C2 Workshop's E-Learning Blog

Social Learning: Move in Pride!

Seeing the cub sprawl on the ground defiantly, resisting her training, the lioness turned her attention to his more responsive siblings.

Taking them through the life lessons of getting comfortable with the adults of the pride, she also encouraged them to simulate hunting by ambushing her.

She probably knew it wouldn't take much time for the peer pressure to set in, on the defiant cub.

And, she was right. In a little while, she felt her tail being nibbled at, by the stubborn little one, with a reconciliatory look on his face. He was willing to be trained.

Social learning!  

This is what happens with us humans too. The inherent need to 'belong' instills in us the capacity to change our behaviors to suit the peer psyche.

Extend this reasoning to an organizational atmosphere, it so perfectly fits in. One doesn't want to be left behind, one doesn't want to be looked down upon and therefore, one nurtures an active interest to catch up. Learning happens by compulsion even in very informal moments.Organizations would do well, by taking stock of this basic psychological reality. By remembering that brilliant things happen in absolutely informal and fun moments!

So, designing the system in a way that learning percolates through this 'social learning' channel is surely a creative and effective route to 'reach' the employees. 'Cos, they have to be an ever-fresh talent pool that would keep the organization's competitive health in good stead.

E-Learning modules designed to educate the staff, for instance, would enjoy a better penetration, if the social learning mode is enabled. Where observational learning and imitation come into play, helping a spontaneous learning!

The entire concept of learning works on this simple, yet beautiful premise...

All of us love to move in pride! 

(Nirmal Ranganathan, Instructional Designer, C2 Workshop)

Face The Fast Phased... Informally!

James rushes into the platform to see his train, just about to pull out. Accelerating his feet into a quick sprint, he manages to get to his compartment, racing with those few seconds that could, otherwise, have landed him in a different situation. Settling down, he opens his laptop to give a final edit to the presentation he has fixed for his next meeting.

A friendly call from his boss informs him she has left on his table, a CD that would train him on the next set of advanced client management techniques.

James' personal organizer tells him he has a free hour the following morning he could allocate for the training.

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This scenario underlines an important aspect we instructional designers need to keep in mind, while blue-printing the learning experience for audiences such as James. Their critically short-spanned attention levels make it imperative for us to employ techniques that would not just 'grab' their attention, but 'retain' it through the length of the little time they effectively spend on their learning.   

One way to hit it right is to drop the didactic approach and knock off all formal tone. Recognize the elemental fact that the human brain - mind - is designed to spontaneously learn and that a good number of times, it learns better, outside a structured framework.

See the way kids explore things with their little hands. Who teaches them the funda? Nobody. In fact, if someone were to teach them, the kids will never explore. What's at work here is Informal Learning.

Every form of learning has a respective context which it is best suited for. Audience comprising of executives like James, exposed to formal work atmosphere, might also find it easy to relate to an informal approach. 'Cos, it takes them away from their formal routine and presents them with a situation which is refreshingly different. 

So, what we instructional designers need to be prepared for, is to face the fast phased, informally. 

And... creatively!

(Nirmal Ranganathan, Instructional Designer, C2 Workshop)