After reviewing the resources in the module Reading and Resources area, describe any four characteristics of adult learners and discuss how HR trends in corporate learning are responding to learners n
3-1 Discussion: Adult Learners
After reviewing the resources in the module Reading and Resources area, describe any four characteristics of adult learners and discuss how HR trends in corporate learning are responding to learners needs.
For your initial post, do the following:
Write a post of 1 to 2 paragraphs.
Include at least one citation and reference in your initial post
Respond to at least two of your classmates' posts.
Classmate#1
Torrie Wilhelm posted May 19, 2020 10:38 AM
I chose the article How to engage modern learners for this discussion piece. In the article, the author references "A good place to start is by familiarizing themselves with Bersin by Deloitte's research Meet the Modern Learner. It is a snapshot of current research into who modern learners are and how they behave." The four characteristics I took away from this article that struck me as most important were making time for training, create an experience, interaction is vital, and make it fun.
Donnithorne-Nicholls, P. (2017). How to engage modern leaners. Human Resources Magazine, 22(1), 8–9.
Making time for training. In the typical work week, many employers and employees alike have very little time to incorporate training into the standard workweek. I know from my own experience as a person in a leadership role that sometimes the idea of having to stop your task to perform training can be overwhelming given the about of work that needs to be done. Modern learners are taking are seeking out skills training on their own and on their own time as a way to stay relevant in today's job market.
Create an experience. Modern learners need and want more than old outdated educational tools. They want to be stimulated with updated items such as slideshows, diagrams, books, and illustrations. The adult learner brings a variety of tools and experiences to the table so the educational materials need to challenging and stimulating to meet the need.
"Interaction is vital" L&D facilitators must avoid 'passive tools', says Ruth Garside, an Adult Educator in Human Resources at Ara Institute of Canterbury. The modern learner must be challenged and stimulated as pointed out in my previous characteristic, to create an experience. Learners need to be part of forums or discussion groups. These ways they can work independently as well as stay focused and accountable.
The last characteristic I felt was important in this piece was to make it fun. We live in an instant gratification world, were people can be choosey on what they spend their time on. Professor Karl Kapp's well-known infographic '8 Game Elements to Make Learning Fun' is colorful but has a serious message. This tool could be used as a wonderfully creative way to teach the adult learner in a way that that is enjoyable. So often when taking the time to learn or do something to better ourselves we feel as if we could or should be going something else. Educational pieces that are fun, stimulating, and in short segments could be just what the adult learner needs to stay engaged.
Classmate #2
Adrian Delarazan posted May 19, 2020 9:06 AM
In the article, Awesome chart on "pedagogy vs andragogy.", Malcolm Knowles, a practitioner and theorist of adult education lists a number of characteristics that adult learners possess. He states that adult learners are goal oriented, relevancy oriented, practical, and likes to be respected (Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, 2015). Adult learners focus on specific goals to reach which plays off on their relevancy orientation. Adult learners need the reason as to why they are learning or pursuing something. With their experiences and dealing with real life situations, adult learners are considered to be practical. Adult learners also feel the need to be respected by teachers as opposed to a pedagogy relationship, where children are fully dependent on the teacher and expects to be guided in learning without any form of responsibility of learning on their own (Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, 2015).
HR trends in corporate learning are responding to learners’ need in many ways. According to the article, Key Trends Shaping the Future of Learning and Development, the employment agency Mercer discusses seven global talent trends in training and development which includes neuroscience, individualized value proposition, digitization, and investing in learning and development (Fletcher & Spehrer-Patrick, 2016). These trends have revolved a lot around the individual and the emphasis on the differences that individuals learn and retain information. Another major trend is the advancement of technology and how reliant people are on it.
Many companies have taken these trends and started to implement changes such as mobile learning and more interactive hands-on training (Donnithorne-Nicholls, 2017). Since people are pretty much glued to their phones in today’s society, mobile learning is being used to push out trainings to individuals. Companies such as Walmart and Honeywell have even incorporated virtual reality training (Gasparevic, 2018). Using these type of technology can help trainees have a stimulating and immersive training with little risk and could be cost-effective for companies. Organizations are incorporating changes to their training programs to become more technology-based interactive experiences and highlight personalized training in order to increase their employee’s skills.
References
Donnithorne-Nicholls, P. (2017). How to engage modern learners. Human Resources Magazine, 22(1), 8–9.
Fletcher, A., & Spehrer-Patrick, E. (2016). Key Trends Shaping the Future of Learning and Development. Training & Development (1839-8561), 43(4), 22–23.
Gasparevic, D. (2019, August 16). Why Virtual-Reality Training for Employees Is Catching On. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/technology/pages/why-virtual-reality-training-for-employees-is-catching-on.aspx
