In the learning and development arena, there is a good understanding and appreciation of how a traditional classroom based environment can lead to transference of skills back in the workplace. Organizations have been doing it successfully for many years and will continue to do so over time. Online learning is a great platform in which to further enhance skills and competencies and can be done in a more timely fashion given the busy schedules people have these days both professionally and personally.
Why do we need to be more concerned about motivating online learners?
Our point of view is that online learning is an effective and important platform for developing talent in our workforce today however more importantly in planning for tomorrow. It can sometimes present a challenge to those who have had little exposure, which makes it difficult to motivate learners to go online where support and positive reinforcement is not present.
Sometimes the sentiment of an online learner is such that they feel cheated out of an instructor or that online learning isn’t real learning. You want to find ways in which to help shift this sentiment and inspire learners to take the initiative to get more comfortable with the various platforms available to them.
There is no doubt that attending a traditional classroom based session offers a welcomed change of environment. It is more personal an experience and there is access to a facilitator either one-on-one or in a small group setting. Online learning can have as meaningful an impact as classroom experiences so it’s important to not dismiss the value it offers especially for those who work flex hours and prefer their learning to take place beyond the traditional work day.
The challenge before us is in finding ways to motivate learners to get online and seek to be more savvy. The workplace today blends generations of professionals partnering together with varying levels of confidence in technology therefore we need to heighten both confidence and capability so learners are willing and able to engage with ease.
Consider the following checklist of items to motivate learners online and when developing/designing courses.
- Identify requirements, expectations and performance outcomes
- Create opportunities in which to enhance overall confidence and capability in technology.
- Build online learning into performance development plans.
- Demonstrate patience and understanding when motivating online learners.
- Ensure that online learning experiences are linked to workplace objectives.
- Integrate metrics into learning so leaders and learners can track progress together. It provides a great opportunity for dialogue around what to ‘stop-start and/or continue’ doing as a result of their learning.
- Ensure there is a web page outlining a detailed course description, learning objectives, pre-work and assessment and post session requirements
- Estimate the time it will take to complete assignments so that they can effectively manage their priorities and workload.
- Keep learning relevant.
- Ensure your online learning library is designed to enhance self-awareness.
- If there are scoring and testing components integrated into the online learning, make this information available to learners so they are not caught off guard
- If learners can understand and appreciate the relevance of their online learning experiences it will encourage them to see the learning through to closure and manage their own expectations of where and how to apply back in the workplace.
- Leaders are encouraged to engage employees in discussions to reinforce relevance and application back into the workplace (prior and post learning best practices)
- Explore the potential of blending learning experiences (online, classroom based etc) to create more bandwidth in the adult learners repertoire
Positive Reinforcement
- Look for shifts in employee performance/behaviours and positively reinforce.
- Provide meaningful and balanced feedback on/offline.
- Virtual leaders should seek to be more deliberate in their feedback efforts.
- Encourage employees to track for themselves their key learning experiences and to commit themselves to 1-2 things they need to consider doing as a result of their learning.
Leverage Assessments
- There are a variety of online assessments that can be leveraged to help identify strengths and opportunity areas. Creative Partners in Performance Inc can assist in recommendations.
- Share with learners the benefits to online assessments to support their learning and ensure confidentiality is communicated, understood and respected.
- When defining course requirements on the assessment front, let potential learners know what the implications are for their not completing requirements.
Leadership and Peer Support
- Ensure leaders and peers support the learning environment.
- Leaders should seek to engage employees in their learning.
- Minimize distractions so learning is not interrupted.
- Allow employees to schedule work time to complete online training; if it has to be done after hours, learners will not appreciate and hesitate to engage.
Make learning a leadership mandate.
It is important for leaders to support learning. Ensure that ongoing dialogue takes place throughout the performance cycle and more specifically, integrate employee development plans so you co-create a line of sight into their career path.
If potential participants are aware that leaders support the initiative, they’ll be more inclined to engage.
Share Success Stories
- Introduce online storytelling.
- Encourage participants to share experiences in a discussion thread or online bulletin board.
- Communications online will remind reluctant learners of the safe learning medium.
- Invite senior leaders and executives to share their online stories and learning experiences. Everyone has a story about how they first started their online learning experiences and it can offer good validation and enhance confidence.
In Summary
Do your best to foster a motivational, meaningful and effective online learning environment with strong support systems in place and well-designed programs. Everyone has the potential for applying their learning when you make clear what the requirements are and the benefits and impact of their learning. If you would like to chat and learn more about how to motivate online learners, feel free to contact [email protected] or [email protected] or call us directly at 416-873-8819.
