Theories of Learning and Modern Workplace Learning
* Groups
6: The SMARTER approach to workplace learning
SOCIAL LEARNING HANDBOOK: CONTENTS PAGE
Workplace Learning Stages 4 & 5
At the beginning of this Handbook we identified 3 stages of workplace learning. We have now seen how social media is being used for learning – both for formal training but also, and more significantly for underpinning informal, workflow learning. This had led to two further stages of workplace learning emerging (see Fig 11). But there is a clear difference between the two stages.
Fig 11: 5 stages of Workplace Learning
Stage 4 is where L&D departments are only interested in adding the “social” into their traditional approach to learning.
Whereas in Stage 5, they are adopting a broader approach to workplace learning that encompasses both the formal and informal. They are also focused much more on using social and collaborative tools and approaches to help people work and learn smarter – in the ways that suit them – rather than managing a formal learning process.
For those organizations at Stage 5, their definition of e-learning is now much closer to that of Cisco’s 2000 definition, as being about the use of technology for:
“education, training, communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing.”
Fig 11 (above) is a re-worked version by Jay Cross [see Workscape evolution] of my original chart and shows that, in Stage 5, there is less top-down control, an increase in providing support for informal learning, and the recognition that “working=learning, learning=working”.
In other words, for those organizations in Stage 5, it is as much about a change in mindset as it is in a change in the tools.
Although Fig 11 might imply that there needs to be a linear progression through the stages, this certainly does not need to be the case. In fact, if an organization is only at Stage 1, that is still providing classroom training, it would be very easy for them to leapfrog to Stage 5, i.e. Go straight to the finish line and in doing
6: The SMARTER approach to workplace learning
SOCIAL LEARNING HANDBOOK: CONTENTS PAGE
Workplace Learning Stages 4 & 5
At the beginning of this Handbook we identified 3 stages of workplace learning. We have now seen how social media is being used for learning – both for formal training but also, and more significantly for underpinning informal, workflow learning. This had led to two further stages of workplace learning emerging (see Fig 11). But there is a clear difference between the two stages.
Fig 11: 5 stages of Workplace Learning
Stage 4 is where L&D departments are only interested in adding the “social” into their traditional approach to learning.
Whereas in Stage 5, they are adopting a broader approach to workplace learning that encompasses both the formal and informal. They are also focused much more on using social and collaborative tools and approaches to help people work and learn smarter – in the ways that suit them – rather than managing a formal learning process.
For those organizations at Stage 5, their definition of e-learning is now much closer to that of Cisco’s 2000 definition, as being about the use of technology for:
“education, training, communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing.”
Fig 11 (above) is a re-worked version by Jay Cross [see Workscape evolution] of my original chart and shows that, in Stage 5, there is less top-down control, an increase in providing support for informal learning, and the recognition that “working=learning, learning=working”.
In other words, for those organizations in Stage 5, it is as much about a change in mindset as it is in a change in the tools.
Although Fig 11 might imply that there needs to be a linear progression through the stages, this certainly does not need to be the case. In fact, if an organization is only at Stage 1, that is still providing classroom training, it would be very easy for them to leapfrog to Stage 5, i.e. Go straight to the finish line and in doing