Hello Leaders!
Malcom Knowles, author of The Adult Learner, gives great advice to maximize the impact of training and development, particularly when one of the goals is to build a cohort where participants learn from one another and build relationships that last well after the conclusion of training:
- Set a collaborative learning climate;
- Develop objectives to address real-world issues & problems;
- Facilitate activities that include hands-on application of theory to practice;
- Find ways to draw on the learning experiences of all participants.
These practices work exceptionally well when instruction is given in-person with participants together in one location. So, what happens when you’re asked to design a cohort-based leadership fundamentals program when, oh I don’t know … say a pandemic hits and getting together in person is off the table!?!? Can these practices be applied using Zoom or other videoconferencing media? As it turns out, these principles can not only come alive, they can thrive in this environment. Here’s how:
- Remember that while the medium has changed, the way adults learn has not, and thus, incorporating adult learning best-practices into your lesson plan design is still a non-negotiable must-have!
- Schedule sessions in focused increments. In-person training often involves travel and necessitates full-day sessions with several topics, which can overwhelm. Instead, schedule several sessions (two hours works well) to occur over time.
- Assign brief application assignments between sessions. Make this an expectation at the program’s outset. Doing this allows you to check in at the beginning of each class and answer questions about past topics before moving on to the next.
- Make sure you do an ROI, because costs can be reduced significantly when programs are facilitated via video conferencing. Travel costs in particular can actually be eliminated.
- Plan to have small group sessions during your sessions. Breakout rooms on Zoom work incredibly well and small-group dialogues and assignments are critically important for relationship-building among participants.
I am enjoying discovering new ways to use the tools we have available to us to promote learning and improve leadership practices in ways we never thought possible. I’m particularly happy with the way relationships among participants (shared language, jokes, contacting one another off-session, etc.) can still grow and improve using videoconferencing as a training tool.
Thanks for reading and be your best self today! Tad