Recent global events have forced training providers to re-evaluate and adapt their delivery methods. The traditional face to face group approach may not be appropriate for some time to come, but does this also mean the end (albeit temporarily) of Social Learning, the power of learning together? In this blog post, Why Training’s Senior Learning Partner, Nadia Giaffar, explores practical ways to encompass social learning into today’s digital learning environment.
The importance of Social Learning
Human beings are social animals, we enjoy the company of other human beings (for the most part) and we’re accustomed to learning in a social environment. We learn by sharing knowledge, supporting one another and sharing in the creative process. With the onset of digital learning much of this was lost. Early e-learning tended to be a solitary experience.
Yet, just as we’ve started to connect learners and organizations and incorporate social learning into our blended learning journeys we’re faced with new challenges, how can you incorporate social learning into a fully digital learning environment?
What needs to be replaced?
Much of the traditional approach to learning relied on face to face interactions, sometimes supported by a ‘distance’ learning module. The challenge is how do you replace activities such as group workshops, manager interactions, practical learning applications in a work situation or learning and reflecting with a colleague during a learning journey?
Elements worth exploring include:
- Webinars – offer effective, large scale communications, normally accommodating around 30 but scalable for upwards of 100 attendees. Many organizations are already familiar with the webinar format, as they’re typically the first port of call for mass communication across a wide area.
Typically run by one presenter, they offer an effective way to broadcast information or a narrative to a large group. Interactive elements can be added to increase interest and engagement, using features such as surveys, opinion polls, group chats and live debates.
Webinars do have their challenges though. It can be hard to gauge how connected the audience are if they don’t participate, and it’s likely that some of your audience will be engaged in other activities during the broadcast. There’s a theory that states that only 1% of an online audience will typically be actively engaged for the duration of an online session.
- Virtual Classrooms – the digital equivalent of the traditional training room, virtual classrooms are, (or at least should be), specifically designed to be interactive, collaborative and participative, in contrast to the fairly one-dimensional broadcast approach of the webinar. To maximize involvement attendees should be kept to around 12 people and the session shouldn’t last any longer than 90 minutes.
Virtual classrooms should be all about participation and there are a number of techniques that can be employed to help achieve this. These include facilitator-led group discussions, reflection exercises, collaborative whiteboards and document sharing, video inserts, Q&A sessions and the use of breakout rooms.
Become familiar with all the tools your virtual classroom software offers. Ranking, rating, waving hands and emotion icons as well as surveys and polling are all commonly used features used in webinars that can be incorporated into a beneficial virtual classroom session.
Probably the most important element in any virtual classroom scenario, and webinar for the matter, is the facilitator. Having a passionate, engaging presenter, who can control the pace, build trust and confidence, exudes energy and can build a relationship through the screen is key.
- Virtual Workshops – workshops build on the virtual classroom experience but tend to focus more on creative, collaborative outcomes. The physical workshop was fairly commonplace up until recently, but with some planning can now be replaced with a series of shorter individual sessions. A typical virtual workshop structure could include 3 sessions, the first designed to identify the issue in question and gather insight from the group as a whole. The second to work on possible solutions and desired outcomes. The third to reflect, discuss and agree on a plan to moving forward.
- Learning Circles – are the virtual equivalent of groups of learners coming together on a regular basis over an extended period of time. Typically smaller groups of between 6 – 10 learners who share their experience while applying their learning. Narrative and storytelling are important elements in these groups so creating an environment of comfort and trust is essential.
- Face time – a regular one-to-one session with a Training or Line Manager, coach or mentor can still be a valuable part of the digital learning experience, particularly during the initial stages of the move to an online environment.
- Virtual Support Network – an open, shared social space that’s ‘owned and managed’ by the learners, where they can exchange stories, ask questions, seek input, and get feedback and support from their peers.
These are just a few ideas and suggestions that will allow you to embed social learning in a meaningful way into a purely virtual learning experience. We quickly learn to swim when dropped in at the deep end, and during our current situation enforced we’re having to adapt quickly to how to deliver beneficial learning experiences using purely digital approaches.
