“Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.”
—B.F. Skinner
As talent managers are aware, people learn in many different ways. But in order to gain critical skills in development, all learners need both training and reinforcement, and these needs are of equal importance. For this reason, talent managers are increasingly seeking multi-channel training programs, with experiential solutions following critical classroom experiences. Learners gain insights from their own experiences to supplement the knowledge they gained in the classroom, helping them to retain what they have learned.
This trend begs the question: What will development training look like in the future? How will organizations equip their fundraisers, volunteers, and other stakeholders not only to learn the tools and skills they will need, but to fully incorporate them into their daily tasks?
One solution lies in e-Learning. This incredibly dynamic tool enables learners to experience reinforcement through varied repetition. By experiencing interactive online scenarios, learners use different parts of their brains than they would use in training as they apply creative problem-solving techniques. This experience helps with learning retention and creates a replicable memory that can be applied later in real-life professional experiences.
Is e-Learning the right solution for your team? It may be beneficial if you would answer “yes” to these three questions:
1. Does my organization currently utilize traditional training?
E-Learning is a great resource for those who are already committed to continual learning and improvement. It supplements in-person training, exposing learners to a drip-feed of valuable content that is directly related to the training they recently experienced. Adding e-Learning to a traditional workshop enables varied repetition, which can increase retention by up to 60%.
2. Does my staff desire mentorship and/or coaching?
A frequent wish of development team members is to have personal mentorship and coaching. However, the demands on every team member’s time make such arrangements difficult. Staff members who request mentorship often do so because they do not feel equipped to handle the challenges they are facing—which means that the organization is, in turn, losing potential philanthropic dollars when challenging situations are mishandled. E-Learning is one of the most efficient ways to offer the additional support team members are seeking. A ten-minute e-Learning module can refresh learners’ thinking and equip them to take on new challenges.
3. Do I need a solution quickly?
One of the key benefits of e-Learning is that it supplies just-in-time training at a participant-led rate. Users can refer to modules as refreshers at any point when they are in need of additional advice or training. While conferences happen only several times a year, e-Learning happens whenever the participant wants it to happen; the learner is totally in the driver’s seat. There is no need to wait for external professional development experiences when e-Learning enables quick training solutions.
A multi-modal delivery system allows much more flexibility than traditional conferencing and training. In today’s changing training landscape, it is an essential tool for retention, as part of a comprehensive learning program. Is e-Learning an appropriate next step for your organization’s needs?