Tuesday
Sep032002
241 - Learning & Knowledge Requests? (A TechLearn Essay)
September 3, 2002
#241 - - - Sept 3, 2002 - - - 43,924 Readers
*** Elliott Masie's TechLearn TRENDS ***
Training, e-Learning and Collaboration Updates
Published by The MASIE Center www.masie.com
Host of: TechLearn 2002 - Oct 27-30 - Orlando, FL
Learning & Knowledge Requests?
A TechLearn Essay
By Elliott Masie
How does a worker within your organization indicate their need and desire
to learn something or to acquire knowledge? This dialogue may be more of
a knowledge management issue, but I would like to raise it with you, our
learning and training colleagues.
What are the actions that a worker takes when they discover that they have
a knowledge gap or a need to learn a new skill? We know that there is an
informal process, where people reach out to their peers, work neighbors or
supervisors for immediate information or knowledge. But, what if the
knowledge gap is larger than an informal conversation. Then, we know that
the learner might go “shopping” for a class or course, in the classroom or
on-line. But, what if the list of available courses does not contain the
right stuff for the learner. In those situations, how do learners “post”
or “declare” their learning or knowledge requests?
I have interviewed several dozen workers, in diverse organizations, and
found that almost all of them lack an official point of contact for a
learning or knowledge request. Some felt that they “didn’t want to
bother” their manager with this type of request and a few said they might
post a request on an internal bulletin board (with low hopes for helpful
responses). However, most felt as though there wasn’t a place to take
their learning or knowledge request.
The MASIE Center is investigating how the “economy” of learning is playing
out in organizations. We need to honor the “demand” side of learning,
focusing on emerging requirements of learners. Most of the action in
Learning Systems (LMS and LCMS) are focused on the “supply” side of the
learning equation. How do add learner requirements to the Learning
Systems.
I imagine a feature that might appear on people’s workstations that would
allow them to “submit” a learning or knowledge request or demand. This
could be categorized by the content area (eg. Manufacturing information),
the type of knowledge requested (eg. procedure, examples or opinions) and
even the level of urgency. These could either be received and acted on by
a learning desk, by an automated function or other process. But, what a
gift to workers it might be.
We have to reach across the line from e-Learning into Knowledge Management
to view ways in which we can leverage these two fields together for the
learning benefit of the workforce. To the learner, they just want to get
the knowledge or skills or information. It might take a course, but it
might not be anything like the courses offered in the catalogue or
on-line. Then what?
Thoughts from you? Send me a note to emasie@masie.com
*** Elliott Masie's TechLearn TRENDS ***
Training, e-Learning and Collaboration Updates
Published by The MASIE Center www.masie.com
Host of: TechLearn 2002 - Oct 27-30 - Orlando, FL
Learning & Knowledge Requests?
A TechLearn Essay
By Elliott Masie
How does a worker within your organization indicate their need and desire
to learn something or to acquire knowledge? This dialogue may be more of
a knowledge management issue, but I would like to raise it with you, our
learning and training colleagues.
What are the actions that a worker takes when they discover that they have
a knowledge gap or a need to learn a new skill? We know that there is an
informal process, where people reach out to their peers, work neighbors or
supervisors for immediate information or knowledge. But, what if the
knowledge gap is larger than an informal conversation. Then, we know that
the learner might go “shopping” for a class or course, in the classroom or
on-line. But, what if the list of available courses does not contain the
right stuff for the learner. In those situations, how do learners “post”
or “declare” their learning or knowledge requests?
I have interviewed several dozen workers, in diverse organizations, and
found that almost all of them lack an official point of contact for a
learning or knowledge request. Some felt that they “didn’t want to
bother” their manager with this type of request and a few said they might
post a request on an internal bulletin board (with low hopes for helpful
responses). However, most felt as though there wasn’t a place to take
their learning or knowledge request.
The MASIE Center is investigating how the “economy” of learning is playing
out in organizations. We need to honor the “demand” side of learning,
focusing on emerging requirements of learners. Most of the action in
Learning Systems (LMS and LCMS) are focused on the “supply” side of the
learning equation. How do add learner requirements to the Learning
Systems.
I imagine a feature that might appear on people’s workstations that would
allow them to “submit” a learning or knowledge request or demand. This
could be categorized by the content area (eg. Manufacturing information),
the type of knowledge requested (eg. procedure, examples or opinions) and
even the level of urgency. These could either be received and acted on by
a learning desk, by an automated function or other process. But, what a
gift to workers it might be.
We have to reach across the line from e-Learning into Knowledge Management
to view ways in which we can leverage these two fields together for the
learning benefit of the workforce. To the learner, they just want to get
the knowledge or skills or information. It might take a course, but it
might not be anything like the courses offered in the catalogue or
on-line. Then what?
Thoughts from you? Send me a note to emasie@masie.com
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