Rachel Burnham writes: I have had an amazing time over the last year
participating in the Curatr based MOOC ‘E-learning: Beyond the NextButton’. This was a 12 month based free online
course to explore new ideas and approaches to e-learning – each month new
material was released and an international group of participants explored a
whole range of e-learning related topics.
I have learnt so much.
I was already aware
that e-learning is a much broader field, than the traditional e-learning
course, which is often used to deliver compliance training and involves those
endless ‘Next’ buttons to take you onto the next page (hence the title of the
MOOC). I have previously used the CIPD
definition of e-learning
‘learning that is delivered,
enabled or mediated using electronic technology for the explicit purpose of
training, learning or development in organisations.’
(Egan, 2012)
And this recognises that e-learning can include:
webinars/virtual classrooms/live online learning; podcasts; use of video;
discussion forums; digital resources such as blogs/infographics/e-books; and
the use of social media and enterprise social networks.
What this MOOC introduced me to was e-learning as also
encompassing the use of AI (artificial intelligence), VR (virtual reality), AR
(augumented reality), Wearables, Proximity Beacons and Bots, plus how these
links to some of the research into effective learning, such as spaced
learning. So it has widened my
understanding of how technology can be used to support and enable learning
hugely.
This is a rapidly expanding and developing field. It was great to hear about the possibilities
of AI to enable much more personalised learning experiences and to experience
the use of AI in language learning through programmes such as Duolingo. It is
fascinating to hear how rapidly messaging is growing and along with this chat
bots that are being used to answer customer queries. These can be used in
learning both to provider learner support and also to aid with learning
practice.
‘Wearables’ is another rapidly developing field –
probably most of us have heard of tools such as Google Glass and fitness
bracelets, which opens up the possibility of using wearables to host
performance support tools. Proximity Beacons came as something entirely new to
me, but are beginning to be used in museums and galleries to provide additional
information directly to visitors’ phones where they have the relevant app
installed and again I can see the huge potential in these for performance
support, particularly in equipment rich environments.
Augmented Reality or AR hit the public awareness over the
last summer with the Pokemon Go craze, but as the technology develops there are
lots of possibilities to use AR for performance support and as a new kind of resource
for learning. Virtual Reality or VR is
already being explored by very many organisations to provide opportunity for
people to have immersive experiences with lots of potential for impacting on
behaviours and attitudes as well as to orientate people to new roles and
locations.
With so many different kinds of e-learning and with the
speed of developments in this field it is easy to feel overwhelmed by all of
this. In L&D we urgently need to
steer a course between being an ostrich with our head in the sand and being a
magpie picking up every new and shiny thing that comes along.
Instead, I have 5 pointers to help you get your head
around these developments.
1) I
recommend deploying your Personal Learning Network (PLN) to help you keep up to
date with developments in these fields.
By PLN I mean your network of colleagues, contacts and acquaintances
that you interact with both in person and virtually. Make sure that within your PLN you include
people who are already working with these kinds of technologies - follow them on social media, read their
posts & blogs and engage with them.
They will act as translators & conductors for developments in these fields
helping you to stay in touch. Plus, this
will give you some ‘go-to’ people as starting points if you want to find out
more about any particular technology.
2) Develop
a broad awareness of each of these technologies in terms of their particular
characteristics and how they can be best used to aid learning - what are their
strengths and weaknesses. This is just
the same as understanding when and how best to use a game or video or other
more traditional learning tool. Not
every tool is useful in every situation.
3) Link
this awareness to a deep understanding of what is needed in your own
organisation to help people and teams perform to their very best ability. Consider carefully which tools will help to
make learning more effective. Some tools will have potential for use in your
organisation and some won’t. Avoid
magpie tendencies to get excited about something that isn’t relevant to your
own organisation.
4) Don’t
fall into the trap of just limiting these tools to creating more effective learning.
Keep focussed on performance. Some of the tools may do away or reduce the
need for learning at all, by substituting the need for learning with improved
performance support.
5) Experiment
– once you have identified which tools have potential within your organisation,
try them out. Experiment with small
trials and learn from this.
So these are my 5 pointers
to help you navigate through this changing technology and steer a course clear
of both ostriches and magpies!
Rachel
Burnham
23/1/17
Burnham L & D Consultancy helps L&D
professionals update and refresh their skills.
I am particularly interested in blended learning, the uses of social
media for learning, evaluation and anything that improves the impact of
learning on performance.
