Corporate E-Learning

We are continually placed in social learning situations. Whether we are continuing education, learning new skills at work, or participating in a club, learning often takes place in social settings. By fully understanding the process of social learning, it is possible to enhance both social and learning skills to reap the full benefits of any social learning situation.

Most people belong to groups. Groups may be formal, such as work groups, or informal, like book clubs. The success of any group depends on its dynamic. Group dynamics are how the members of the group interact. Leaders have a responsibility to establish a strong foundation in groups. Setting the right dynamics in communication, collaboration, and sharing will improve the success of the group and enhance social learning.

There are always pros and cons to social learning. The diversity and differences that make a group strong will also cause friction in social settings. Effective groups will address these issues as they develop and manage to keep the communication civil. Knowing how to create a diverse and respectful social learning group will make the experience more efficient.

It is not enough to simply create social learning programs. Social learning must be integrated into the culture of the organization in order for it to be effective. This requires making connections, identifying star employees, encouraging questioning, and recognizing teaching moments. By creating a culture of learning, organization will continue to improve and grow.

The culture at work plays an important role in determining the effectiveness of social learning. By carefully guiding and monitoring the work environment, you will be able to create a culture of learning. The goal is to create an environment where it is safe to share and a passion for sharing and learning permeates the atmosphere. Always remember that the culture is modeled by leadership.

The culture at work will influence whether people are willing to engage in social learning. Understanding what people fear in social learning situations will enable you to avoid mistakes and build a cohesive unit that empowers people to learn. By developing a culture of learning, a social community that benefits all participants will evolve.

Role playing is a useful tool in social learning situations. It requires a minimum of two people, which makes it suitable for small groups. This type of exercise allows people to examine situations from different points of view and prepare for different situations that they will face in the real world. Preparing role playing scenarios requires discovering scenarios, finding variables, and preparing people for their roles.

People typically love or hate role playing activities. The purpose of role playing is to encourage people to engage with the topic, prepare for different scenarios, and see different points of view. Providing examples will help people engage and learn in the role playing activities. Once role playing is acted out, the group should debrief and discuss what they learned from the scenarios. When done correctly, role playing is an effective social learning tool.

Every project requires its own set of tools, and social learning is no exception. Modern technology has provided greater access to learning tools that will improve social learning. With social media and concepts like gamification, social learning has taken on a new life. Using the right tools will enhance social learning.

The tools used to engage the learners will determine the effectiveness of social learning. Over time, the effective tools will become more evident. Knowing how to find and utilize the right tools is an essential skill to social learning. Tools such as shadowing, knowledge management, and social facilitation will improve the chances of success.

Modeling and observational learning are essential ingredients for social learning. When people are inspired, have positive role models, and improve their self-efficacy, they are more likely to embrace learning and new experiences. Not only will social learning improve, you are likely to see an improvement in morale and productivity as well.

Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that your journey of Social Learning is just beginning. Please take a moment to review and update your action plan. This will be a key tool to guide your progress in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. We wish you the best of luck on the rest of your travels!