Episode Summary
This episode of Learning & Development Unleashed hosted by Dr Jon Westover explores how organizations can improve their training and development programs by applying adult learning principles (andragogy) rather than traditional teaching methods (pedagogy). The discussion focuses on creating meaningful learning experiences that empower employees through personalized, engaging training that recognizes adults bring life experience and are not "blank slates."
Listen Here > https://youtu.be/mWERrwR_WIc?si=ddTFhH7e_fL9gp-c
10 Key Points
- Andragogy vs. Pedagogy: Organizations often use pedagogical approaches (treating learners as empty slates) when they should use andragogical principles that recognize adults have existing experiences and mental models to build upon.
- Know Your Learners: The first step in effective training and development is understanding who your end users are as learners, not just their demographic information or job titles.
- Changing Social Roles: Post-pandemic workplace dynamics have significantly altered employees' social roles (working parents, caregivers), impacting their capacity, motivation, and availability for training.
- Life Stage Considerations: Team members at different career phases (early career, mid-career, near retirement) have varying motivations and approaches to professional development that must be acknowledged.
- Engagement Over Entertainment: Focus on meaningful engagement rather than pure entertainment when designing training programs to ensure actual skill development occurs.
- Personalization is Essential: Effective adult learning requires some level of personalization to account for different backgrounds, experiences, roles, and life stages.
- Reactive Training Problems: Many training programs fail because they're developed reactively and quickly, without proper focus on learning objectives or end-user needs.
- Facilitation Skills Matter: Simply having someone who's good at their job doesn't make them a good trainer - facilitation and instructional design are distinct skills requiring development.
- Budget Misalignment: Organizations often claim to value employees but don't allocate sufficient resources to quality training and development programs.
- Ongoing Application Support: Training effectiveness requires ongoing support to help employees apply new skills and adapt them as circumstances change, including leadership skills development.
10 Takeaways/Action Items
- Conduct Learner Analysis: Before developing any training program, conduct a deep dive into who your learners are beyond demographics - understand their experiences, motivations, and learning preferences.
- Shift from Pedagogy to Andragogy: Redesign existing training programs to build on employees' existing knowledge and experience rather than treating them as blank slates.
- Create Flexible Learning Options: Develop training formats that accommodate different social roles and life circumstances, including remote and self-paced options.
- Establish Clear Learning Objectives: Start every training initiative with specific, measurable objectives that align with identified skills gaps and individual needs.
- Invest in Trainer Development: Provide proper training and development for internal facilitators or hire qualified external trainers rather than assuming subject matter experts can automatically teach.
- Design for Engagement: Focus on interactive, meaningful learning experiences that involve participants in their own learning process rather than passive entertainment.
- Build Personalization Elements: Incorporate opportunities for learners to connect new information to their existing experiences and apply it to their specific roles.
- Plan for Application Support: Create ongoing support systems, coaching, or follow-up sessions to help employees apply new skills and adapt them as situations change.
- Protect Training Budgets: Advocate for adequate funding for quality training and development programs and resist the temptation to cut training budgets during tight financial periods.
- Move from Reactive to Proactive: Develop a strategic approach to training and development that anticipates needs rather than only responding to problems after they occur.
Key Insights Summary
Dr. Graham emphasizes that effective training and development must start with understanding the learner as an individual with existing experiences and changing life circumstances, rather than approaching them as empty vessels to be filled. She advocates for moving beyond entertainment-focused training to create genuinely engaging learning experiences that empower employees to develop leadership qualities and apply new skills in evolving workplace contexts through well-designed professional development plans.
Resources
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