Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2019 - 34

It's an exciting time; learners have both
the access and agency necessary to
control their learning experiences.
They just need to hold themselves
accountable to ensure that access and
agency do not go to waste.

2

ADOPT FUNDAMENTAL
BEHAVIORS FOR SUCCESS

Let's examine the five fundamental
behaviors instrumental to a digital
learner's success:
* Take Action: Don't wait to be directed;
take initiative. As a digital learner,
look for trends in your work and start
identifying the skills and knowledge
you need to succeed. With all the
disruption in work and personal life,
committing to continuous learning
is critical.

Learners have both the
access and agency
necessary to control their
learning experiences.
* Build Your Network: Some of the best
content isn't available within your
immediate circle of peers or on your
internal search site. Find others who
can guide you and thought leaders
you can follow. A strong network is
critical to finding answers and insights
when applying a new skill, as well as
in situations where something has
changed or something goes wrong.
* Join the Right Communities: There
are communities of practitioners
doing what you do, facing the same
challenges and overcoming them in
different ways. The sooner you join and
become a contributing member of such
a community, the better prepared you

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will be when responding to change.
* Share Your Expertise: When it comes
to your network and communities, it's
a two-sided relationship. You have a lot
to learn and a lot to share, and doing
one makes doing the other easier.
Providing valuable contributions
builds your peers' confidence in you,
which in turn builds your network.
* Be Curious: Don't become complacent
because you think you know enough
about a topic or area related to your
job. The world and your field change
every day. To stay competitive, scan
for new trends and developments
on the horizon so you can plan and
respond accordingly.

3

TAKE OWNERSHIP OF
YOUR LEARNING NEEDS

When you think about what you need to
learn and when, recognize that not all
learning needs are met in the same way.
In their Five Moments of Learning Need
model, Conrad Gottfredson and Bob
Mosher identify distinct moments when
learners need information or instruction:
1. Learn or do something for the first
time.
2. Learn or do more of something.
3. Apply and refine.
4. Adjust to change.
5. React when something fails or
goes wrong.
Most of us are comfortable with finding
solutions for the first or second moments
of need. We look in the normal places
for a course or an instructional piece
to introduce us to a concept. However,
when we need suppor t when first
applying a new skill or when something
goes wrong, we often need different
resources, and the typical places we look
aren't always the best.

Fo r e x a m p l e , w h e n t a k i n g o n a
woodworking project, like building a
table, you might start with a simple
blueprint and a YouTube video that
provides an overview of the process. You
learn the concepts from these sources
and then have to apply them to the
task at hand. During the process, you
find you're having difficulty cutting the
table legs to the same length, so you
return to YouTube and find there's no
video for fixing short legs. You then turn
to a woodworking blog or community,
and search for tips to ensure equal
leg lengths. Here you find a video for
creating a tabletop saw sled, which will
solve your problem.
This example highlights the need for a
range of learning resources that provides
learners with solutions. Developing a
range of resources requires a learning
network, and learners need to think
strategically about their networks. These
networks need to include suppor t
for innovation and skills mastery, and
it's up to you as the learner to build
your network.

4

CREATE A DYNAMIC, SELFDIRECTED LEARNING PLAN

Although there is no secret recipe
for creating a dynamic, self-directed
learning plan, the following are tips
for creating an effective, personal
learning plan:
* Think about your learning goal. Compare
how you'd create your professional
learning experience to how you
wo u l d u s e d i g i t a l re s o u r c e s t o
pursue a personal passion. Undertake
all lear n in g th e same way you'd
undertake something that matters
deeply to you.
* Begin with the end in mind. Identify
your learning journey. What will it
take to learn, then master? What
knowledge do you already have?
Assess what needs to happen
alon g th e way, from in d i v i d ua l
https://www.elearninginfographics.com/blended-learning-address-five-moments-need-infographic/ https://www.elearninginfographics.com/blended-learning-address-five-moments-need-infographic/
Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2019

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