Training Industry Quarterly - Fall 2011 - (Page 31)

THE EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IS A CAPABILITY THAT THE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER MUST MASTER this in blended learning which incorporates instructor-led and e-Learning as a single learning solution. So are we talking about technology just for technology sake? I believe not. Forces in today’s workplace necessitate instructional designers to think innovatively regarding what it takes to develop a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. The characteristics of the modern workplace truly drive the need for learning technology. The rapid acceleration of business change creates these characteristics in the workplace: • Workers must manage and utilize an increasing volume of information. A seemingly endless flow of e-mails, announcements and other information inundate workers daily. This creates increasing competition for critical information that workers need top of mind and accessible to effectively do their jobs. We must link the availability of learning and critical knowledge closely to the time it is needed. • Organizations are reducing the number of managers and increasing the number of individuals reporting to each manager. This reduces manager availability and workers must be more self-sufficient in identifying knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs as well as where to find it. • The faster pace of business and dynamic business change means the critical skills and knowledge workers need in January of a given year may be different from what workers need in June. Learning solutions must be quickly created and deployed. In light of these factors, there is not the time or resources to develop a skilled workforce using traditional learning methods and the effective use of technology is a capability that the instructional designer must master. Technology-based learning provides rapid access to geographically dispersed workforce, rapid delivery through distance delivery mediums, and the capability for learners to learn when convenient. All of these fit the learning needs of the modern workplace. In addition, learning technologies are less expensive, easier to implement and more widely accepted as effective workforce tools. As companies and learners have become more comfortable with technology-based learning solutions, their implementation and usage has increased. These changes in the workplace have a significant impact on the way companies view learning as well as the way learners view expectations of their own learning. The table below compares these assumptions: Traditional assumptions about learning The organization was responsible for workforce learning and development Learners were passive in their learning process Time and productivity were not critical Eﬀective learning had to be formal learning • The useful lives of formal learning intereful inter busiventions will decrease due to rapid busi ness change. • The amount of overall learning content will increase creating the need for efficient learning development and delivery. Contemporary assumptions about learning The learner has primary responsibility for their own learning and development Learners are active in their learning process Time and productivity is extremely critical Eﬀective learning comes in a wide variety of formats and mediums As you can see in the right column above, the pace of business has made workers more responsible for their own learning as they draw from an increasing number of learning options to accomplish that goal. For instructional designers, these changing workforce factors significantly influence the characteristics of the learning environment they work with. Some of these characteristics are: • Learning will become more individualized through increasing self-service, learner-initiated access of learning content. • Social media and online communities will provide the vehicle for questions, application and reinforcement of learning content as less learning occurs in the classroom setting. Each of these factors supports an increasing need for technology-based learning solutions. While technology has changed the tools instructional designers work with, it has not changed the fundamental goal of instructional design. That is, to bridge the gap between the skills and knowledge workers have and the skills and knowledge needed to do their jobs effectively. As organizations and learners expectations of learning continue to evolve, worker demographics change and new learning technologies become available, instructional design will continue to meet challenges. Mark Bower is founder of Edge Interactive and has more than 25 years of experience as a training executive, entrepreneur and management consultant. E-mail Mark. 31 Training Industry Quarterly, Fall 2011 / A Training Industry, Inc. ezine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ http://www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Quarterly - Fall 2011

Training Industry Quarterly - Fall 2011
From Where I Sit: Back to the Basics
Table of Contents
Ad Index
The Learning GPS
Work that Stretches: The Best Teacher
The Promise and Peril of Social Enterprise
Technical Training: How is it Different?
Companies Press 'Play' on Training Games
Redefining the 'e' in e-Learning
Essential Components for Effectively Training a Global Workforce
Five m-Learning Considerations for Your Talent Management Strategy
Instructional Design: Learning Meets Technology
Improving Training: Thinking Like a Game Developer
Casebook: Pfizer: Moving Product Sales Training Online
Why is Mobile Learning Not More Popular?
Tweet Suite
Company News
Closing Arguments: The Three T's

Training Industry Quarterly - Fall 2011