Efficient learning: first of all, never stop learning.
It might sound like a kind advice, but guess what, it’s so much more than that. It should be written with capital letters and it must be considered a demand. Why? Because the business world is constantly adapting itself to the ever-expanding technology and the professionals must keep up with the rhythm. So, your need to choose a learning environment which helps you keep up with the evolving rhtyhm.
You might think that moving from a traditional to an online learning approach is enough. Sorry to disappoint, but it is not. And if you have already started using eLearning, you know that it comes with a series of challenges. But don’t you worry, knowledge seeker, there is a solution for everything. Let’s take them step by step. Efficient learning is attainable.
Efficient learning environment: interactivity
I do not know about you, but if I asked any of my former classmates what’s the best thing from college, they would all answer the meet-ups. Because, let’s be serious, the only good thing when you struggle with a course is that you can share the learning strive with others.
And you might think that an eLearning process means a course which one must take, followed by a quiz and maybe some sort of a gamification approach to keep the students engaged. It is true, but it’s not the complete picture. And it’s a difference between learning and efficient learning.
You can employ the collaborative character of traditional classes in the online learning environment by using communities of practice, which increase the level of interactivity. Moreover, these communities mean a collaborative learning environment that brings a series of advantages to every student, through the continuous flow of knowledge, which generates fresh ideas.
Adaptability struggle in changing the learning environment
Moving from the familiar to the unknown is hard, isn’t it? Yes, we know. But not moving from the familiar to the unknown, especially when it comes to keeping up with the business evolution is reckless. So, you should change the learning environment. But make the change in a smooth manner, so it doesn’t harm your training process.
And difficult sounds a bit better than reckless, doesn’t it? A solution for this adaptability issue is to use a UX experience which generates an intuitive design that makes the learning process easier and, more importantly, long-lasting. On the long term, that’s what we all want, don’t we? Efficient learning approach with training outcomes which can be live-saving in the variety of difficulties that we encounter day by day.
Then, another solution for this would be to create an intermediate level between traditional and online. How can you do that? Through blended learning which means that you do not completely exclude the traditional approach of learning, but you mix it with the online experience and get the best out of these two.
Moreover, let’s say that the members of your team find it difficult to move from real-life to virtual learning, from written notes to using a learning platform on their laptops. Maybe they have not thought of using the web for taking classes. But, even if this is the case, I’m pretty sure that they use their mobile all the time for a variety of tasks. We all do.
And if we use the mobile phone for finding a place instead of using a map, if we use it for finding how to repair broken things in our homes instead of reading the actual instruction manual, then I am pretty sure that we can use it for learning.
And that’s where you have your intermediate level: M-learning between real life classes and an online learning environment. So, search for an eLearning platform that can provide you and your company with a mobile app in order to deliver efficient learning.
Time management
This is an important concept in every step you make, both personally and professionally. When it comes to efficient learning, no matter of the approach, the time management is even more important, as you surely know.
Why? Because we are so stuck in the chaotic list of to-dos, that we might have the wrong impression that we can put learning on the second place and solve the tasks with the knowledge we already possess.
This might be enough indeed, but sometimes enough might keep up on the same line with the competitors. Wouldn’t you like to move a step forward? Then you need up-to-date information which you acquire through constant learning.
First of all, your students, meaning your employees, need motivation, which is both intrinsic and extrinsic. Internally speaking, you should let them know that every piece of information they get is valuable to their development. I mean, alright, they take a course which is aligned with the company objectives, but the information they get doesn’t vanish once they check that business objective, it stands with them, it makes them grow. And it’s always one click away using an online learning environment, which results in efficient learning programs.
Then, before making the course align to the company objectives, be sure that you have aligned the company objectives to those of your teams. Each department knows best what it needs in order to be more efficient, more productive and to solve problems easier. And then you can make the most of your learning environment by always aiming at accomplishing these goals and solving these needs.
Talk to them, organise them into departments using an eLearning platform and be sure that this way, the extrinsic and intrinsic motivation are not parallel. That’s how you ? the motivation. And the efficient learning.
Another important aspect of the time management when it comes to efficient learning is persistence. You could create some sort of a schedule planner for your teams where you could set reminders for their courses and assignments or your could set deadlines for finishing a course and keep track of this by using the overview section of an eLearning platform, which shows you their learning paths and progress, as well as the time spent on course.
Interactivity, adaptability and time management should always be your focus if you aim at delivering efficient training in an effective learning environment.