The changing nature of workplace learning based on the research behind neuroscience

In this exclusive interview with Learnnovators, I share my insights on the changing nature of workplace learning based on the research behind neuroscience.

THE INTERVIEW:

1. LEARNNOVATORS: We are great fans of you, Margie. You are an expert instructional design and performance improvement consultant who has been continuously inspiring the world to design better and meaningful learning experiences. It’s an honor to have you here today to discuss the past, present, and future of workplace learning.

Known as “The Brain Lady,” you are a self-described scholar-practitioner who is considered an expert on topics related to learning, specifically neuroscience. You have been trying to help the community better understand ‘brain science’ and ways to bring that into learning design. What does your experience say about the changing nature of workplace learning based on the latest research on neuroscience?

MARGIE MEACHAM: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly every organization had to pivot to virtual and self-paced training over the past year, forcing us all to rethink how we do our work and collaborate in a digital world. This transition had some significant consequences that have changed the workplace – and workplace learning. For example, while we quickly adapted to virtual meetings and virtual learning events, we didn’t realize the effects of being almost constantly online. The human brain isn’t built for our world. It needs time to evolve, and that takes place too slowly, over generations. So, we are facing “zoom fatigue,” making it harder to focus and remember. We are experiencing prolonged periods of stress, in some cases even to the point of developing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Depression and anxiety are also on the rise. The virus itself can have lasting effects on the body, including the brain. We are just beginning to understand the impact of these events in terms of our cognitive abilities.

While all this is very concerning, there is some positive news. The global attention on finding a vaccine has accelerated investments in science, engineering, and artificial intelligence. AI is already embedded in many parts of our economy. Now we are seeing it in Learning and Development. AI can be used to personalize the digital experience, reducing stress, and make learning more relevant by leading learners to the experiences and content that are most valuable to them. And the discoveries of how our brain works can help learning professionals employ new strategies to develop and manage workplace learning. The digital world is not going away; it will only become more and more intense. But we can help our learners adapt by taking care of their brains. Reducing stress, spacing out digital experiences, using stories to link disparate content together. All of these are strategies that are emerging from the combination of AI and brain science. It’s an exciting time to be a learning professional!

2. LEARNNOVATORS: You?say, “I believe we are on the verge of so many wonderful discoveries about how we learn… We have no limits to what we can accomplish with our wonderful brains―the best survival machines ever built.” It was inspiring to read how you first became interested in the brain when you had undiagnosed dyslexia as a child, but eventually overcame the challenges of your learning disability to earn your master’s degree in education. Looking back, how has your journey, of understanding more about the brain to ‘help others learn’, been so far? What would be your message to learning professionals, especially those who are not well-versed with neuroscience, to bring the best of brain science into their learning and performance support solutions?

MARGIE MEACHAM: One of the things I’ve learned is that everyone’s brain is unique. We all struggle and excel in different ways. So, one of the best things a learning professional can do is embrace this diversity and look for ways to increase personalization and foster learner choice. I can tell you from experience that “one size fits all” training is really a case of “one size fits none.” There are many ways to become more aware of how neuroscience is changing our understanding of the learning process. For example, there are many books on the subject, but the very process of writing and publishing a book means that the content will be at least several years old by the time you read it. The converging disciplines we call “neuroscience” are changing so rapidly that it is risky to rely too much on books for the latest information. However, most learning professionals don’t have access to the many peer-reviewed journals covering cognitive science – and they certainly don’t have the time to do so.

This is why I worked with ATD to create our?Brain-Based Learning Essentials?course. I update it every time I teach it, so my participants can gain the benefit of my curated summary of brain-based learning design and delivery tactics that translate right into actions we can take today.?The Association for Talent Development?is an excellent non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing the learning profession and I highly recommend it.

3.?LEARNNOVATORS: You have been voicing your concerns on the poor quality of e-learning courses. It is thought-provoking to hear you?say, “Many learning activities are still firmly rooted in the days of medieval monks; forcing people to sit quietly in classrooms, or stare at screens until their eyes glaze over.” We know that e-learning hasn’t yet started leveraging the incredible power of the internet or the web. For example, we still do not see successful e-learning implementations that are powered by real-time interactive and collaborative learning modalities. When it comes to e-learning, we are locked inside a dreaded silo, whereas the games that keep kids as well as adults engrossed today are ‘real-time’ and ‘multiplayer.’ Not a lot has changed with respect to e-learning in all these years compared to the advancements in other aspects of our lives. Would you subscribe to the thinking that e-learning is yet to evolve to remain relevant in this digital and social age? If yes, what would be your suggestions for e-learning to step up?

MARGIE MEACHAM: Perhaps we’ve all become too comfortable with our current tools and design methods for self-paced e-learning. I noticed something a few years in my interactions with my clients. More and more of them were telling me that their current program wasn’t “interactive” enough. Yet, when I looked at the courses, there was plenty of what I would consider to be interaction – click to reveal more content, follow a link to more information, branching scenarios, review games, etc. These techniques, once considered leading edge, no longer resonate with our learners, who experience far more engaging content in their social media. In my research for my latest book,?AI in Talent Development,?I discovered that chatbots are an underused alternative. I’ve started building courses that allow the learner to engage with a chatbot, creating a simulated conversation that can feel very real when designed correctly. Because our brains do not distinguish between real and imagined experiences, these conversations can help people practice soft skills, quiz them on recall, or conduct reflective journeys. Depending on the degree of intelligence behind the bot program, it can adapt to the responses of the learner, making the experience far more personal than traditional e-learning.

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And if you've enjoyed reading this interview and have any questions about learning experiences, AI in Talent Development or Neuroscience, please do reach out to me or comment below. I'd be happy to hop on a conversation with you and help you out.