It's a Learner-Centered World!

Additional Reading • Surprise! Be Prepared For Anything in a Synchronous Environment • Answer Geek Archive

In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.
                                      --Eric Hoffer

One of the major mindset shifts in training and education is easy to state but somewhat difficult for many trainers to embrace. Simply stated, it's a learner-centered world.

Formerly, many of us thought that trainers were the center of the learning universe. After all, we had to teach. Therefore, what we wanted to do and how we wanted to do it often drove the pathway of course development and delivery.

In the picture of the 21st-century learner, we find that he or she will have a much more active role in how we select and design just-in-time learning opportunities. Many learning options are available, and they'll most likely multiply by factors yet unknown in the next few years. Technologies bring the learning to the learner, and we, as trainers, must help facilitate the learning process, not try to control it or put our own emotional agendas first.

Keep 'em satisfied

• achieving learning objectives
• enjoying the learning experience
• knowing how to apply the subject content to work and to personal applications
• feeling comfortable asking questions
• getting answers to those questions
• being comfortable in the learning environment
• understanding how to use the technology
• participating in an active learning experience
• being able to use supporting materials in an easy-to-use, self-directed format
• getting support from the site facilitator.

An additional question to ask is, How satisfied is the learner with getting help before, during, and after the distance learning event or course?

"The goal we want to achieve for our learners is to continuously improve the quality of the learning process."

As we each create distance learning programs, it's helpful to remember that success is measured at the remote site by the learners. It seems simple, but it adds a new flavor to evaluations and assessments. (For these purposes, success equals measurable performance assessment and the enjoyment of the learning experience.)

As trainers, we're also learners who want opportunities to enrich our learning knowledge base. If we could get into the minds of the learners we train--and verbalize our own learning needs--we might say we'd like the following:

• information on how to apply the learning concepts to a job
• ways to effectively keep up with changes
• proficiency in a job tasks and responsibilities
• time to learn
• support in the learning process
• a motivational learning environment.

A lot to ask? Not really. As individual learners ourselves, we often become even more critical of the learning opportunities presented to us. Learners, in a universal sense, are the same way.

The goal we want to achieve for our learners is to continuously improve the quality of the learning process. With our on-site experience, we often know when and how to tweak the content and environment to improve the experience. Because distance learning is relatively new to most learners and trainers, the experience may often not seem as natural as traditional learning. Learner-centered training and its surrounds is a new way of doing business. It will eventually become as comfortable as on-site classes for learners and trainers.

As long as we focus on helping to facilitate the learning process, the active learning experience will support learners' achievement, performance, and satisfaction. And when that happens, we've done our jobs.

Adapted from Interactive Distance Learning Exercises That Really Work! For information on this book, visit ASTD's Online Bookstore, or contact ASTD Customer Service at 800.628.2783 or 703.683.8100.