Personalized Learning Paths and Career Development

'Learning never exhausts the mind'

-Leonardo da Vinci-

How do you learn best?

When companies promote a culture of learning and development, they shouldn't just focus on meeting organizational targets or offering training for the sake of appearances.

Many businesses today provide training programs simply to keep records, include it in annual reports, or to claim they’re investing in employees. Some even cut budgets for training and development, not realizing the long-term value of these investments.

Training and development should be seen as essential organizational activities aimed at improving individual performance. It’s a structured way to enhance the knowledge and skills of the team. The main goal should be creating knowledgeable employees who contribute to the long-term success of the company. (Spitzer, 1986)

For the best outcomes, training should be tailored to the specific needs of each department or individual. If we approach it thoughtfully, we will see the right results. Therefore, the human resources department's key responsibility is to identify the right training methods, determine who needs the training, and decide how best to deliver it to each individual. (International Training and Development – Innovative Training & Coaching, n.d.)

Everyone has a different learning style, so it’s important to understand each person and customize training programs to support their career growth. (Pashler, et al., 2009)

We can break down the learning process into five stages: (Colvin, 2006)

Figure 1 - The learning process

To make this process successful, HR or learning and development professionals need to understand the best training methods for each department or individual. Here are some common methods for delivering training: (Hart, 2004)

• Case Studies
• Coaching
• eLearning

Learning from Experience

Gibb’s reflective cycle

In 1988, Graham Gibbs developed a structure for learning from experiences called the Gibbs Reflective Cycle. This framework enables individuals to learn from both successful and unsuccessful experiences. It consists of the following stages: (Gibbs, 1988) 

Figure 2 - Gibb’s reflective cycle. (Gibbs, 1988)

Kolb's Theory  - The Experiential Learning Cycle. (Kolb, 1939)

Kolb’s theory of experiential learning is shown as a four-stage cycle where the learner goes through each step.

The terms "Reflective Cycle" and "Experiential Learning Cycle" are often used to describe this process. The key idea is that real learning happens through a repeating cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and trying out new ideas.

                                               Figure 3 - Kolb's learning cycle (1984)

 

How can we deliver effective, personalized training? 

Ask team leaders or managers to identify the training needs of their team members. Use an Excel sheet or dashboard, accessible only to the team leaders, to track progress.

Assign suitable trainers or recommend training programs and learning sessions for each individual.

Provide training on business-as-usual tasks, personal development, and special skills.

Collaborate with management to organize "Lunch and Learn" sessions that focus on useful personal development topics.

Create opportunities for employees to apply their training in real work scenarios.

Hold short, monthly self-awareness sessions (no longer than 30 minutes) on interesting, thought-provoking topics.

Support employees by helping them find personal coaches or mentors for their development.

Work with HR to ensure team members are participating in training sessions offered by the organization, and encourage them to choose sessions based on their interests.

Set aside a budget for professional training events or in-person sessions to increase team involvement and collaboration

In Conclusion, personalized training programs yield better results than generalized ones. Employees are more engaged and feel valued and respected when they receive training tailored to their specific needs. This approach builds trust, encourages loyalty to the company, and leads to excellent performance.

REFERENCES

Colvin, S. S., 2006. The Learning Process. s.l.:Macmillan

Gibbs, G., 1988. Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. illustrated ed. UK: FEU, 1988. 

Hart, L. B., 2004. Training methods that work, a handbook for trainers. s.l.:Viva books private.

International Training and Development – Innovative Training & Coaching, n.d. itd.com. [Online] Available at: https://itd.com/tailored-training [Accessed 16 Oct 2024]

Kolb, D. A., 1939. Experiential Learning : Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall 1984.

Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D. & Bjork, R., 2009. Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence, 9(3).

Spitzer, D. R., 1986. Improving Individual Performance. s.l.:Educational Technology Publications.