Vinay Pradhan,
Country Head-India,
Skillsoft
Slice and dice
With the diversification of inter-department functionalities, it has been observed that a majority of Human Resource managers are rapidly adopting blended learning as the better approach for delivering training to large and diverse employee groups. In fact, our recent report on ‘Learning and Development Trends in India’, found that 92% of Indian organizations surveyed offer Blended Learning to its employees. This approach towards employee development is being driven by the growing need to enhance employee skills that match the current workplace requirements that have significantly changed from a decade ago across sectors that include Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, IT/ITES and Manufacturing. Blended learning itself encompasses a simple blend of classroom training and elearning courses to more complex programs that incorporate an array of synchronous and asynchronous learning modalities.
Adding to the mixture
In recent times, the 70:20:10 model has gained significant momentum in L&D circles internationally. The 70:20:10 is being adopted and implemented across a range of organizations, from small enterprises to multinational corporations, where 70% is informal, on the job, experience-based, stretch projects and practice-based learning, 20% is applied through coaching, mentoring and developing through others, and 10% is formal learning interventions and structured courses.
A number of organizations have embedded 70:20:10 in their performance development, planning and assessment, and competency evaluation models. One large multinational, for example, uses 70:20:10 to create personal development plans and conduct half-yearly appraisals. For this organization, the 70:20:10 model helps plan performance development targets. By reviewing many possible learning activities, the organization’s ‘training mentality’ has been challenged and staff awareness that learning can take place outside formal courses has increased.
Blended Learning can support a variety of informal learning processes. This performance support function is an increasingly important part of the job for many corporate training departments. Blended Learning expands the traditional role of training beyond its usual scope of formal training by providing a robust set of tools that allow employees to obtain the information and instruction they independently and uniquely need, all within the daily flow of work. Blended Learning captures the best of both worlds by allowing learners to pick and choose how they want to learn and affords them greater flexibility and convenience about when they want to learn. It can be as simple as combining two different learning methods (e.g. listening to a trainer in a classroom and referring to his notes) or as complex as obtaining certification from your organization that incorporates elearning along with classroom training.
The ingredients
By mixing learning methods, organizations can offer employees more robust and flexible learning opportunities that suit individual needs and challenges. A Blended approach can increase learner retention and greater retention leads to skills transfer and greater performance. Another benefit is that Blended Learning offers greater reach and scalability, providing organizations with a more efficient means to train their employees quickly. Learners also take on the responsibility for managing self-paced learning, encouraging them to take full ownership of building their knowledge and skills.
Blended Learning offers a variety of formal and informal learning assets to utilize within elearning. Apart from the well-used instructor-led training, other formal learning options include virtual classroom training, games, simulations, testing and evaluation. Informal learning assets include online books and articles, videos, podcasts, learning and knowledge portals, social networks, wikis, blogs and forums, and much more.
One significant benefit of taking the blended approach is that we start to think of learning as more of a process than an event or series of events. Because it has so many modalities available, it can touch colleagues with a variety of learning opportunities, most of which occur or reside outside the traditional classroom. Retention of knowledge and application of learning – and therefore lasting behaviour change - can really be multiplied as a result. It increases staff engagement as they realize that development is happening all the time and it also increases involvement of supervisors and managers in the development of their staff.
Avoiding a spill
Too often Blended Learning is viewed as some kind of hastily mixed “learning stew,” a potluck combination of instructor-led classes, self-study courses, corporate library resources and various seminars and conferences. However, According to a recent independent study conducted by KnowledgeAdvisors, the scrap learning rate in most companies ranges from 55 percent to 80 percent. Scrap learning is the silent drain of the learning industry. While it is not often discussed, it can cost companies productivity and diminish ROI. At regular intervals, organizations should analyse learning with tests, simulations and/or instructor evaluations. Skills gained can also be analyzed over time to see if on-the-job behaviours have changed as a direct result of the course. By gathering these records on how workforces are using their new-found skills, businesses will be better placed to foresee future skills gaps, while ensuring that their employees are applying their skills to their roles.
Slow simmer
Currently, many companies are successfully integrating classroom training with elearning, mentoring support, simulations, online reference material and virtual tools in order to support informal, on-the-job training. Within India itself, there is a noticeable shift across organizations in India towards the adoption of elearning. Furthermore, our ‘Skillsoft Learning and Development Trends in India’ report found that 46% of the organizations surveyed in India are rapidly integrating learning programs customized to individual development needs and also delivering it across platforms that include mobile devices and tablets. This customization and flexibility will no doubt have a significant positive impact on employee acceptance of elearning to meet their career and development goals.
Ready to serve
The fast-paced growth of elearning has brought about a new context for learning within corporates, large and small. The exciting and developing universe of learner-centric methods balances the traditional classroom approach and the constantly evolving technology-based learning. This balance has tremendous potential for building increased performance within all types of organizations. Expanding and investing in learning technology for organizational training is the logical approach. Apart from being financially beneficial to the organization, it works wonders in domains where knowledge is the key differentiator. Blended Learning solutions and its integration with social learning has received compelling endorsements from L&D managers worldwide. Its role in strategy to strengthen training and up-skilling employees is gaining importance across establishments across the globe, including India. Whatever the mix, the goal is to empower the individual to achieve understanding of a given topic, become self-sufficient, improve his or her job performance and ultimately drive results that support business objectives.
