Blended learning in corporate context: Merging work and learning

1
Blended learning in corporate context Merging
work and learning

• Anoush Margaryan
• Researcher, University of Twente
• Research Analyst, Shell EP Learning Development
• The Netherlands

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By way of introduction

• Research partnership between the University of
  Twente and Shell EP Learning and Development
• Shell EP one of the five core businesses of the
  Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies focused on
  finding and producing oil and gas
• 30,000 staff located in over 45 countries in the
  world
• Classroom courses lectures, syndicate groups,
  case studies, simulations in the Learning Center
  in NL and hubs worldwide
• Shell Open University established in December
  2000 to use new learning technologies in
  restructuring learning around the competence
  frameworks.
• Learners engineers, petrophysicists, geologists
  and other technical professionals

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Current challenges for organisations

• increased global competition and diversity
• need for competences in solving novel problems,
  for which no prior knowledge base exists
• big crew change, need to capture, share reuse
  and transfer knowledge dynamically
• flatter project-based nature of workplaces with
  the emphasis on collaboration and team-work

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Implications for learning and training

• Anchoring of learning in business needs and
  workplace tasks
• Learning outcomes focused on improved job
  performance and increased competence
• Strategic problem-solving, critical thinking,
  learning quickly in response to rapidly changing
  environment and technology
• Learning to learn
• Skills in working in distributed and culturally
  diverse teams
• Building knowledge from different sources and
  perspectives and applying it in a flexible way

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Group DiscussionYour perspective

• Form groups of 4-5 persons each
• In your group, discuss what (other) challenges
  you as learning professionals are currently
  facing. Are the current issues in Higher
  Education different to those in corporate
  learning? What are the implications for
  planning, design and delivery of learning? - 5
  minutes
• Share the key points with the audience 1 minute
  per group
• Overall discussion 5 minutes

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To meet these challenges

• Traditional ways of learning and training are no
  longer sufficient
• Integration of formal and informal learning is
  required merging work and learning enabled by
  network technology
• A blend of learning strategies and approaches is
  needed flexible/blended learning -
  experiential, problem-based and activity-based
  vs. content-driven

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Blended learning Moving from
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to learning built around work-based activities
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Work-based activities are

• Done as part of a blended learning course
• Carried out partially or fully in the workplace
• Based on a relevant (real) workplace problem or
  project
• Partially assessed by the workplace
  supervisor/coach
• Captured and shared with others via submissions
  through the CMS
• Enhanced by the tools in the CMS, e.g. shared
  workplace, discussion board, weblinks, templates,
  archive, synchronous communication
• Enhanced by using companys knowledge sharing
  system and networks (communities of practice) as
  resources for learning
• Involve facilitation and coaching by instructor,
  workplace supervisor and experienced peers

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Dimensions of work-based blended learning

• Different types of learning activities (focus on
  work-based problems)
• Different types of learning resources (focus on
  re-use of experience from within the company)
• Different places and times for learning
  activities (focus on activities carried out in
  the workplace)
• Different ways that people interact with each
  other (focus on collaboration during work-based
  activities)

• Guided by a capable facilitator (focus on
  teachable moments within the course as well as
  individualized coaching)
• Involving regular assessment (focus on workplace
  relevance)
• Integrated via a Web-based learning support
  environment

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Components of the blend (1)

• Different types of learning activities
• Find out about, Describe, Compare and contrast,
  Apply, Evaluate, Reflect, Create
• Make use of authentic data and resources,
  workplace relevant
• Share and re-use previous contributions
• Use a Web-based system to support, manage, and
  integrate all aspects of activities

• Different types of learning resources
• Real data and authentic workplace documents
• URLs to external sources
• Corporate knowledge sharing networks and
  databases
• Books, manuals
• Instructor-created resources
• Participant-contributed resources
• Video/audio captures
• Professionally made resources, Web-based or
  CD-ROM
• Contact persons

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Components of the blend (2)

• Different places and times for learning
  activities
• Some, in the workplace
• Some, at home or another study place
• Some, in face-to-face contacts
• Some, via the computer
• With some degrees of flexibility in time and
  location and pace

• Different ways that people interact with each
  other
• One to one
• One to many
• Within a group
• Collaboratively
• Collegially, peer-to-peer
• Formal and informal
• Structured and non-structured
• With a clear procedure, and when appropriate, a
  clear acknowledgement of who initiates what

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Components of the blend (3)

• Capable facilitator
• Technology does not replace the instructor, but
  rather extends access to him
• Extended access means new demands and burdens
  and requires new forms of support
• Focus on processes during the learning rather
  than on assembling content beforehand

• Assessment
• Use a blend of evaluation approaches - peer,
  portfolio, formative - based on workplace
  activities
• Feedback is a critical part of learning and a
  key part of the assessment process
• Standards and expectations need to be clear and
  based on workplace validation

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Technology from learning management to learning
support

• For communication and dissemination of
  information
• For the management of learning processes and data
• For the support of courses and other kinds of
  learning events
• For individual and group portals to resources and
  services
• For making new kinds of learning experiences
  possible

• For communication and collaboration support
• For the integration of different learning
  experiences and settings
• For the support of learning communities and
  contacts with colleagues
• For the capture and re-use of learning objects
• For making learning more accessible, more
  flexible, more efficient, more systematic

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Principles for work-based blended learning

• Engage learners in solving real-world problems
• Activate prior knowledge and experience as a
  foundation for new knowledge
• Demonstrate new knowledge/model new behaviour to
  the learner
• Guide the learner as she applies the new
  knowledge
• Ensure that the new knowledge is integrated into
  the learners workplace
• Engage learners in collaborative problem solving
• Stimulate collaborative creation and sharing of
  knowledge and learning from others
• Accommodate learner diversity
• Involve workplace learning partners (supervisor,
  coach) in work-based activities
• Use network technology to integrate and
  facilitate course processes, as well as share and
  reuse learning activities and (learner-contributed
  ) resources

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Group DiscussionYour perspective

• Form groups of 4-5
• In your group, reflect on how you could use these
  pedagogical principles in planning, designing and
  implementing blended learning. Would they all be
  (equally) important for your particular context?
  What other principles/components would be
  important? - 5 minutes
• Share the key points with the audience 1 minute
  per group
• Overall discussion 5 minutes

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Examples from Shell Work-based problem
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Examples from Shell Involving workplace experts
as resources for learning
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Examples from Shell Collaborative problem
solving
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Examples from Shell Assessment by workplace
mentors
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Examples from Shell Knowledge sharing
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For more information

• Anoush.Margaryan_at_utwente.nl
• Anoush.Margaryan_at_shell.com
• http//users.gw.utwente.nl/margaryan/