corporate training

Where’s the Tech in Informal Learning?

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This post comes to you courtesy of your convivial and continually-learning guest blogger, Daniel Liestman a master’s degree student in the Training and Development program at the University of St. Francis (Joliet, IL). 

Moore & Klein (2020) accept that most learning in the workplace is informal, but realize the bulk of resources are provided for formal training.  In a survey (N=385) and subsequent interviews (n=20) of trainers they found T&D professionals engage in informal learning to foster informal learning by passing along articles or link to targeted individuals.  Trainers also supply just-in-time job aids and tools.  In addition, they create and curate learning objects and related materials for just-in-case situations.  Alternatives not explored might include brown bag sessions or walking about and engaging with staff.  Fostering informal leaning is a resource-efficient approach to counter budget and staffing shortfalls while improving organizational performance.

IMHO (in my humble opinion), Moore & Klein (2020) address an intriguing topic.  The rub is that the suggestions in the survey and those offered in the interviews are pedestrian (email, help sheets, filing away digital objects, etc.)   How might technology be better deployed?  How might online organizations foster those watercooler moments?  Could corporate maker-spaces foster creativity and discovery to grow the bottom line?  How can informal learning be tracked and evaluated?  The profession seems to have a wing-and-a-prayer approach to informal learning.  The research would have been more satisfying had the authors dug more.  I do hope this is not as deep as they could go, and this is all that they can offer.  Perhaps these topics can be pursued in subsequent research?

Moore, A. L., & Klein, J. D. (2020). Facilitating informal learning at work. TechTrends, 64(2), 219-228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00458-3

Emerging Technologies and eLearning-Raising the Bar

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Danielle Victoriano, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Training and Development program.

E-Learning is evolving to create the ultimate self-driven and self-paced yet interactive design. It is emerging into an interactive model that is intuitive for the learners’ needs. Is this what learners need and want? Will this aid them in achieving their goals? Mangalvedhe examines this in this 2023 article. The author examines how emerging technologies can influence and transform learning and development moving forward. In the article, the author examines how artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, gamification, mobile learning and microlearning will change how we interact and respond within the learning model to a more profound level than we have in eLearning.

This is an excellent article for content creators and instructional designers that are seeking ways to provide interaction and take learning to an application level. The author examines in detail how each technology can be integrated into instructional design. Mangalvedhe (2023) also discusses how each technology can fulfill and appeal to the various needs of learners. Examples are provided to suggest how these technologies can be executed successfully in the created content. These examples will be a starting point to consider using these advanced technologies that workplaces are already utilizing to raise the bar of flexible and efficient learning while expediting the upskilling process.  

References

Mangalvedhe, A. (2023, January 12). The emerging technologies in Elearning. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/the-emerging-technologies-in-elearning

Technology + Culture Focus = Effective Workplace e-Learning

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Katie Sachs, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL, MS in Training and Development program.

Advances in technology have helped cement e-learning’s place in corporate education. But how can learning leaders take steps to ensure that their digital learning initiatives are working and not becoming pointless activities? In a recent white paper, authors

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Learner-centric instructional design with Design Thinking

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Katie Sachs, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL, MS in Training and Development program.

Design Thinking is a creative method for problem-solving and creating solutions with empathy. This method is attributed to Stanford University’s d. School, and includes five looping or iterating stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. In a recent

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Learning theory drives learner personalization

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Katie Sachs, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL, MS in Training and Development program.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is making today’s corporate learning management systems (LMS) into adaptive learning platforms that can help training and development professionals better serve their diverse learner populations – which include Continue reading →

Case Based Learning in Radiology Education

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Nicole Fischer, CNMT, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Training and Development program

There are many pathways that learners can take to fulfill knowledge gaps related to personal interests as well as professional endeavors. While much value is still placed on traditional face to face lectures, the implementation of innovative teaching strategies Continue reading →