doing consultancy with a major company that had just completed 6Sigma training. He said that what was so extraordinary was that they were still totally clueless. They were walking around with the badges and yet the training might as well have been painted on. It had made absolutely no difference to their behaviour. The 'sheep-dip' instruction method of training was probably to blame in this case.
Practicalities
So let's have a go: in the next post we'll test-drive some simple examples. In the meantime I have two things to ask you.
A request
Firstly: if you have any examples to share with the readers then please send them in. They might be successes or disasters, how to do it or how not to do it.
An Invitation
Secondly: hear someone else in SkillSoft talk about BL. The web event is on April 26th at 2pm EST. The link is on the right....
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