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Intelligent LearningTM:
Getting Smarter About Teaching
Written by: Brett Richards, M.A.
President, Connective Intelligence Inc.
Published in AQP Journal, (Association of Quality and Participation, Winter, 2003
In the Fall 2003 issue of The Journal for Quality and Participation, I explored the topic of team collaboration. In that issue I argued that real collaboration and improved performance would not happen without effective individual and team learning. The theme for this issue in my mind cuts to the root of the performance equation within organizations - the task of learning. No doubt people as well as whole organizations must learn continuously to keep pace with change. Given that it is such an important task, how much time and focused attention do organizations give to the learning process?
My daily challenge as a professional trainer, facilitator and coach revolves around, yes, teaching new skills, but by far the more challenging (and interesting) task as an educator is assisting others to learn new habits of thought and behavior. The theory and discipline of learning is a tremendously vast and interesting topic, ranging from psychologically based motivation theories to neuro-scientific theories that explore the plasticity of the brain's neural pathways. In this issue, I will grapple with what learning is and how it is best achieved. I will also focus on the interface between the art and science of learning by exploring the qualities that facilitate and stimulate the task of learning.
Learn First, Adapt Second
Learning is at the root of successful adaptation. Thinking in terms of the Darwinian perspective, we all know what happens if we do not adapt. Single-celled organisms and complex human systems alike are in a continuous process of learning and adaptation. Our quality of life and survival depends on it. Learning, then, is a universal task. By universal I mean that it underlies much of what we do, and, therefore, it is a process that none of us can entirely escape. We all must do it. Indeed, some would argue that it is an innate drive, hard-wired into us. For example, how do children make the monumental shift from crawling on all fours to walking gracefully on two legs? Children do not wake up one day and express (as many cannot yet talk) to their parents that they want to sign up for an on-line course on "learning how to walk". There must be some tremendous inner drive to learn how to walk otherwise they wouldn't carry out such a difficult task.
By describing learning as a task I mean that it is something we do. We must intentionally engage and direct our mind's energies at it, whatever, it is; learning is an active process. As such, it can be very helpful to understand learning as a task to be accomplished like any other task we face during the course of a day, such as washing dishes or solving problems. In other words, if we conceive of learning as a task to be done, we can in fact learn to be better learners. Learning is indeed a skill that can be learned and developed.
Core Dimensions of Learning
There are three fundamental dimensions to consider as we reflect on the Task of Learning: the content, the learner, and the medium. Figure 1 shows that each of these core dimensions is fundamental to the learning task. For example, the task of learning will not be fulfilled without a learner, someone or something must be doing the learning; there must be some form of content, the learner must learn something (know-what or know-how); and there must be a vehicle or medium to transfer the content to the learner.
Figure 1
The key questions to be answered within each of the three core dimensions of the learning task are:
Learner: Who is doing the learning?
Content: What do they need or want to learn?
Medium: What vehicle or process is best suited to deliver the content to the learner?
The answers to each of these questions must be viewed holistically because one set of answers can either support or pose challenges to the others. Each of these dimensions must be addressed well to support the successful fulfillment of the learning task. For example, e-based or on-line learning is a particular "medium" through which the task of learning can be achieved; however, some learners and some forms of content cannot be taught over the web. The web may be the desired medium, but what if the learners are mature adults who were not brought up on computers or the internet? Or what if the content to be learned was ballroom dancing? No doubt someone might challenge that one could learn ballroom dancing over the web, but how effective would that medium of learning be for that particular learning task? The issue of effectiveness, then, adds another level of dimensionality to the overall task of learning and moves us into the realm of learning design.
The Art of Learning Design
A creative tension lies at the interface between the art and science of learning design. The creative tension is experienced as we attempt to balance the interplay between three additional dimensions that affect learning. As we explore the learning task we either tacitly or explicitly wrestle with its purpose, quality and effectiveness. Often some or all of these dimensions are overlooked because they create an unwanted level of complexity to implementation and learning design decisions. Indeed, these added dimensions compel us to really think through the best approach to achieve the learning task. In schools as well as in organizations it is difficult to ignore the important interplay between the content, process and quality dimensions embedded within the task of learning. Being able to effectively balance these tensions is where decision-making regarding learning design becomes both an art and a science. Figure 2, then, completes our model of learning by including a deeper level of sophistication to the overall task. The key questions to be answered with this added dimensionality include:
Quality: How well do you want the learner to learn the subject?
Purpose: What is the purpose of the learning task?
Effectiveness: What is the best approach to maximize the effectiveness of the learning?
Figure 2
Quality, purpose and effectiveness dimensions create an important context around the learning task and provide further criteria that will help shape other related decisions. For example, decisions around quality and effectiveness will impact the way in which you engage the learner, what you choose as the most effective medium to use and how you will select the right depth, breadth and scope of the content to be learned. The above learning task model provides a template of helpful questions that should be considered when any person, team, or organization is serious about learning.
If We Teach It, Will They Learn?
If organizations are going to get serious about learning they must get serious about teaching. It's simply not enough for an organization to espouse continuous learning or even support a healthy training budget. Too many organizations are still either too interested in getting bums in the seats, or they do not have the know-how (or the interest) to develop meaningful learning experiences that are practical, relevant and easily shown to improve the bottom line for the organization. Often we here managers say that they want bottom line impact and a good return on their training budget, but how many are willing to dedicate the time and energy required to develop high quality learning experiences? Quality teaching is hard work because it demands that we address the challenges posed by the tough questions embedded within the task of learning. I would argue that ineffective learning experiences are usually a result of not paying adequate attention to the tough design-related questions within the learning task model.
Is Good Teaching Enough?
One of the key challenges for those that are serious about teaching is getting others to be serious about learning. A good proportion of supervisors, managers and executives still believe that learning is a perk, as witnessed by the reduction in training dollars with each downturn of the economy. But it does not stop there. There is still a healthy proportion of participants who do not take training and development time seriously when they are there in the classroom. Of course there are many who do, but I am surprised with the percentage of individuals who still take a half-baked approach to the task of learning and development. There are numerous reasons why that is, such as, their manager is not serious about the learning program, so why should they be? Or, "I'm too busy, I should be doing my real work!" We could come up with all sorts of examples that "blame" those seemingly unappreciative, unmotivated and unresponsive learners, but when you get right down to it, much of the time it has to do with the fact that they have not experienced good training in the past. They do not expect to gain much value from the program. In other words, past training experiences have been too light and fluffy and have failed to provide an obvious link to improve bottom line performance and results.
It is a bit of a chicken and egg type thing. What comes first, bad training programs or unmotivated learners? My bias is that bad training programs comes first for the simple reason that people are so surprised (myself included) when they learn something that they can actually use the next day. Why should participants be so surprised that they've learned something meaningful? Perhaps it's because of their past experiences! I believe good teaching and good program design is often enough to transform any naysayer into a motivated learner. Ask any experienced teacher the type of learning moments they cherish most, often it will include transforming a skeptical learner into a motivated advocate. Now that, in my books, is good teaching! Good teaching can make all the difference in the world. Think of that one kid in school who was magically transformed by a special teacher. Who knows, it may have been you.
Learning is the Fuel
The tasks of learning and teaching share an interdependent relationship. Both feed and influence each other to such a degree that it often difficult to distinguish where teaching ends and learning begins. The task of learning and the task of helping others to learn is indeed a sophisticated business, not to be taken lightly. As anyone who explores the task of learning seriously knows, it takes a tremendous amount of experience, skill and creativity to address it, well. As with so many other disciplines and professions, the criteria of quality and effectiveness make all the difference in the world.
Quality learning is at the root of sustained high performance and successful adaptation. Organizations who are serious about quality results must consider how much quality thinking they are giving to their learning processes. Effective learning experiences result in successes for both the individual and the organization alike.
About Brett Richards:
Brett Richards is an innovator, performance coach and energizing facilitator. In addition to being a master trainer in the Effective Intelligence® System of Effective Intelligence, he also holds certifications in EQi (emotional intelligence) and executive coaching. He can be contacted at 866-848-6548 or via e-mail at brett@connectiveintelligence.com.
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