According to the 2011 Training Industry Report from TrainingMag.com,
total expenditures in training appear to be increasing. The amount
spent on training jumped about 13% from 2010, including increases in
overall training budgets and payroll, and spending on outside products
and services.
It’s anticipated that training will continue to be a major focus for
organizations in the upcoming year, which makes sense: As our economy
continues to move in a positive direction, consumers will demand better
service.
This translates to a need for customer service, management and
leadership training, which are poised to see increases in 2012.
Along with the increased attention on training comes a discussion
about value and retention. The conversation about ways to engage
participants and therefore enhance the value of training is on the rise,
as new tools and methods are emerging very quickly.
Here are three of the developing topics that combine social with
learning — and should be worth integrating in your business during this
year.
1. Social Learning
Tony Bingham, president and CEO of the American Society for Training and Development
(ASTD), is leading the discussion about defining social learning.
“Social learning is learning with and from others, often — but not
always — with social media tools,” Bingham explains. “Social learning is
a powerful approach to sharing and discovering a whole array of
options, leading to more informed decision-making and a more intimate,
expansive and dynamic understanding of the culture and context in which
we work.”
There are many benefits to incorporating social learning into an
organization: “Incorporating social learning creates networks of
knowledgeable people to work across time and space to make informed
decisions and solve complex problems,” Bingham says. “Learning happens
more quickly and broadly. Innovation happens faster. And tacit knowledge
can be retained and reused.”
Companies are paying attention to the benefits. In ASTD’s research report, Transforming Learning with Web 2.0 Technologies,
findings indicate that 87% of respondents predict that in the next
three years, their companies are more likely to use Web 2.0 technologies
than they currently do. Bingham offers several examples of how
companies are applying social learning in his book, The New Social Learning.
2. Social Networking Techniques
While defining social learning is still a work in progress, many
trainers are using social networking platforms to create activities and
exercises for their programs. Jane Bozarth, eLearning Coordinator for the State of North Carolina and author of Social Media for Trainers
explains how using social networks can enhance training: “Social media
tools help to amplify the social and informal learning already going on
in organizations all the time, every day, and make the learning
available on a much larger scale. They provide ways to connect talent
pools and expertise in an organization or within a practice area, and
can offer just-in-time solutions to problems and performance issues.”
The reaction from participants is very positive. Bozarth
explains, “Participants are happy to engage with one another using
social media tools for training purposes. They find it convenient,
useful for learning at the moment of need, and [that it helps them]
develop a greater sense of control over their learning.”
Trainers shouldn’t fear adding a social component to their programs.
According to Bozarth, it’s pretty easy to do. “Social media tools are
just tools and can be effectively employed to support the gamut of
training activities, from introductions to role plays to discussions of
video clips, and anything in between.” But she does offer one
recommendation: “I hope we see learning and development practitioners
moving toward partnering with learners and away from feeling their role
is to direct them.”
3. Gamification
A frequent training request is make subjects fun — and what better way to learn a new topic than by playing a game? Karl M. Kapp, professor of instructional technology at Bloomsburg University and author of The Gamification of Training: Game-based Methods and Strategies for Learning and Instruction,
shares the concept of using games for learning. “Studies indicate that
games, when designed properly, motivate learners, improve learner
retention and encourage students who aren’t typically ‘academic’ to
partake in the learning process,” he says. “There is no reason learning
has to always be hard or difficult.”
It’s important to note that not all games are created equal when it comes to learning. Kapp discusses
two reasons why gamification is becoming popular, and the first one
isn’t necessarily relevant for learning. “Some people see gamification
simply as the process of adding points, badges or rewards to the
learning process and instantly creating engagement, interactivity and
motivation for learning. This view is wrong.”
Kapp suggests looking at the real reasons why games are popular and
then apply those elements to the process. “When done correctly,
gamification provides an experience that is inherently engaging and,
most importantly, promotes learning. The elements of games that make for
effective gamification are those of storytelling, which provides a
context, challenge, immediate feedback, sense of curiosity,
problem-solving, a sense of accomplishment, autonomy and mastery.”
Adding social networks and games to training programs
has the potential to shake up the learning experience. It can create
constant learning opportunities, real-time knowledge sharing and
improved participant engagement.
What do you think of bringing social into the learning experience? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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