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Training must engross, involve learners
For horizons to expand and stagnation to cease, for growth to result and progress to be made, one needs to be unrelentingly on the path of learning. The augmentation of knowledge is often the one of the important factors that determines success. And companies are recognising this fact, hence making employee learning and development, an important HR function.
In a corporate atmosphere, aims and goals of learning are specific and specialised. Further, this is learning that has to directly and efficiently translate into immediate practice and show instant results.
How does this learning commence and be effective? Practicality, even with soft skills, is fundamental in corporate training. How does one teach then? Training takes on a two-fold meaning. Training isn’t just about putting across information. Training should also engross and involve the employee and ensure learning. Hence the types of learners, their preferences, and styles of learning gain importance. It isn’t just about teaching and content anymore, but also about delivery and effectiveness. That the employee learns is of paramount importance and for this the employee, as the learner has to be understood. Courses are designed not just with information, but keeping in mind, learning abilities of the employee. To reiterate, content is important but of little efficacy if not understood and imbibed by your employee. Hence it is important to know the employee’s style of learning. All learners and employees are different and hence research has been done to understand major learning styles and incorporate this into the method of training. For example visual presentation, graphics, images have deeper impact on some learners, whereas statistics, data and charts, impress the other kind. Some prefer kinaesthetic learning, i.e., learning through exercises or games, whereas some others like the traditional written manual and some others just prefer to pay attention and learn as they hear, i.e. through audio methods.
Studies have been done that aim at categorising various learning styles. A commonly used categorisation of learning styles is one devised by Honey and Mumford who have further based their four categories of learners based on Kolb’s Learning Style Model. Let’s begin with action. These are known as the ‘activists’. Activists like action and are enthusiastic individuals.
They are eager to do tasks and activities. Games, and exercises excite the activist so the course for this type of learner will have to be action packed, with activities that involve direct interaction, games, discussions, competitions and debate. Not everyone likes activity.
Some like to sit back and reflect and are hence known as ‘reflectors’. The study shows that this kind of learner is the master observer. They watch and collect data, analyse and then draw conclusions or reflect. They probably learn best from examples, and by simply watching and listening to others.
A similar group would be the ‘theorist’. However the theorist may delve in greater detail on graphs, and diagrams.
After all the thinking, reflecting and theorising, comes the ‘pragmatist’. This is the practical worker. Likes to see practicality and the direct end result of everything hence this kind of learner, likes to learn new techniques and applications and try them out to see their usability. He isn’t fond of discussion and debate, but would rather see examples, case studies and their conclusions.
Hence these four major styles can help one understand the group to be trained and design a course best suited for the type of audience.Indeed, the course content will define the method of dissemination of matter and information. But a study of the employees also ensures that the training is actually effective. The focus then is on the learner.
UZMA HYDER
faqs@cnkonline.com
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