The Modern Workplace – An Apt Arena for Continuous Learning
The ‘modern workplace’ refers to organizations that have embraced technology to enable digital collaboration and work together without necessarily having to come to a traditional office. Such offices offer a hybrid work model, enabling employees to work with ease. Some organizations have also opted for a fully remote work model and eliminated the need for an actual office.
Many modern businesses can run from anywhere with a stable Internet connection, a laptop, and motivated employees working together.
However, hybrid and remote working models come with some disadvantages, too. One key challenge is for Learning and Development (L&D) teams to ensure that the employees are adequately trained to do their tasks and also get ample opportunities for continuous learning. Large organizations have different departments and people working in different parts of the world. Scheduling training sessions for employees in different roles and work locations simultaneously becomes a huge hassle.
How Can L&D Teams Innovate?
Globally, L&D teams have tried different methods to improve the quality of learning and learner engagement at their respective organizations. Some of the popular methods are gamification, microlearning, mobile app-based learning, in-person and off-site learning sessions, scenario-based learning, and blended learning. This blog looks at how L&D teams can innovate and use blended learning as an efficient tool to foster learning and also offers some insights into how Impelsys designs blended learning solutions.
Impelsys’ Approach to Designing Blended Learning
When one hears the term “blended learning,” one imagines a scenario wherein the learner receives handouts or books for reading, and an instructor conducts in-person or virtual sessions. Modern blended learning is much more than this.
At Impelsys, we have re-engineered blended learning and adopted a balanced approach to creating blended learning beyond regular interactive learning solutions. Using a combination of microlearning, videos, gamification, real-time feedback through chat, forums, and message boards, and spaced learning, our blended learning solutions offer greater value to our customers.
Our relentless focus on ensuring the “human connect” in the courses that we create remains a key differentiator. Our ability to think long-term ensures that our blended learning solutions remain relevant for a longer time and improve our approach to designing blended learning.
Why Blended Learning?
In a research study titled “Preparing for the Digital University,” the researchers, George Siemens, Ph.D., Dragan Gasevic, Ph.D., and Shane Dawson, Ph.D., present an interesting finding: Blended learning generates better learning outcomes when compared with other learning styles, such as solely online or face-to-face. Thus, the effectiveness of adequately designed blended learning solutions ensures that it is a worthy investment and can help organizations meet their training goals easily.
Other factors contributing to the popularity of blended learning are the flexibility of the learning model that allows for a high level of customization, the ability to analyze the effectiveness of the learning solution accurately, and the cost-effectiveness of designing it.
Scaffolding Learning Strategies for Workplace Learning
Scaffolding is a technique that is popular in school classrooms. Teachers simplify concepts and break larger chunks of learning into smaller segments so that children can understand the ideas better. It works wonders when applied to workplace learning as well.
By combining it with spaced learning and learning nudges in email reminders, WhatsApp notifications, or messages from within the LMS or mobile learning app, L&D teams can use scaffolding effectively with blended learning solutions to help employees learn better and faster.
A 360-Degree Approach to Training and Development with Blended Learning
Blended learning presents a compelling opportunity for L&D teams to foster a culture of continuous learning and internal growth within organizations. Instead of viewing workplace learning as a singular event, L&D teams can implement a 360-degree approach involving a series of diverse learning interventions delivered over a defined period at regular intervals.
This approach enhances knowledge retention and comprehension among employees. For instance, combining a self-paced eLearning module with a facilitator-led session and subsequent follow-ups through various channels exemplifies how L&D teams can structure a comprehensive learning journey.
This holistic approach ensures that blended learning is not an isolated strategy but part of a broader set of interventions, including personalized learning paths, gamified learning, scenario-based learning, microlearning videos, and relevant assessments.
The modern workplace is more than just using digital collaboration tools or automation to get things done. It is a place where innovation thrives, new ideas are discussed, and there is an urge to acquire knowledge and grow.
The emphasis on learning is much more, and people are pushed out of their comfort zones to try new things and grow professionally. Instead of bundling people into a training room and making them take up a course or giving people access to an LMS and assigning courses, L&D teams should identify the correct format for training. For example, it could be a mixture of self-paced learning modules and instructor-led programs. Or it could be a series of videos and quizzes that employees would have to complete.
Blended learning works as the perfect solution to foster learning in the modern workplace, and the next section highlights ideal training scenarios where it can be deployed.
Use Cases for Blended Learning in the Modern Workplace
Some of the examples where blended learning solutions would be most effective are:
- Employee induction and onboarding
- Compliance training
- Product training
- Sales training
- Language training
- Office etiquette training
These are just some examples of where a blended learning program can help foster learning in the workplace. Blended learning offers benefits in terms of learning success, the ability to address different learning styles and methods, pricing, the ability to scale as per demand, and the ease of making corrections to the program based on user feedback.
Conclusion
At Impelsys, we work closely with our valued customers to design high-quality learning solutions that meet learning objectives and provide visible results to them. To learn more about how Impelsys can help meet your requirements with a new blended learning program, please write to marketing@impelsys.com.
Authored by: Chaitali Pal Chowdhury
