Introduction: Designing Environments for Learning
One of the most exciting aspects about working in learning and development is that the field is constantly changing. But that can also be deeply unsettling. Many years ago, I attended a learning industry conference that featured a number of thought leaders in panel discussions and keynote presentations. A recurring theme of their remarks was that “instructional design is dead.” This was not something I wanted to hear—instructional design was the basis for a substantial portion of my livelihood. I taught instructional design in graduate courses. I managed a team of instructional designers. And I loved the part of my work that was instructional design—crafting graduate courses and professional workshops. I wanted to push off the comments as hyperbole, but they were being made by people whom I knew and respected in the field.
After the conference, I continued thinking about what these colleagues might know that I did not. What would make them pronounce instructional design dead? As I reflected, I came to realize that they were not really saying that there would be no more instructional design; that part of the message was indeed hyperbole (whether they wanted to admit it or not). There will always be a role for formal training and education programs. What they were saying was that instruction is only one of the ways we should consider addressing learning needs in our organization—they were predicting that other ways of supporting learning and development (L&D) would become more prominent.
With that insight, I decided to carefully consider all the other ways that people learn; it’s a long list. As a learning strategist, I wanted to develop tools that would support me in considering a wider array of options, and I wanted to be able to explain the approaches to colleagues, clients, stakeholders, and students. From those ruminations came the notion of learning environment design. Over time, I developed a definition for learning environments, a wide-ranging list of potential components, and a process for designing a comprehensive approach to addressing learning needs that incorporates informal learning, social learning, developmental activities, and experiential learning, along with formal training and development activities. This book captures this framework and shares important additional lessons I have learned along the way regarding what makes learning environments work.
AN EMERGING ROLE FOR L&D
The toolkit for learning and development work has been expanding rapidly during the last several decades, along with the changing demands of learners. That expansion has been helped along by new technologies that make certain techniques possible and cost effective. Learning and development has a history of embracing a variety of new strategies and approaches to meet learners’ ever-changing needs. If you look at the topics that have drawn attention at conferences and generated professional development programs over the years, you can see we are in a field that is not stagnant. We’ve seen the adoption of e-learning, collaboration on knowledge management systems, increasing capabilities for producing simulations, growing use of blended strategies, the incorporation of informal learning, and renewed attention to social learning, especially through social media.
Josh Bersin and Jane Hart, two prominent learning futurists, have both outlined trajectories showing how L&D has steadily incorporated e-learning, informal learning, and social learning approaches into what was once an industry primarily providing face-to-face training (see Figure I-1). They suggest that there will be a rising use of collaborative learning and integrated talent development moving forward (Bersin and Mallon 2009; Hart 2010). New technologies make a wider array of strategies possible (and cost effective) and new strategies have allowed us to be more responsive to changing learning needs.
One way that L&D leaders have responded to these changes is to make resources more accessible, which gives learners the opportunity to connect with others and share knowledge, both across the enterprise and with the wider world through Internet connectivity and social media. This expansion of strategies and services has not always been easy, and some L&D departments have not been able to fully embrace them due to reluctance, lack of resources, or opposition from client groups. Others have not adopted an array of strategies because they are not able to sort out how to do it effectively.
FIGURE I-1. THE EVOLUTION OF CORPORATE LEARNING
Those who have embraced new technologies, meanwhile, have not always seen the anticipated benefits. A 2014 Corporate Executive Board (CEB) study concluded that while access to new resources and tools has increased, employees at all levels are struggling to be productive when taking advantage of them; people spend time learning, but are not getting enough useful knowledge and skill for their effort. One recommendation for correcting this problem is to guide learners to those resources, people, and activities that are most helpful.
Learning environment design offers a way of conceptualizing how to blend a variety of strategies into a coherent and valuable whole. A learning environment is a collection of resources and activities for learning, which is deliberately curated with a specific knowledge and skill development need in mind. Those resources and activities run the gamut, including reference materials and information resources (books, articles, videos, links); interpersonal connections with experts, coaches, and peers; formal learning activities such as training and degree programs; manager-led activities designed to support learning and development; and the learner’s own on-the-job learning-by-doing activities.
The approach can be used by learning strategists, course designers, technology advocates, managers, and others to assemble a solid collection of resources to support learning for a specific skill set or knowledge base. Designing learning environments is a practical way to assist learners in managing their own development; it bridges the divide between structuring learning into courses and abandoning learners to the vagaries of an Internet search.
As the L&D department changes its focus from training to a more diversified portfolio of products and services, new roles will emerge for learning professionals. Among the most frequently cited is the role of curator, which we’ll discuss at length in later chapters. There may also be more need for L&D practitioners to provide one-on-one assistance as advisers, coaches, and learning advocates. And the role of crafting learning strategy will likely require deep collaboration with technology experts and external providers in order to line up the most useful tools and resources for knowledge and skill building across the enterprise. This is the backdrop for the emergence of the learning environment design framework.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN CONTEXT
In today’s workplace, we have two fairly distinct types of learning challenges. The first challenge is about communicating baseline knowledge and skill sets to people who likely don’t know what they need to know. That’s usually a curriculum challenge. The other challenge is helping people to deepen their knowledge and skill levels, and pick up additional learning as necessary in the course of engaging in a role. It can be daunting to consider how to support this kind of learning because multiple knowledge bases and skills are needed, each learner has varying levels of expertise, and one never really knows the optimal time to “teach” the next thing. This challenge is about supporting those with more individual, unique, and complex learning needs.
To explore these challenges, it might be helpful to imagine a few examples. For the first learning challenge, let’s take a look at the needs of a young go-getter named Ralph. Ralph is a newly hired customer call representative who needs to learn about the company’s products, systems, and workflows, along with the details of his roles and responsibilities, if he’s going to get his career off on the right foot. He joins the company along with a cohort of soon-to-be peers, who will all be working in the same building and are all equally in the dark about the day-to-day details of their new jobs.
A scenario like this poses the kind of challenge that training was born to handle. Training is a great solution when learners have common learning needs, come in with similar backgrounds, and have the same kinds of tasks to fulfill. Training may be classroom based, e-learning, formal on-the-job training, or some combination thereof. Regardless of delivery method, the company can create a training program for Ralph and his peers that is well defined, well structured, and consistent for everyone. The company can also make additional courses and performance support materials available, to support and encourage growth after the initial new hire training.
For the other type of learning challenge, let’s consider two other learners in the same organization, Cara and Yuri, who have been hired as salespeople. Their needs are driven individually, and the role they are asked to play in the organization requires an array of skill sets. Cara comes with a stellar sales record in another industry, while Yuri was hired from inside the organization based on his knowledge of the products and strong client relationship management skills. Both are highly motivated self-starters, and both have a strong desire to do well.
For Cara to be effective, she will need to learn about the company, products, and industry. Only then can she apply her exceptional sales skills to her new role. On the other hand, for Yuri to be effective, he will need to learn the sales process and strengthen his client influencing skills so that he can use his deep knowledge of the company and its products to effectively represent them in a sales situation. Both will work in the United States, but Yuri is based on the West Coast and Cara is in the New England office. They start their new jobs one month apart.
It will be more difficult for formal training to effectively address the kinds of needs that Cara and Yuri typify. There isn’t enough commonality in background and need that would allow one formal solution to meet the learners where they are, and the hiring pattern is such that it would be difficult to get the minimum number of participants for a formal course, at least in a face-to-face or synchronous format. However, Cara and Yuri need to come up to speed quickly, so they need to learn just enough, just-in-time. No one program (even a boot-camp-style immersion) will work as a once-and-done solution for them.
This second kind of challenge is occurring more and more, as roles and skills become increasingly multifaceted and complex and learners come into a company anywhere along a wide continuum of knowledge base and skill level. Specific learning needs for these individuals—who may be dispersed geographically, sometimes even globally—come up at different times. The only things they may have in common are the topics on their learning plans: the knowledge base and skills needed to be effective. These learners need to be able to learn what they need when they need it—and they are capable of making the determination of what and when for themselves (or in collaboration with their managers). There may occasionally be instances when formal training makes sense for this group, but for the most part their learning needs should be addressed through other means.
Performance support and informal learning are sometimes touted as the best strategies for meeting these kinds of needs. The thinking goes that since these learners are self-starting individuals, it’s possible for them to manage their own learning. Some people say that learning can be self-serviced with an Internet connection and the rich array of content it provides, such as articles, videos, education resources, social media, and communities of practice.
But that abundance of choice often creates decision paralysis. Too much energy is required to search for and vet resources, find the right people to talk to, and sort through all the noise to get to what is important. Rather than feeling unfettered and empowered, learners may feel lost and abandoned. There has to be a better way.
What can learning and development do for Cara and Yuri? L&D professionals can be immensely helpful if they can guide learners to the best resources; introduce them to thought leaders, potential collaborators, and peers; give guidance about the knowledge and skills needed to be successful; and embrace and teach practices that strengthen their abilities to learn both on the job and in hours between appointments. They can help create an environment in which learners can acquire the knowledge and skill they need in the time, place, and pace of their choosing.
A Learning Environment Strategy
A learning environment isn’t necessarily a thing one can point to. It’s a collection of resources and practices that enables the development of knowledge and skill. A learning environment is constituted by the people in a network, the books on their bookshelves, access to specific Internet materials, the support of their managers, and the ways learning happens every day just by working, as well as through other potential resources and activities. To learn at any given moment, people access whatever is available in their immediate vicinity, either physically close by or accessible through technology. In a very real sense, everyone lives in a learning environment. People are constantly engaged in activities and interactions that promote learning and growth, and surrounded by the people and resources that support it. There is a wide variety of tools for search and social interaction available.
A well-designed environment is conceptualized by designers or learning leaders in collaboration with subject matter experts and learners, and is deliberately curated to meet a specific learning need. This collection of components includes static resources, human connections, formal learning events, development strategies, and experiential learning practices.
An Example Environment for New Salespeople
What if the learning strategists and sales management team for Cara and Yuri worked together to identify and provide access to the most useful resources for their salespeople’s anticipated learning needs? They might collect links to all the information Yuri needs to become an effective salesperson and all the resources Cara needs to learn the company’s products and services. Other resources might include self-assessment tools, presentation templates, and job aids, as well as links to short e-learning modules and other brief formal courses that lay the groundwork for a specific knowledge base or skill. Introducing Cara and Yuri to people who can support them would also be important, so the company could provide a robust directory to help them easily find colleagues with specific knowledge and skills. The management team might also encourage them both to join a professional organization, which would provide additional resources and networking opportunities.
The sales management team could also ensure ongoing development by using monthly meetings as an opportunity to share success stories and debrief lost contracts, allowing the whole team to benefit from lessons learned. Managers may routinely “ride along” to observe salespeople in action—using the time to applaud and amplify what the salesperson is doing well and to provide developmental feedback. Salespeople might be actively encouraged to reach out to one another for advice and support, and a private microblogging tool could allow them to ping one another for quick answers and virtual high-fives for their successes. In some instances, forming mentoring relationships will also be helpful.
As highly motivated self-starters who are enthusiastic about the company and their role in its success, Cara and Yuri will also bring something to their own developmental efforts. They have both learned how to enhance their knowledge and skill through learning from their experiences, and they may share resources with one another and their other peers.
This combination of ingredients creates a fertile learning environment. The potential components are illustrated in Figure I-2, and additional information can be found in the learning environment blueprint in the appendix. The learning team could make all of these resources available through an easily accessible webpage on the company intranet. It’s possible that these components could all come together without a lot of support from the L&D team, because Cara and Yuri are smart, self-sufficient people, and they will figure it out. However, when L&D plays a more strategic role in conceptualizing and promoting this kind of thoughtful aggregation of resources, it provides a highly valuable service.
FIGURE I-2: SALES TEAM ONBOARDING
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Learning Environments by Design shares a practical approach to designing a learning environment and provides background to help you ensure that what you build is effective for the learning concerns at hand.
Chapter 1 introduces the learning environment landscape, detailing its various components and strategies, and how they support learning and performance. Chapter 2 gives the nuts and bolts of learning environment design by describing a process flow and providing tools and tips for pulling a learning environment together and making it available for your learners.
Chapter 3 helps you look behind the scenes to understand more deeply what makes learning environments work by delving into what drives and ensures the effectiveness of self-directed learning. The most important supports for learning are usually human—the people who teach, coach, and demonstrate, for example—and chapter 4 summarizes some of what we know from research about how social learning works.
Chapter 5 explores how learning environment design can be applied to the creation of academic and student-support resources. The concepts described in this book can inform the design of open courses and MOOCs, as well as support professors who wish to have a broader and longer-term impact on their students and their field of study through creating learning environments for the topics and skills that are their areas of expertise. Academic administrators may also find learning environments useful for providing support services.
Chapter 6 examines where we’re headed with regard to how learning is supported. Not only is training and development in a state of flux, but schools and universities are also rethinking their approaches. New technologies will no doubt continue to surprise, delight, and occasionally dismay us.
The appendix, “Learning Environment Blueprints,” provides three case studies for further reflection.
THE BENEFITS OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
Learning is ubiquitous and people in a wide variety of roles can benefit from understanding learning environment design.
Learning and development professionals in any role will discover new strategies and gain an understanding of the factors that enable learning. You’ll be able to deliver more focused and impactful solutions to learning needs that are varied and emergent, and to position new tools and techniques with clients and colleagues.
Chief learning officers, learning leaders, and consultants will be able to envision how to align formal, informal, social, developmental, and experiential learning practices in a strategic way.
Managers who are concerned with supporting the development of the people on their teams will gain the ability to do that without relying on big budgets or constrained L&D resources. You’ll see what you can do to recommend learning resources and support learning within your own group.
Faculty members and academic instructional designers can see how to break out of more traditional structures for learning, and add more open resources and social support for learning in an academic context.
Academic administrators will be able to conceptualize a way to bundle resources related to student services, such as student leadership development, academic support, and career services.
Learning technology leaders will strengthen their understanding of how various tools and techniques support learning, and will be able to better see how to link varied functionality into a coherent whole.
In addition to all the ways learning environment design can help you at work, these techniques can also provide guidance as you create your own environment for gaining the knowledge and skills you need. These ideas will help you to think through all the resources you could tap to support your own learning.
A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS BY DESIGN
A book can only take you so far in gaining the knowledge and skills that are helpful for creating learning environments. And it would seem a bit contradictory if the only avenue for learning about the subject was a single book. To that end, my website—www.L4LP.com—will link you to some additional learning environment design resources and activities, as well as to other people who are promoting similar ideas. You’ll also get a listing of courses and seminars on the topic, conference presentations, and journal articles. Please be in touch with your stories and questions.