Puzzle Pieces of Learning Realities!

Learners rarely use just one method of learning!

If you listen to the language of learning departments and professionals, it would be easy to think that employees need a single format to master a new skill or topic:

“Let’s build a course, a video, an infographic, a simulation, a peer to peer briefing, etc”

But, in reality, employees learn a new topic by mixing a blend of different learning formats. I love to use a graphic of a Puzzle to highlight the difference:

For a moment, think about a child learning to speak their language. I doubt there is a parent who thought that all they had to do is play a video and the child would learn it. In fact, the child would be exposed to:

• Parents talking to the child.

• The child listening to other adults and children speak.

• The child listening to video and music.

• The child uttering a new word or phrase and getting feedback.

• Someone pulsing the child’s language mastery by asking them how to say a word or phrase.o a

• Children experimenting with random or intentional words and watching your reactions.

Let’s apply the “Puzzle” model to a workplace skill or competency. A bank employee needs to learn the rules and procedures for money laundering compliance. Sure, we could send them to an online class on cashing a check for over $10,000. But, the employee will master this, with both competence and confidence, when they have several of these pieces of the “Learning Puzzle”:

• Walk through demonstration by manager or supervisor.

• An e-Learning module.

• Observing experienced tellers handing the transaction.

• Reading a Job-Aide poster or Infographic at their Teller Station.

• Conversations with a manager about the “why and how” of this procedure.

• Simulating a check cashing transaction with feedback on their actions.

• A Workflow Support “Nudge” on the Teller Screen.

• An FAQ about exceptions and complexities.

In the expanding world of AI, where learners may be more “self-engineering” their activities towards a skill or competency, lists or maps of different learning activity puzzle pieces will be important. Even when we were part of introducing the term “blended learning” in the late 1990’s, there still are few Learning Management Systems that truly support multiple “Puzzle Pieces” to articulate and track learning experience choices.

To validate this framework, ask 10 people in your organization how they learned or mastered a key skill or concept. They will start with the one that is most important, but if you ask them to list other ways in which they learned, the puzzle will get larger.

As data scientists, we should also be observing the differences in the order, timing and expectation sets for each format.

Even when I am asked to deliver a keynote to 1,000 people at a conference, I will always ask them to turn to a neighbor and talk for 2 minutes about a key topic.

As we embrace the idea of a puzzle of learning formats, it can change our pathway to successfully transfer the learning to workplace performance. Some choices will be made by the learner, some by a learning producer or designer and some may be suggested by a learning system with knowledge of this employee’s learning history and preferences,

Yours in learning,

Elliott Masie
MASIE Learning Foundation
www.masie.com
emasie@masie.com

PS: We are now over 50% filled for our September “AI & Learning LAB” in Saratoga Springs, NY. Information at http://www.masie.com