Lessons from the New Learner

I was recently invited to join a panel at the New York Ed Tech week on how corporate learning needed to transform to meet the needs of the new learner. Technology has changed the way that we live and connect with one another, and so it must change the way that we work and learn. I invited Shannon Roberto, a recent joiner in Accenture's HR Talent Accelerator Program, to the event. It was a great learning experience for us both. Shannon – as the consumer and beneficiary of our talent initiatives – and I, as one responsible for crafting them. We decided to share our insights through this blog post.

Here are the big questions that the panelists debated…

1.    How do you measure the impact of learning?

Should companies invest more time, money and energy into trying to measure the ROI on learning? If the answer is yes, then the larger, more ominous question remains: how exactly do you measure success when it comes to learning?

The panelist’s points of view varied greatly on this question. Yes, said one, we can measure every aspect of learning and we should. For me though, two things really count. First, learning investments are directed to the highest priorities that drive business growth, and second, learning programs are architected scientifically so that learning is sticky. In Accenture, we call it Durable Learning. Learning is most effective when people hear it (from the field expert), practice what they learn (on the job), and then teach others what they have learnt. The best way to learn something is by teaching others!

2.    How can we guide people to the learning they need? When they need it.

With a panel comprising Chief Learning Officers, educators and content creators, this was a hot topic. There were two seemingly divergent views – i.e. creating the right content within the organisation is critical for people to learn, hence great care needs to be taken in design and delivery. On the other hand, there is a massive proliferation of content, from online education providers like edX, Coursera, Udacity, not to mention user generated videos on YouTube. I have a simple dictum ... curate, don’t create. Finding the most relevant learning asset from masses of information and getting into the hands of the learner, when they most need it, is both an art and a science that learning professionals need to master.

3.    Does technology accelerate learning? Or could it distract from it?

We are experiencing the tremendous power of technology in enabling new and unique ways of learning. Khan Academy’s pioneering usage of instructional videos began to flip classrooms, change the role of teachers from instructors to orchestrators, and allowed children in Kolkata and San Francisco to learn from each other. What took weeks to teach in classrooms can now be condensed into immersive six minute productions accessible anywhere, anytime. In Accenture, we have created Accenture Connected Learning - a digitally powered hyper-scale learning environment that enables over 380,000 employees to take time away to learn and learn all the time. The next wave of immersive technologies – virtual, augmented and mixed realities – will propel us further into the unimaginable.

On the other hand, with ubiquitous 24/7 access, we have handed the power of decisions from our minds to our palms. Attention spans have been dropping and ADD is on the rise. In the Digital era, it is vital to be purposeful about the use of technology – introducing it where needed – and taking it away to allow for reflection, synthesis and rest, all of which are essential to learning. Teaching people to regain control of their time and attention will be of vital importance in the coming years.

After the panel discussion, I asked Shannon for her reactions. Speaking to her gave me a unique insight into mind of our new generation of colleagues. I hope you will find these valuable in igniting ideas on how we can enable our people to learn and grow every single day.

Shannon’s reflections…

As an elementary school child, I did my homework because my mom forced me to, and because she cleverly used dessert as leverage. As a high school teenager, I completed my assignments because my mom told me to, and more importantly with the ambition of being accepted into a top-tier university. When I was a young adult at a top-tier university, I strived for greatness with the ultimate, end-goal of being hired at a reputable firm with an impressive salary, and because I wanted to be able to answer the dreadful “What’s next?” question. Learning as a means to an end. Full stop.

Of course there were certain topics and specific courses and professors that sparked my interest and reminded me that, somewhere deep down, I really do enjoy learning, but those moments were unfortunately few and far between. Truthfully, learning and completing the work associated with that learning has historically been a flat out burden; a chore or task that I would dread having to tackle even when my only job as a student was to learn.

Now, as an adult working in a corporate environment, learning has transformed. I find myself experiencing learning in a totally different way, and oftentimes I learn without realizing it. Whether it’s through unexpected interactions with superiors or meaningful experiences with peers, I find myself learning best when I am feeding off of the energy and the excitement of others. To attempt to emulate the same learning experience individuals have as students in the corporate environment simply will not yield the same results. Although some professionals strive to advance their careers through the training and learning offered by their corporations, most do not.

We must focus on the why – rather than the how – when we consider what excites and drives people to learn in a corporate environment without the provocation of incentive.

Ultimately, the goal should be to make technology disappear into the background. When you are forced to focus on the technology, rather than the experience, you create barriers that people have to navigate. Why then, can learning not be viewed in the same exact light? What if, just as technology should be so seamlessly integrated that you hardly notice its impact, we aim to experience learning the same way? Instead of being de-prioritized as a chore, why can’t learning and technology be an underlying factor of everything that we do?

I wish our leaders would leverage the power of imagination and determination in order to create a world where learning is a meaningful, engaging, shared experience.

Well said, Shannon! #lessonsfromthenewlearner