CORPORATE TRAINING LEADS THE WAY

A generalization that has been floating around for decades reads: “When it comes to adopting new learning innovations, Public Education generally trails Corporate Training by at least a decade.”

Corporate Training moves more quickly to address the learning challenges they face. After all, they are dealing with the bottom line issue of profitability. They have to pay attention to learning culture changes or many of their workers will not learn enough to improve on-the-job performance and operational efficiency.

Today we live primarily in a “television learning culture.” People get much more of their information and form many more of their opinions from what they see on the television or computer screen rather than through the historical practice of reading newspapers and magazines (just look at the crises facing print journalism today).

In terms of skills acquisition, most people are visual learners. Seeing, Hearing, and Doing — in combination — is still the best way. And, that is why at least half of our population will be better served with multi-sensory learning (nearly 40% of our citizens do not comprehend beyond a 4th Grade reading level).

“Gaming” with their brilliantly designed moving animations is also becoming part of the new learning culture.

Today, more than at any other time, it is just as important to know what doesn’t work as it is to know what does. So what kind of learning should you avoid?:

• Shun Lecture/Reading-ONLY Courses. Nearly half of our population has little chance to learn using such exclusionary approaches.

• Close the door to PowerPoint presentations or written procedures that are posing as e-Learning programs. As learning initiatives they are counterfeit.

Learning has changed in a revolutionary way. Our traditional education and training leaders must, first, recognize and, then adopt the newer, more effective ways. (Even traditional subjects like Reading & Writing Skills and Applied Math can be taught effectively with knowledgeably designed media instruction.)

Reading and writing skills need not be de-emphasized. However, multi-sensory media deserves an equal place for the many whose learning culture requires it. Learning should be our end game and the means much more inclusive.

Failure to implement these newer, more powerful, learning tools will be at our own peril.

After all is said and done, aren’t the learning outcomes our ultimate goal? Those outcomes will trump the chosen method every time!

As Alvin Toffler so correctly observed: “The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

More on Tuesday – – –

— Bill Walton, Founder, ITC Learning
www.itclearning.com/blog/ (Tuesdays & Thursdays)
e-Mail: bwalton@itclearning.com

“ THE WORLD RELIES ON THE HANDS OF ITS MEN AND WOMEN ”