With more millennial employees in the workforce, training and development in the workplace have shifted from traditional layouts to high-tech on-demand, online training. It’s nothing new. Technology has been playing a major role in training and development since the 1960s. However, what makes it more interesting today is that the process has become complex, often requiring devices and other technological paraphernalia.
Learning technologies today offer a whole new world of digital learning. Whether for a company, non-profit, or government agency, training and development methods today provide new ideas, growth, and success. In this article, learn what technologies can help your organization improve its training and development.
Virtual Training
Virtual training is an umbrella term for different kinds of learning accessed through the internet. It includes e-learning, rapid e-learning, blended learning, ubiquitous learning, and mobile learning.
e-Learning is a self-paced learning method where learners access each lesson based on their schedule. Rapid e-learning is the same, but each lesson is divided into quick micro-learning sessions. Blended learning, on the other hand, offers various learning options in one course.
Ubiquitous learning is an activity-led learning method where learners move forward when one activity is complete. Mobile learning, meanwhile, is on-demand learning that can be accessed by users anywhere, anytime.
Virtual training is best applied to remote workers. In fact, according to Training magazine, learning methods such as this are enticing for organizations with many geographically diverse employees.
Virtual training is a form of self-led development that is best suited for them. They can enjoy learning at their own pace, and they have downtime to spare. They can learn through any portable devices wherever they are.
Making your training courses compatible with technology and available on the internet can increase engagement and open other self-led development options.
Social Learning
Social learning methods encompass different social venues where people can learn. It can include online forums, social media platforms, online discussion boards, and even comments sections on different websites. These social venues enable learners to ask and answer questions, engage with other learners, and participate in group discussions.
Aside from building community in the workplace, social learning allows learners to discuss issues, share their experiences, and apply their new skills. It is important to build a positive culture that supports learners in their training and development.
Social learning also helps learners stay focused on what they’ve learned, extend their interest, help other learners master topics, and open up new ideas. This helps build a network where learners can sustain the conversation, enabling continued growth. You can build different networks for each department or topic.
Gamification
Gamification is a learning method that combines learning with fun, often through different kinds of games. It helps learners apply training principles they’ve learned in games back on their jobs. It uses real-world scenarios to teach learners how to apply a specific skill to a task.
Often, gamification is used to add game mechanics into non-game environments to increase learner participation and engagement. A company’s intranet, learning management system, online community, or website can be used for gaming environments.
Aside from increasing learner participation, gamification aims to engage employees with partners and customers, so they can interact, share, and collaborate. If done strategically, it can improve business. It can boost employee satisfaction and performance, knowledge sharing, and retention. It also increases the adoption and use of other methods and tools for learning. For example, your organization can use a console-style gaming PC or any virtual reality device for your gamification training.
Adaptive Learning
According to the Training and Development World, training must encourage learners to share what they’ve learned. Adaptive learning is the best method for this goal. It is results-driven, focusing on the needs of a learner to facilitate better training.
Adaptive learning is a method that is customized based on the learning needs of an employee. This creates a unique learning experience that cannot be replicated in a traditional training setup. Learners can get immediate assistance and feedback, further improving their learning experience.
With adaptive learning, learners can choose their training pace, monitor their progress through visible charts, and simultaneously request instructor support and explanations. These factors motivate learners to learn more and move forward with other concepts in their training.
Increase the Efficiency of Technology-based Training and Development
The most competitive organizations develop a culture of learning to foster innovation. They know the importance of training and development to remain competitive in the market. They know it’s needed to encourage employee engagement and retention.
Ill-adapted and badly-targeted training will not help. You should develop a well-planned training and development strategy to reach your goals. Incorporate technology to make it more effective.
