Trends in Learning

Someone was just asking me about the big trends in learning and the implications of those trends on corporate learning and development.  I initially said - "Look at my blog," but when I looked, I realized it might be a bit harder than I thought to pull out the central themes.  So, here's a bit of a compilation of some of the things I've been talking about in my blog which points to some of the major trends in learning.

Environmental Changes

Some of the common trends I discuss in presentations are:

• Decreased L&D budgets
• Faster pace
• Increased workforce mobility
• Shorter job tenure
• Increased job fragmentation - fewer numbers in any one role
• Constant increase in complexity
• Greater concept work
• Need for faster proficiency
• Changing expectations for learning

The bottom line is that Learning and Development needs to do more with less these days or they will be marginalized. 

And the risk is pretty severe as described in the Business of Learning. 

Trends in What L&D Organizations are Doing

As a result of these trends, some L&D organizations are looking to social and informal learning.  Training Method Trends suggests that social learning tools are beginning to take off.  This will be a slow evolution.  And surveys such as Web 2.0 Applications in Learning suggest that this will be scattered.

There's considerable discussion throughout my blog around topics that relate to social / informal / learning 2.0:

• Formalizing and Investing in Informal Learning
• No Informal Learning and Blended Learning Mix - CLO Panel Surprises
• Action on Informal Learning - Leads to Great Questions
• Numbers and Informal Learning
• The Real Challenge around Informal Learning
• More on the Form of Informal
• The Paradox of Informal Learning (Form of Informal?)
• Informal Learning and Learning Management Systems
• Informal Learning - Let's Get Real - Part II
• Informal Learning - Harold Tells Us Where To Put It - Now What
• Informal Learning - Let's Get Real
• Elves, Measuring Results and Informal Learning
• eLearning 2.0: Informal Learning, Communities, Bottom-up vs. Top-Down

The whole social / informal / elearning 2.0 discussions implies some very Disruptive Changes in Learning.

In Long Live, I discuss how we are not talking about eliminating instructor-led, but that organizations are looking at alternatives.

The whole problem is Long Tail Learning. There is just way too much stuff that people need to learn that we have to make choices about what we spend our time publishing into formal learning events. The audience has to be large enough. As concept workers, we quickly go past formal learning opportunities. There's no course on what I do every day. And you cannot Separate Knowledge Work from Learning.

One option is to say that limit of training / workplace Learning Responsibility is formal learning. Once you go beyond formal learning, then there's an immediate question of what else you will provide. I know from Data Driven performance improvement solutions that often informal learning can be very effective in driving results. To me, the answer is pretty clear. You've got to look beyond formal.

The Result

When you look at Examples of eLearning 2.0, none of them individually seem all that radical.  Many organizations are using SharePoint to implement these kinds of solutions.

But when you look at the difference in control in Learning 1.0 vs. Learning 2.0, it's a pretty radical change.

There are significant opportunities around Online Coaching.  I'm hearing more on this all the time.

Examples of how social and informal learning is happening in the consumer space:

• Social Learning
• italki - Social Network for Language Learning 
• Social Learning Objects - Flash Cards

Approach to learning strategy needs to be different: Learning 2.0 Strategy

You need to think about systems quite different: LMS and Social Learning 

You have to prepare workers for web 2.0

L&D professionals and organizations having changing roles and responsibilities:

• Leading Learning and New Skills

• Social Learning Designer

• Workplace Learning Professionals Next Job - Management Consultant

• Improving Personal Learning - A Continuing Challenge for Learning Professionals

Other Thoughts

In Corporate Training, I look at the challenges learning and development organizations face in heading towards these kinds of solutions.

There are lots of possible Objections to making this happen.

Social Learning Measurement is still an issue.

Corporate Policies on Web 2.0 are emerging.

Desired Learning Outcomes may differ based on these changes.