How many times have you heard that one? Well, that’s short hand for “welcome to your next training program,” the beatings will begin. For years, learning in the workplace was seen as punishment that had to be endured. But, then came the magic bullet that would cure all our ills: Learning Management Systems. Oh that was going to fix us alright, I used to hear supervisors whine, until they realized that this timely invention would save the organization time, money, traveling expenses, facility expenses and consulting fees. EUREKA! Like a virtual flick on the forehead, companies woke up to technology, and suddenly online learning didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
According to Lance Haun @TheLance, “Generations don’t have to be managed differently, people have to be managed differently.” The same goes for learning. Generations don’t learn differently people do, and learning management technology suits people with different learning styles. However, with that said, millennial workers tend to enjoy 2.0 learning environments that include wikis, widgets, virtual worlds, games, and simulations. One of my Gen Y followers whom I respect, @JRMoreau said in a tweet, “Oddly enough, I learn better without structure. I’m more about having good resources rather being forcefully guided.” Here’s what the experts say: love them, hate them, learning management systems are not going away.
According to Janet Clary and Brandon Hall, Ph.D. there are 5 key trends for 2009 we should keep in mind. Before you get snarky, these hold true for 2010 too.
1. Mobile Learning
2. Do it Yourself Learning
3. Flexible Learning
4. Games and Simulations
Hall and Cleary studied top US performing organizations. They found that flexible learning environments, 2.0 tools and social networks met the expectations of millennial workers and boomers alike. There’s something for everyone, depending on the person’s learning style.
We will see the LMS transitioning from 1.0 to 2.0 platforms (and 3.0 in the near future). Some experts say that the flipside of a workforce that arrives already tech savvy is an expectation that the corporate world will demand. If we want to play the game, we have to play on the learning turf that includes wikis, and widget driven interfaces. We will see a trend toward the use virtual worlds for workplace learning, and virtual landscapes upon which they will take place. I don’t have a crystal ball, and I don’t believe in making predictions, but I do believe this: We will see feasibility studies that will further assess and measure the veracity of these systems.
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This is so true. Learning doesn’t have to be all about seminars and paid for events! I can think of nothing more boring than sitting in a conference hall all day being talked at about the topic of choice!
I think one of the hardest things is to correctly identify how you learn best though. I fall right on the line between Gen X and Gen Y/Millennials and, to be honest, I’m not sure I can effectively label it just yet!
You’ve made me think though now…
Right on, Margo. Mobile learning, flexible learning, self-service learning, and games and simulations I’ve heard a lot about as well and are being built into LMS systems. Social collaboration software that allows for virtual coaching and peer-to-peer learning is going to get big as well.
As for shut up and get with the program — for those who don’t own it and show it will need to get with it.
Thanks Kevin. I’m not saying that instructor led training is dead. In fact when I started writing this post, I wanted to add the counter argument that the human touch cannot be replaced when it comes to learning. With that said, the LMS trend isn’t new. It has been around for a long time. What is new is the fast-past learning environment. With technology changing at lightening speed, we have to adapt to the growing needs of organizations, and their employees. Yes, we have to adapt to the age, personality, and prefered learning styles of our employees; we also must consider that LMS technology allows for incredible practice and simulation.
Frankly, I prefer the blended learning solution that incorporates both.
Kevin, thank you for reading my post and commenting.
Wendy, it’s great to hear that in the UK the same holds true. Learning isn’t always about seminars. The recession in the US made just in time, online learning solutions even more attractive. I’m so glad you commented. Thank you for your support.
You brought up two people that I respect and trust a lot.
I feel the same as @JRmoreau less boundaries and I’ll learn more. I need to do things on my own. It’s just how I am.
Also, @Thelance makes a great point. So much is made of generations. I’m not sure where I stand, but I still think there needs to be some difference in the management of generations. Maybe not, maybe I only say this because my Boomer parents still call everything AOL and call the computer an e-mail. Everything is an E-mail.
Margo, you are totally right. It’s easy for people to generalize a whole generation into one learning style. Everyone learns differently. I personally learn by doing. Some people need visual aids and so on. We need to understand each person’s individual learning style. Great post!
Enjoying your thoughts Margo. You are simply on fire
People are unique; as are learning styles. It’s tempting to create systems+ labels but it’s not an interesting or complete answer. Careful listening will aid in adapting to the audience. Are you an auditory learner? visual? kinesthetic?
Let’s understand + celebrate the contrasts. More purposeful this way? One size does not fit all.
Funny how everything comes back to authenticity. People are unique, their learning styles are unique, so our OD must be unique too. The more unique the trainings the more authentic the message.
I think many organizations (with even a decent OD program) are grasping that.
What training programs are missing the mark on–still–is training for result. It is still hard for corps to id what their needs are. Without that — no style of training will be successful.
OD specialist in the new decade need to help their corps ID needs more….
Dawn, I agree. I think we ought to put the OD into the HR mentality. It all boils down to organizational effectiveness. As organizations develop their brand-they need to keep in mind not just their credibility, but their authenticity as well. Last Thursday, Sharlyn Lauby stressed the importance of training, communication and OD. As the economy improves, we have to be sure we don’t lose our employees in droves. One way we can reinforce their value is by investing in their professional development. As we continue to do so, we will ensure employee retention. While I often have mixed feelings about learning management systems, they are a force to be reckoned with, and we need to tap into their power. I don’t think the LMS will ever take the place of live training entirely, but certainly it is a modality that will continue to grow in strength. Thank you for visiting my blog.
Thanks Meghan. I appreciate your support of my blog. I agree with your comments.
Thank you for agreeing with my sentiment about how we address the three generations in the workplace. There is a lot of argument on this topic. While there are definite differences in the culture in mindsets of different generations, we can’t lose sight of the individual. I appreciate your comments.