Transforming Organizational Learning and Development to Innovative Practices

Organizations in 2016 and in 2019 spent globally US$359 and US$ 370.3 billion respectively on training and the return on investment is not worth it as I argued in my article titled "Disrupting Corporate Learning During and Post COVID-19" and published on my blog on June 16, 2020. It is staggering to learn that only 12% of employees apply new skills learned in learning and development programs to their jobs. The evidence is overwhelming that the traditional learning and development practices are broken and for many reasons as outlined in the diagram below:

Those flawed methodologies include

1. intensive long days of knowledge based training,
2. the “What” and the “How” are identified but not the “Why”,
3. training is based on “Seat time” - where "Seat time" does not demonstrate skill mastery, some people master the material fast and some people don’t,
4. and eLearning is often impersonal —learners have dissimilar literacy levels, different knowledge backgrounds, and other associated abilities.

The skills mastery and competency based learning is proposed as a sustainable model for the workforce skills development in place of the traditional one size fits all approach. The diagram below summarizes the lean learning strategies that enterprises could consider applying.

The competency based model is characterized by being learner centered, mastery of all concepts, individualized learning, outcome as well as performance based, self-paced, and finish when mastery of all courses is demonstrated. The proposed model would allow for a personalized learning experience augmented with mentorship practices that caters for the individual learning needs resulting in benefits for both the enterprise and the individual. The current and the emerging technologies play a pivotal role supporting the new proposed learning methodology to prepare an agile workforce required for the skills based economy. It is essential to adopt the appropriate change management strategies to achieve successful digital transformation leading to successful implementation of the new learning model.

Skills mastery, competency as well as outcome based learning, and a number of qualification frameworks utilize a learning model that is based on the knowledge, skills, and application (abilities) methodologies. I presented in my article the essential elements of a practical approach that organizations might consider to prepare their agile workforce that included the following topics: a comparison of the traditional learning versus the competency based learning (CBL), the technology framework (outlined in diagram below) as well as the digital tools that support CBL, implementing the CBL model on digital learning platforms, sample eportfolio assessment and verification process, as well as change management and knowledge transfer plan. Also, the approach featured offering scientific proposals to institutions, including libraries, universities, vocational training colleges and companies to build and apply the proposed strategies and approach.

To help support the skills mastery learning methodologies, I proposed an agile digital learning platform where the learners are recipients and contributors of the learning content as outlined in the diagram below. The agile digital learning platform is a social learning network that is the Facebook or Microsoft Teams for learning, powered by AI as well as by powerful search engine, offers bite-sized micro-learning content with AR and VR capabilities, and it curates individual learning opportunities and documents outcomes as well as skills mastery. I like the expression "Learning is fundamentally a social phenomenon".

To learn more about the utilization of skills mastery training methodologies and emerging technologies to prepare an agile workforce, please check out my new article and webinars in both languages English and Arabic that I recently delivered:

• My article titled “Disrupting Corporate Learning During and Post COVID-19”
• My Webinar titled "Disrupting Corporate Learning During and Post COVID-19"
• My Webinar in Arabic titled "?????? ??? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?? ????????"

Resources and References

1.  Disrupting Corporate Learning During and Post COVID-19
2. Market size of the global workplace training industry from 2007 to 2019
3. Unemployment Rates Around the World 2020
4. Rewriting the rules for the digital age
5. Where Companies Go Wrong with Learning and Development
6. Utilizing Emerging Technologies to Prepare an Agile Workforce: A Practical Approach
7. Social Learning in the Social Enterprise
8. Skill deficits affect workers of all skill levels, managers say
9. Accelerating Workforce Reskilling for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
10. Adapting workplace learning in the time of coronavirus
11. Optimizing Your Leadership Development Program During the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
12. 2020 Global Human Capital Trends - The social enterprise at work: Paradox as a path forward
13. Beyond reskilling - Investing in resilience for uncertain futures
14. Skills Mastery Series: Part 1 - Introduction To Skills Mastery
15. Skills Mastery Series: Part 2 - Pros, Cons, And Essential Elements
16. Skills Mastery Series: Part 3 - How Technology Supports Skills Mastery
17. Toward A New Model for Corporate Learning and Development (Part 1)
18. A ‘Disruptive’ Look at Competency-Based Education
19. High tech for higher ed: An Australian engineering professor revamps student learning with Teams