Various Ideas for Learning Activities

Written by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Copyright 1997-2008.
Adapted from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision.

There are numerous types of activities which learners can conduct to reach their learning objectives -- arguably the best activity is life itself. The learner can conduct one type of activity below or several. The list actually comprises what might be called types, modes and methods of learning and even some learning aids.

Note that conducting any of the following activities (or types of activities) will not by themselves necessarily generate learning. Ideally, the following are selecting during the systematic design of a training and development experience, whether self-directed or other-directed.

Sections of This Topic Include:

Some Typical Ways of Learning
Some New Ways of Learning in the Workplace
Some Tangible Results that Can Be Used to "Document" Learning

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Some Typical Ways of Learning

Training methods are either on-the-job, implemented outside the organization or a combination of both.The following is a brief overview of rather typical methods of development (in alphabetical order):

Apprenticeships

For centuries, apprenticeships were the major approach to learning a craft. The apprentice worked with a recognized mastercraftsperson. Particularly during times of low unemployment, businesses are eager to get any kind of help they can find. Seeking an apprenticeship may be a very useful and effective way to eventualy develop a new skill.

Career Counseling

Hopefully, learners have the opportunity to work with their supervisors to develop career plans which identify areas for improvement or advancement, how those areas can be addressed and when.

Coaching

Coaching is becoming a very popular means of development, and often includes working one-on-one with the learner to conduct a needs assessment, set major goals to accomplish, develop an action plan, and support the learner to accomplish the plan. The learner drives these activities and the coach provides continuing feedback and support.

Continuing Professional Development

Many professions require verification of ongoing training to retain certification, e.g., social workers, some fields of law, nurses, etc. Professionals must stay up-to-date in the views and practices necessary to lead and manage in today's organizations. There seems to be an increasing number of universities, colleges and training centers associating continuing education units (CEU's) with their courses and workshops.

Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is learning how to learn. Typically, this involves developing skills in reflection, which is the ability to continually inquire and think about experience to draw conclusions and insights. It also involves the ability to conceptualize the learning process. Continuous learning is often associated with the concepts of systems thinking and organizational learning. See Continuous Learning.

Courses

Universities, colleges and training centers often have a large number of courses in management, professional and personal development. If the learner is looking to build a skill, then he or she must actually apply new information from these courses -- otherwise, the learner is collecting information (hopefully, knowledge), rather than building skills.

Distance Learning

Distance learning has become a mainstream approach in training and development. This typically includes learning by getting information and / or guidance from people who are not face-to-face with the learner, e.g., learning via satellite broadcast, broadcast over the Internet, e-mail or postal mail correspondence, etc. Some people consider online learning (e.g., information, tutorials, etc., available on diskette, CD-ROM, over the Internet, etc.) to be distance learning, as well. See Distance Learning for more details.

Internships

Internships are offered usually by organizations to college students wanting to find work experience during the summer months. The internships offer precious, real-life job experience and the organizations often get skilled, highly dedicated service. Many times, interns go on to be hired by the organizations, as well.

Job Assignments

Job assignments are wonderful opportunities from which to learn. We just aren't used to thinking of them that way. To cultivate learning, consider having employees write short reports, including an overview of what they did, why they did it, what areas of knowledge and skills were used, how the job might have been done better, and what areas of knowledge and skills would be needed to improve the job.

Job Rotations

This can be one of the most powerful forms of development, allowing learners to experience a broad range of managerial settings, cultures and challenges.

Lectures

Lectures, or focused presentations by experts on subject matter, are held in a wide variety of locations, not just in classrooms. Professional associations often bring in speakers. Guest lectures are often sponsored by local universities, colleges and training centers, and announced to the public. Many times, the lectures are repeated over local radio and television.

Management Development Programs

Local universities, colleges and training centers usually offer these programs. Carefully review their program content and design to ensure that training includes real-life learning activities during which learners can develop skills for the workplace.

Mentoring

Hopefully, learners find experienced managers in the workplace who are willing to take learners "under their wing" and provide ongoing coaching and mentoring.

Online Training

There are an increasing number of approaches to online learning. See Online Learning. Sources of online training include learning from computer diskette, CD-ROM, the Internet or Web-based training, etc. (Digital Think offers a free experience of using Web-based training.)

On-the-Job Training

This form helps particularly to develop the occupational skills necessary to manage an organization, e.g., to fully understand the organization's products and services and how they are developed and carried out.

Other-Directed Learning

This includes having someone other than the learner identify the training goal, methods to achieve the goal, and approaches to evaluating the training and progress toward achieving the training goal.

Orientation to New Jobs or Roles

A carefully developed procedure for orienting new employees is very helpful for getting employees "off on the right foot" when starting their jobs.

Peer-Based Methods

This includes formats where peers focus on helping each other learn, e.g., by exchanging ongoing feedback, questions, supportive challenges, materials, etc. Perhaps the best example is the action learning process, originated by Reginald Revans.

Professional Organizations

A wide variety of professional organizations often offer courses, seminars, workshops and sessions from conventions.

Self-Directed Learning

Highly motivated learners can usually gain a great deal of knowledge and skills by identifying their own learning objectives, how to meet those objectives and how to verify they've met the objectives, as well.

Television

Various television networks often have a wide variety of very enlightening shows about basic job skills, such as computer basics, business writing, etc.

Tutorials

Tutorials includes guidance to proceed through learning some technique or procedure, e.g., a tutorial on using a computer software package. There are an increasing number of online tutorials (tutorials available on diskette, CD-ROM, over the Internet, etc.).

Training Courses and Workshops

Workshops, seminars, convention sessions, etc. are useful, in particular, for highly focused overviews of a particular subject or training about particular procedures.

University and College Programs

It seems there is an exponential number of management development programs in universities and colleges.

Workshops

Workshops typically include some hands-on practice by the learner, and can be very practical means to learn a certain technique or procedure.

New Ways of Learning in the Workplace

Various instructional design models
Schooling is Out - Learning is In
Action Learning Groups

Some Tangible Results that Can Be Used to "Document" Learning

If you or others are seeking to verify results from your training and development, it helps to produce tangible items that can be evaluated to discern if you've achieved your training goals and objectives. The Sample Learner's Results comes courtesy of The Union Institute, which suggests the list to learners when developing their own learning agreements.

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For the Category of Training and Development:

Related Library Topics

Recommended Books

Basics and General Information

Orienting and Training Employees

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Basics and General Information

The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just hover your cursor over the image of the book. A "bubble" of information will be displayed. You can click on the title of the book in that bubble to get more information, too.

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Orienting and Training Employees

The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just hover your cursor over the image of the book. A "bubble" of information will be displayed. You can click on the title of the book in that bubble to get more information, too.

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Also See

Human Resources -- Recommended Books

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