Effective Learning Environment
Traditional schooling is based on an educational paradigm that has been around since the turn of the century. During the Industrial Revolution, the purpose of education was to prepare people for jobs on assembly lines. And so the organized classroom evolved, where students sat and received their training from a skilled teacher.
Passive Learning
Such traditional education is rooted in the stimulus-response method of behavioral psychology. The leader, or teacher, presents the stimulus–a fact perhaps–and then assesses the students to see if they have learned the appropriate information.
- Teacher presenting stimulus: “Whales have blow holes.”
- Teacher providing guidance: “They get their oxygen through these blow holes.”
- Teacher soliciting response: “Do whales breathe through their nose?”
- If a student replies yes, the teacher presents the stimulus again: “No, they do not. Instead of having noses, they have blow holes to take in oxygen.”
- If a student replies no, the teacher moves on: “Yes that is correct, instead of having a nose, they breathe in through their blow hole. Now let’s explore…”
In this scenario, the student is a passive participant in the process. The information learned is impersonal. Clearly, the teacher is in control of the learning process; his or her interests dictate what and how fast the students learn. The teacher keeps the classroom well organized so it can accommodate large amounts of children, and all the students receive identical training.
Today’s workforce has to meet much different challenges than 100 years ago. Technology has taken over assembly line tasks, and active workers need to adapt, react well to change, and think independently. The Japanese have taught us that our workers need to place a new emphasis on teamwork. In order to meet these new challenges, we need to adopt a new educational paradigm.
Active Learning
The new paradigm for active education puts the learner in control of the learning process. Students can pursue topics that interest them. The process of learning becomes as important as the result. The goal of active learning is to give students the ability to explore whales on their own, not to simply spoonfeed them specific facts about whales.
- Teacher: “Let’s all look at this picture of a whale. Do you see any differences between the whale and the people?”
- Student 1: “The whale has that funny looking hole on the top of its head.”
- Student 2: “The whale has no arms or legs.”
- Student 3: “The whale has a huge mouth.”
- Teacher: “That’s great. Now what I would like each of you to do is explore why those differences exist. We have lots of books on whales, some videotapes, and the phone number for a whale expert at the museum. If you get stuck, I’ll help steer you in the right direction. At the end of the week, you will each present what you learned to your classmates. Feel free to work together.”
The students are now in charge of their learning. They can each explore the topic that most interests them, customizing their educational experience. They can actively pursue information and learn independent thinking skills. The teacher no longer needs to be a subject expert–an impossible task in this age of so much information. Instead, the teacher now oversees the learning process.
Learning Alternatives
There are an infinite number of other ways students can learn about whales. It is the instructor’s responsibility to shape the specific learning environment. Just as an architect creates a living habitat for homeowners, instructional designers create effective learning environments. And just as you would select an architect to design your house, so should you select an instructional designer who matches the type of educational style you prefer.
Add a Comment Show CommentsAssessment Tools
When a business creates a learning system, it also needs a measurement plan to assess its effectiveness. A company training department, which is accountable to upper management, must prove that its employees have grown proficient in the tasks they’ve learned. Assessment is the tool that enables trainers to evaluate and improve their educational programs.
Our current educational system, both in the academic or professional world, often relies on inappropriate assessment methods–for instance, the multiple choice test. Multiple choice tests are relatively simple to create, administer, and grade.
But these tests (and similar assessment tools that contain true/false and completion items) often try to quantify the unquantifiable. A high score on a multiple choice test doesn’t necessarily indicate a true understanding of the material. Often, it simply proves that the test taker is good at multiple choice tests.
An effective assessment tool models how things work in the real world. Rather than testing random facts, it evaluates how the learner applies information on the job.
For example, a pharmaceutical company wants to evaluate its employees’ knowledge of manufacturing a particular asthma medication. So it examines how skilled each employee is at operating the machine that blends the medication ingredients. Although this method is more complex than simply administering a written test, it paints a more accurate, useful picture of applied knowledge on the job.
Add a Comment Show CommentsCurriculum Redesign
A Case Study
Background
A client came to us looking for a more interactive way to present information. The client was especially concerned about the abundance of slides in their current presentation. This existing, overhead-based presentation called for a lot of lecturing. Funderstanding came up with two alternative presentation methods for the client: Proposal 1 created an interactive, live “simulation” that was designed to be a blend of chaos and order. Proposal 2 created a structured, instructor-led learning environment.
What a Typical Product Module Will Look Like: Proposal 1
Module Description
The first presentation was actually rejected by the client, a pharmacological firm. The client instead chose Proposal 2, which we’ll describe momentarily.
Proposal 1 begins with a discussion of the plan for the next two days. The presenter reviews the key topics that the “class” should have learned during their in-field training and introduces them to the use of clinical studies. The trainees have the opportunity to watch an experienced colleague handle a typical sales call. The facilitator then asks the trainees if the demonstration looked “easy” and encourages them to try the technique on their own. Next, the trainees form teams of two (class size permitting), and the teams schedule appointments with three doctors.
Each of the doctors the trainees meet with represents a different segment of the marketplace. Each doctor has a prefabricated agenda and throws tough questions at the trainees. If the trainees cannot answer the questions, the doctor dismisses them and sends them to the training program’s resource center.
Based on their interactions with the doctors, the trainees see what information they still need to learn and are motivated to seek out answers. Basically, the trainees visit the resource center with a definite agenda: to learn enough information so they can effectively field all the doctors’ questions. When this role playing and research stage is over, the entire class reconvenes so the trainees can share their experiences with each other. The facilitator offers information on topics the group found particularly challenging. All in all, the learning experience is greatly enhanced by group projects, games, and role playing.
After this powwow, the trainees return to the doctors and the cycle repeats. This gives the trainees another chance to apply what they’ve learned and receive additional feedback. By the time they’ve completed the class, the trainees have had ample opportunity to apply their newfound knowledge and sales skills, better preparing them for their new jobs.
Resource Center
The resource center provides convenient, easy-to-use materials, including books, magazines, clinical studies, sales materials, short videos on specific topics, people, and, in the future, computer-based training. By challenging the trainees with specific, practical questions, the role-playing doctors prompt them to seek out and learn the appropriate information.
The Presentation Database
Funderstanding provides the training facilitators with a series of stand-alone presentation modules, offering a flexible means of responding to the specific needs of the class. Each module address a specific topic, with the visual aid of computer graphics.
What a Typical Product Module Will Look Like: Proposal 2
Module Description
Benchmark
Proposal 2–which the client chose over Proposal 1–begins by assessing what the trainees already know. The trainees are ushered into a room filled with posters proclaiming typical customer objections to their product. The facilitator asks the trainees how they would overcome these objections and sends them off to discuss their answers in groups. Following the group brainstorming sessions, the trainees present their conclusions to the entire “class.” The facilitator explains that during the next two days, he or she will work with the class to ensure that they learn all the information they need to overcome these objections and sell their product with confidence.
Core Learning
The facilitator then presents core material, reinforced with video when available. He or she covers the information in segments small enough for easy retention. Funderstanding works with each program facilitator to determine the exact number of segments, their content, and their order. The program might be structured something like this:
Topic 1 — 3 hours
Topic 2 — 3 hours
Topic 3 — 3 hours
Topic 4 — 3 hours
The specific content of each segment varies, depending on the product the trainees are gearing up to sell. For example, Topic 1 could begin with the marketing strategy during the morning session, then in the afternoon, present the physiology of the circulatory system, plus a discussion of CHF and hypertension. Topic 2, on the other hand, could begin with the anatomy and physiology.
The facilitator continually reminds trainees that their newly acquired knowledge will help them overcome their customer’s objections, applying a real-world context to the class. The emphasis is on creating an environment that allows trainees to utilize what they have learned.
Activities
The facilitator gets the class as involved in the learning process as possible. For example, if a trainee has a strong background in one particular topic, the facilitator will encourage him or her to lead discussions and share his or her experiences. Plus, trainees participate in activities enabling them to apply what they’ve learned, from preparing presentations to completing crossword puzzles.
Each day, closing activities give trainees the opportunity to articulate the major lessons learned. For example, on the first day, trainees might report to their classmates about specific topics from the package insert. The facilitator might then relate the technical information learned to a hypothetical sales call, making the application of the material covered more tangible.
Trainees increase their knowledge and confidence throughout the learning segment, and by the end of the second day, can meet the challenge of making a solo sales call to a doctor (played by a trainer other than the class facilitator). Each trainee and role-playing doctor fills out an evaluation form indicating the trainee’s strengths and areas for improvement.
Module Conclusion
At the end of the first day, the facilitator recaps the day’s events and assigns the trainees a case study to review for the next day. The case study could deal with competitive products and the advantages and disadvantages of each. For example, the case study might introduce a doctor who objects that the product being sold is no different from its competitors. The trainees would need to both recall what they’ve learned and understand the competitive products to present their case the next day.
At the end of the second day, the facilitator will lead a discussion linking real world scenarios with the topics covered. During this time, they will reinforce the connections between the trainees’ newfound knowledge and their job of selling the product. An experienced sales representative might even participate in this conversation.
Summary
Each learning segment consists of some combination of presentation, visual support, and activities. The segments are flexible enough so they can accommodate the discussion of different products. This customizability ensures that all key messages are addressed, while engaging the learners through interactivity and variety. By the end of the second day, trainees can apply all the information they need to effectively sell their company’s product.
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