New Learning Architect: Section 4

Thanks to Mark Sheppard (@elearningguy) & Barbara Smith (@MimiBarbara) for your contributions to this final segment!

On-demand Learning

Q1) Shepherd re-states the argument that on-demand learning isn't learning at all. Do you agree with this assertion. Why, or why not?

Q2) Where do you see this trend going in the next 5 years? 10 years?

Q3) What kinds of assessment or evaluation practices could or should be in place to measure the impact of on-demand learning?

Q4) Does your org have separate resources for L&D and for (technical) Documentation? Do these groups collaborate? Should they?

Q4a) Are documentation specialists really L&D professionals without knowing it?

Q5) Shepherd quotes Jay Cross on the social nature of learning. How can we make on-demand learning more "social"?

Plight of the Knowledge Worker

Q6) Jay Cross we spend as much as one-third of our time looking for answers or helping colleagues do the same. Is this true for you? How could you reduce the time needed to search for answers or help colleagues?

Q7) Jennings says that L&D isn't 'getting the message' about this rising tide of over-information. Do you support this premise? The Argument for On-demand Learning

Q8) Rossett & Schafer talk to the situations where on-demand learning is desirable. Are there situations where on-demand learning should NOT be practiced?

Q9) Should on-demand learning be implemented in a top-down fashion? Is that even possible or preferable?

Q10) What kind of "sidekicks" do you use? Are they self-supplied or are you leveraging work tools for an unintended purpose?

Q11) What role should L&D play in the provision of "tailored support"?

Q12) What bottom-up solutions or services exist in your workplace? What would you change or improve?

Conditions for Success

Q13) Share your best example of on-demand learning (as a consumer or the designer/implementer). What lessons did you learn?

Q14) Share your worst example of on-demand learning (as a consumer or the designer/implementer). What lessons did you learn?

Q15) Does your workplace have the necessary conditions to support effective on-demand learning? If so, please share. If not, what could/should you be changing to provide these conditions?

Profile: Darren Owen

Q16) Owen refers to "door stops" as those old, hard copy manuals or related documentation that seem to clutter our workplaces. What door stops do you have that you still rely on? Should they be made available another way?

Q17) He also talks about getting reference material from a supplier. Do you find vendor/supplier reference content to be suitable as-is for your learners? Q17a) Do you bother to change this material to suit the organization or just deploy it as-is? Tell us what approach you take, and why?

Q18) If you were asked to create a job description for the role of an Organizational Learning Architect what skills, knowledge, experience would you list?

Experiential Learning

Q19) Experiential learning is literally learning from our experiences. It is a very valuable feedback loop into our everyday work. It is “doing” plus “reflection”. How does your organization support your employees’ ability to reflect on what they learn during the work day?

Q20) James Zull says that there must be a conscious effort to build understanding from our experiences. What methods do you use, personally, to reflect on your learning experiences?

Q21) Some top-down approaches to experiential learning include benchmarking, project reviews, and job rotation. What top-down experiential approaches have you been a part of? What success/es have you had from these experiences?

Q22) Employees can also take the initiative to drive experiential learning using bottom-up approaches. One of the main ways this is done is through blogging. What experiences have you had with blogging? How has it supported your learning?

Q23) What role does the organization’s culture play in supporting experiential learning? What are some conditions for success?

Profile: Charles Jennings

Q24) Jennings joined Reuters, in 2001 as a consultant, to develop a new L&D strategy. He was able to help Reuters make the shift to collaborative learning approaches that allow the employees to reuse and leverage intellectual capital. What steps are you taking to move your organization to a more collaborative learning environment?