My learning partner and I discussed the following two trends, as summarized below.
1. Game Based Learning
Girls (and boys) just wanna have fun, right? Finding ways to engage learners, up the fun, and make the learning stick are all things that instructors hope to do. One way of doing this is actually using game based learning in a classroom setting and gamification at work. There are lots of ways to incorporate this idea, from using jeopardy games to prompt recall of class material to using ‘choose your own adventure’ storylines to prompt employees to test out different customer service strategies. While some games are just there to lift the classroom mood and get everyone through the post-lunch lull, many games are specifically designed to increase self-efficiency, retention, and declarative and procedural knowledge. My partner and I discussed this Forbes article, which links Bloom’s Taxonomies to game play and learning.
In addition, games create a sense of mastery and achievement that create positive feelings and feedback that encourage us to continue. In this TED talk, Jane McGonigal describes how she thinks games will help save the world. Games and toys play an important role in learning, which we know for sure for children, but pay less attention to the usefulness of toys and games as we get older and enter the workforce. Games are becoming more and more sophisticated and it is recognized that games play an important role in spurring creativity, so not only can we learn material in a fun way, but games can also teach us important problem solving skills and prompt imaginative insight.
2. 70:20:10
70:20:10 is a continuous workplace learning model based on the work of Charles Jennings. The main idea is that workplace learning happens mostly on the job. Conceptually, 70% of learning will happen by direct, hands on experience by taking on new projects, individual research and problem solving, 20% will happen by working with mentors and coworkers, and 10% of on-the-job-learning will happen at formal training sessions. The model was based on the results of a survey that asked successful executives how they learned at work. Though not an actual tested theory, 70:20:10 does reflect learning theories such as Kolb’s learning model and some action learning approaches. My partner and I discussed this short e-book to get going. The developers of the model emphasize that the exact percentages and breakdown isn’t as important as recognizing that a lot of workplace learning takes place in the doing of the work. They want to change the emphasis of learning at work from ‘corporate training’ to a more integrated approach that recognizes the informal learning and practical skills that are picked up in the real world.
Learning at Work 