Future Thinking: Face-to-face Training Vs Digital Learning

Future thinking: face-to-face training vs digital learning

Erica reflects on the last three months and asks you to consider your future approach to learning delivery.

We all know what the last three months have been like, including the rush for many companies to convert their face to face offering to digital learning which is enabled business to progress, kept learners on track, and apprentices to continue to work through their qualifications.

Some providers invested in their design and delivery teams by giving them the right skills and some brought in specialists to support. Some training companies decided to put their trainers and tutors in front of a video camera and thought that was probably enough. Some providers just closed down and put it in the ‘too difficult box’, and interestingly are now struggling to wake back up to the new world.

I’m having lots of interesting conversations now with some people who sit in the old world and can’t wait to get back to face to face training (because that’s their comfort zone). I’m also speaking with some businesses who’ve had some real wins by investing in virtual classrooms and blended learning, and are now seeing the benefit from learner progression, staff wellbeing and cost saving.

I’m lucky enough to be able to sit right in the middle of a sector which crosses education, and learning and development. I work with lots of training providers both in the apprenticeship and the commercial training arenas. I’ve seen more of a shift to best practice blended learning with commercial training organisations, but I’ve been really impressed with some of the apprenticeship providers I’ve seen embrace new learning technology and want to do something different for their apprentices and clients. I’m hearing of some provider clients specifying now that they would like all their programmes delivered like this going forwards due to the feedback and flexibility it provides.

We are now on a precipice, and I’m starting to see a split; some providers in sectors almost relieved to go back into the ‘classroom’ and have their trainers travel throughout the country, back to how it used to be (and forgetting digital altogether, I think there are unconsidered issues here which still need resolving from a health and safety perspective). To a degree I understand this because, deep down all this really is, is change. What worries me is when I see and hear these individuals actively promoting going back to just delivering via face to face and using new government guidance as a shield for their own insecurities. This is doing more damage than good.

Future thinking: digital learning

The last three months has giving us a new way of thinking, a new way of working, a new way of being human. We can’t just throw that away! We’ve seen so many benefits from the environment, new skills and using tech, from the learning conversation being catapulted in terms of priority (which as an L&D practitioner I’ve wanted to see for a very long time both commercially, non commercially and in corporate). We can now tailor, coach and support in a more flexible and learner focused way.

If you are somebody sat thinking about your future learning delivery strategy and you’re tempted to just to go back to how it used to be, I’d really like to challenge you in regard to whether you’ve got digital right. Do you really understand it, and have you invested in it (and I mean the skills and mind set, not which platform you have chosen), as those who have are reaping the benefits? The world is changing, and learners’ expectations are changing too. We need to adapt, or die, and this is more prevalent than ever.

Digital learning is not just about eLearning; it’s about interactive virtual classrooms which are tutor lead and can be the key focus of engaging blended learning programmes, which are underpinned by the science of how the brain learns best (and when they’re done right the feedback is phenomenal). Have you thought about scenario based learning, or business gaming which can drive engagement and productivity through the roof.

I would even argue that these solutions can be better than face to face workshops, as you can monitor the interaction a lot closer, you can cover more material in a shorter period of time and therefore accelerate learning for the group and the individual. It’s also easier to translate back into the workplace, because the tools and techniques enable people an easy transition from knowledge to skills.

The recent changes have been new for everybody; even someone like me who was running webinars for large organisations over 10 years ago. I, like everyone else, have learned so much in the last three months. Sometimes it doesn’t go right, as tech doesn’t, but the more important thing is the quality trainer and tutor interaction, which makes virtual learning as fantastic as it can be. It is all about enhancing the experience and providing more support, bespoken and care, for those who need it.

If this is still alien to you and you’re thinking about pinging back to having all your learning being face to face anyway, do let me know as I’d love the opportunity to show you how good it can be (that’s not a sell by the way, it’s a honest offer).

We need reform in certain sectors, particularly when it comes to apprenticeships; we need fresh eyes, fresh skills and a new way of thinking. Going back to what we’ve always done in this new world won’t enable our businesses or our learners, as expectations have now changed.

Changing and being challenged can be probably two of the hardest things we come up against, but if we’re brave enough to do it and support those around us, then this is true leadership, and true leaders are what we need right now.

We must step up and help business to adapt, change, survive and flourish. The future depends on it.