Looking to brush up on your learning strategy know-how? Now’s the time\u2014it’s clear that the importance of learning in the modern work landscape will only continue to grow. As the world gets busier and more complex, organizations will rely more and more on their employees\u2019 abilities to continually upskill, reskill, and adapt to new realities. Enter L&D.<\/p>\n
As learning professionals, it\u2019s our responsibility to craft effective learning strategies that create meaningful behavior change in learners. But time and again, learning experiences fail to meaningfully impact business goals or promote sustained behavior change. Sometimes that failure stems from not understanding how learning initiatives connect to overarching business objectives. Other times, it\u2019s the result of a misalignment between what we think learners need and what they actually need.<\/p>\n
No matter the case, our Learning Principles can help. By letting your learning strategies be propelled by a set of principles founded on the science of how people learn you will undoubtedly create more-effective and more-meaningful learning experiences.<\/p>\n
Here at Maestro, we live and breathe by these four Learning Principles<\/a>, which any learning team can apply to their own learning efforts:<\/p>\n LP. 01: Learning exists to create change We arrived at these principles after years of experimenting, honing our craft, and recognizing patterns in human behavior. The best part about them is that they\u2019re universal and can be applied to any learning strategy.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dive into each of these fundamental principles and explore how to apply them to your strategies for learning.<\/p>\n The goal of any learning initiative isn\u2019t simply to deliver knowledge, but to deliver meaningful results. And by meaningful results, we mean a change in behavior. In successful learning experiences, learners not only attain new or improved skills or abilities; they apply them. No matter how you slice it, learning is about driving behavior change<\/a>.<\/p>\n In order to facilitate real behavior change, you must be able to answer a few foundational questions. What change do you want to see in business performance, and how will you measure it? What do learners need to be able to do to reach our goal? Note that the answers to those questions aren\u2019t always obvious. In fact, it\u2019ll probably take some serious research on your part to answer them accurately. To truly create meaningful behavioral change, you must understand what is meant to change and why\u2014and that requires thorough learner research<\/a>. We\u2019ll get into this a bit more when we explore Learning Principle 03, but for now, just remember that learner research is an essential foundational element of an effective learning and development strategy.<\/p>\n In that same vein, it\u2019s important to note that learning doesn\u2019t happen in a vacuum, and behavior can be influenced by more than just learning. The ABC Behavior Model<\/a> is a useful tool to assess the environment, events, incentives, and reactions surrounding the central learning problem\u2014the behavior you want to change\u2014and how to address that knowledge in your learning strategy.<\/p>\n For instance, when you implement learner research tools like the ABC Model framework, you may find that a certain approach to learning\u2014sometimes even learning itself\u2014isn\u2019t the best solution. You may discover that what you thought was the central learning problem isn\u2019t actually the central problem, but a byproduct of a different root cause, like the environment or a lack of motivation. That\u2019s why learner research is so critical. If you truly want to change your learners\u2019 behavior, you must have all the information.<\/p>\n Once you have the necessary information to begin developing your learning strategy, start with the end in mind. What does success look like? By answering this question\u2014informed by what you collected in the learner research phase\u2014you\u2019ll identify the north star of your learning strategy, which will shine a guiding light that will help you develop a learning experience that achieves meaningful results.<\/p>\n You know learner research plays a vital role in developing effective learning strategies, but how do you know if your learning experiences are actually creating behavior change? You measure the results.<\/p>\n As you evaluate the success of your corporate learning strategy, don\u2019t fall into the trap of only measuring outputs\u2014i.e. how many learners completed the course, how many passed the knowledge checks, and how long it took for the learners to complete each module. It\u2019s equally important to measure the outcomes your learning experience created. Have customer service scores increased? Have operations improved their efficiency? Has there been an increase in conversions? Measuring outcomes over outputs helps you identify the positive ripple effects your learning initiative has created throughout the organization.<\/p>\n One great way to gauge your initiative\u2019s impact is using an evaluation tool like the Kirkpatrick Model<\/a>, which identifies the four levels of learner comprehension. While the lower two levels of the Kirkpatrick Model\u2014Reaction and Learning\u2014measure more surface-level outcomes, the top two levels\u2014Behavior and Results\u2014are where the magic happens. The top two levels measure whether or not your learners are applying the knowledge or skills they\u2019ve learned, and how that application affects the organization.<\/p>\n As you employ the Kirkpatrick Model to measure the effectiveness of your learning strategy, consider the following measurement methods: for the Behavior level, you can use scenario-based assessments or on-the-job observation and feedback to assess whether your learners are actively changing their behavior. For the Results level, focus on how the learning experience impacted overall business performance.<\/p>\n As you design your next learning experience, consider these questions:<\/p>\n Much like crafting a learning experience is a process, learning itself is also a process. Seldom is someone able to read a book, take a course, or watch a video and then apply a new skill perfectly on their first try. Learning isn\u2019t a one-time event\u2014it\u2019s a process that spans a range of tools and time.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve heard of the learning curve\u2014well, there\u2019s a forgetting curve as well. Research shows that, without repetition, learners only retain around 25% of new information<\/a> a week after learning the material. That\u2019s why learning strategies that implement ongoing and\/or blended approaches to learning tend to make more of a lasting impact on learners. The more opportunities learners have to practice what they\u2019ve learned, the better they\u2019ll retain the information. With that in mind, consider using techniques like spaced repetition<\/a> in your learning experiences to actively support learner retention.<\/p>\n This customizable learning-program design template walks you through the key elements of a successful learning experience. As you begin planning your next learning project, consider the prompts on each slide as you fill in your responses. When you\u2019re done, you\u2019ll have a thorough and thoughtful brief to set your training and development programs up for success.<\/span><\/p>\n\nGet the free template\u2192<\/i><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When designing new learning experiences, we often recommend the Tell, Show, Do, Review model. Each stage of the Tell, Show, Do, Review<\/a> model offers value for learners, but to achieve the greatest impact, you must take learners through all four stages of the learning process.<\/p>\n For instance, if you\u2019re introducing learners to a brand-new concept, you might pair a Tell experience\u2014like a verbal instruction or lecture\u2014with a Show experience, in which you demonstrate and model a skill or behavior. You might then move into the Do stage, where learners apply their knowledge in a controlled environment\u2014think simulations, role-playing, or scenario-based learning\u2014and provide some form of Review afterward via feedback or coaching.<\/p>\n As you design your next learning experience, ask yourself these questions:<\/p>\n You already know there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Every learner audience\u2014not to mention every individual learner\u2014is unique. To deliver the best possible learning experience, you have to meet your learners where they are.<\/p>\n In a nutshell, meeting your learners where they are means understanding your learners’ day-to-day reality. As you conduct learner research, pay special attention to certain factors that may affect how they interact with your learning experience: what their behaviors look like today, how much time they have to devote to learning, and how they\u2019ll be applying the information they learn.<\/p>\n Nowadays, most learners are busy individuals<\/a>, and completing a training can easily get pushed to the side or deprioritized. What often motivates learners\u2014no matter their level of busyness\u2014is understanding what\u2019s in it for them. What purpose will this learning initiative serve for them? How will learning the material help them? When you truly understand your learners, you\u2019ll be able answer these questions accurately and effectively, and your learners will be far more inclined to engage in the learning experience.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve said it before and we\u2019ll say it again: thorough learner research is crucial to the effectiveness of your learning strategy. A good place to start when it comes to learner research is simply asking the basics. What do your learners need to know? Why do they need to know it? What do they already know?<\/p>\n From there, if you have the time and resources to do so, we strongly recommend conducting a Learning Environmental Analysis<\/a>, complete with learner interviews and field observation. If you\u2019re unable to check every box in the LEA, try to check as many as you can. Learner research will be your best and biggest asset in developing effective learning strategies. And remember, in order to truly meet your learners where they are, you\u2019ll need to approach learner research from a place of empathy<\/a>. In other words, don\u2019t assume you know anything, focus on feelings, and prioritize the \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nLP. 02: Learning is a process
\nLP. 03: Learning should meet people where they are
\nLP. 04: Learning works best when beautifully designed<\/p>\nLP. 01: Learning exists to create change<\/h2>\n
Practical applications for your L&D strategy<\/h3>\n
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LP. 02: Learning is a process<\/h2>\n
Learning Project Design Brief Template<\/h5>\n
Practical applications for your learning strategy<\/h3>\n
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LP. 03: Learning should meet people where they are<\/h2>\n
Practical applications for your L&D strategy:<\/h3>\n