How can technology assist in action learning?

Citation

Robertson, D. (2010), "How can technology assist in action learning?", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 9 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/shr.2010.37209fab.004

How can technology assist in action learning?

Article Type: Q&A From: Strategic HR Review, Volume 9, Issue 6

Leading industry experts answer your strategic questions

In 2009 the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) updated its qualification standards to reflect the current and future competence requirements of the profession. All authorized providers will be updating their training provision. One of these is DPG, who I am working with from the Manchester center. As a national provider, we took the opportunity to be the first to market with the CIPD’s new Level 3 Certificate in HR Practice.

This gave us the opportunity to design a program that uses technology to deliver a fresh new experience for many hundreds of participants each year. Sensitive pricing meant smart thinking for our programs’ design and budget with the overall principle for an activity-based program that was innovative and as realistic for the learners as possible. It mixes modern methods with a program-long case study company and is a good example of how technology and action learning can be combined to create a successful learning experience. I will use the program as an example of how technology can assist in action learning.

The learning blend

Our blend provides participants with interactive learning materials on a memory stick, a web site and an HR database for the case study company, plus there are monthly workshops to assess knowledge and work in groups to help the case study company. We have a project management system called “basecamp” where participants upload their completed materials for assessment and can download support materials such as workshop slides. Conference calls with the facilitator also enhance the learning blend by giving regular access outside the workshops.

The case study company

I see fantastic benefits from incorporating action learning through the program-long case study company. They include the following:

It allows participants to be realistic secondees to the fictitious organization, helping the management and staff with their HR-related issues while at the same time meeting the learning outcomes for the program.

It is efficient because they have a greater understanding of the company with each activity they do together (as opposed to wasting time getting used to different scenarios each time).

Not all our participants are in work so the reality of the case study helps them greatly.

Technology helps make this real for participants. They have the added bonus of the case study company web site and HR database system to give greater reality and context to their learning The case study company’s web site has, for example, a section dedicated to “Secondees from DPG” where our participants can download templates to complete their assessments.

How it works

Our participants do their knowledge building outside the workshops by completing their interactive materials, reading textbook sections and researching on the web. These materials include many activities based on the case study company, which deepens their understanding of it.

Each month we meet and spend the bulk of the day in action learning groups, working through business problems that arrive by e-mail or through internal reports from people at the case study company. Skills demonstrations happen in the workshops.

Technology as helper

The program is very much activity-based with action learning fundamental to the workshop approach. Relevant technology helps with the following:

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  Increasing the context and reality of the case study company through its web face, corporate identity and online HR system.

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  Enabling many of the assessments, for example, demonstrating the effective use of the HR system, to meet some of the CIPD criteria.

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  Making access to materials and support straightforward and very flexible – a growing requirement from our many participants who are mobile workers. The conference call options and materials available for download and upload make the participants’ lives easier as well as smoothing the auditing and appraisal processes.

Flexible and sustainable learning

It is easy to see that with the combination of materials, design and relevant technology we have a varied range of learning sources that meet all learning preferences. Another plus point is that our participants are doing the right learning in the right places – they do their knowledge learning through personal study with our interactive materials and textbooks, and have the workshops for application of learning, skills development and skills demonstration.

Another interesting point is that the use of virtual resources supports sustainability. We have, for example, people making use of podcasts to access formal and informal learning, and our materials being available on memory sticks and the internet reduces the need for printing dramatically. Also, using the right technology in the right places cuts the need to travel and meet constantly.

About the author

Derek Robertson Lead designer at DPG. He is an accomplished practitioner and has many years’ experience of facilitating CIPD programs (including delivery of CIPD’s own programs). Working extensively across the UK and overseas, Robertson has a vast degree of knowledge and exposure to international practice. With access to worldwide expertise and a real passion for learning, he leads a team of highly experienced DPG facilitators. Derek Robertson can be contacted at: enquiries@robertsontraining.co.uk