The Curse of the Course

The Curse of the Course

The Curse of the Course

As a Learning and Development professional do these statements make you cringe with embarrassment?Trainer: 'I'm running a training course' Taxi driver: chuckles and replies "Oh well, I'm sure everyone will be happy if you're a bit late!"A very flustered woman, searching for her seat reservation, had the rather un-user friendly system explained by a fellow passenger. "Thanks" she said "that's the first thing I've learnt all day, I've been on a training course"You may well have similar examples of your own. And yet if we think about it there is some truth in those statements.Before reading on, just stop for a moment and cast your mind back over all the formal learning experiences you've had at work. Include training courses, any online or distance learning, talks or lectures. What have you taken away from these events - not just pieces of random knowledge but things that have actually shaped the way you do your job?Now repeat the above, this time considering your on-the-job experience whatever environment you have worked in whether it be call centres, retail or an ordinary office. Think about the successes and the mistakes, the praise and the constructive feedback you've received, and the role models you've learnt to emulate.So, how do the lists compare? It can be difficult to lay a finger on the exact events that shape our behaviour but it's likely that you'll have a gut feel for where you've gained most learning in your professional life.Comments such as those above show that for many years we've relied far too heavily on off the job courses to deliver workplace learning and that in many cases these courses simply haven't delivered the learning required. It's not surprising, as while the phrase 'lifelong learning' has been around for some time many people still equate learning with school, not, as something that you can do with every single action that you can take.Workplace learning has for too long operated in this 'teacher and student' way that we are used to at school and by doing so is out of line with most of the other learning we do as adults. How do we learn to become parents, to do DIY, to dance?We may choose to go to classes but there are many other ways too including trial and error, learning from friends and family to not really learning at all because it's actually more cost effective to get someone to do it for us like repairing a new roof! And when we do look for help the key to success is generally the fact that we have chosen to do so, not having to go to a mandatory course.So, isn't it time that workplace learning began to mirror the way we learn in the rest of our adult life?

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