In the mix

Jim Hauden details the benefits of a blended learning approach.

“The best learning comes from combining facilitated learning, social learning, and individual learning”
-Jim Hauden

What was the relevance of eLearning when it came onto the scene?
Jim Hauden. The early value proposition was cost efficiency and speed. It allowed people to learn without being in the same classroom, and it was sustainable in terms of materials. Digital learning was a way to more efficiently share and store information. Unfortunately, it was boring and ineffective.

But recently, people are seeing learners as customers. People can explore information in their own time at their own pace. Businesses like eLearning's ability to create "motion in learning" through scenarios and feedback, and it's much more compelling.

Root is a proponent of blended solutions - paper and digital. Why not one or the other?
JH. We create with what works with users. At times, eLearning is best; sometimes, a live, small group is the answer. We're always conscious of the learner, of the mix of learning experiences that provide the optimal outcome for the business.

The best learning comes from combining facilitated learning, social learning, and individual learning. The ability to think, learn, and apply knowledge with others and then practice before taking a risk is how most of us learn. Using technology in combining all these learning forms makes quality eLearning an effective part of an overall learning solution.

Root approaches learning as a system. How do systems relate to learning?
JH. We often use an example of trying to assemble a 1000-piece puzzle without seeing the box top. People need to see the big picture - the system - before the individual parts make any sense at all. When we frame the whole so people can see that entire system, they're curious about their connection to it. Learning has the most value in complex issues that are the greatest inhibitors to significant improvement. If we want people to act differently, they have to understand the complex systems of our businesses. Within any system, components are constantly in motion, so people need to see the direction - where it's moving and how.

What are the best practices for making learning "engaging"?
JH. Our book, The Art of Engagement, tells how to capture people's discretionary effort to create results using storytelling, visualization, and other creative ways. It's "engaging" when every learner says, "I get it! This is exciting! I see how I fit, and I know how to make a difference!" This won't happen if we just "tell the learner what to learn." Involving, inviting, and exploring information with the learner makes it relevant. 

What's the potential promise for eLearning?
JH. It's the ability to understand how to make cause-and-effect more transparent within our systems. We don't often get to see the consequences of what we do. Technology lets us rehearse the causes and see the effects immediately. If technology can help us to quickly understand how actions lead to outcomes, we can unquestionably create better results.

Technology allows us to instantly find whatever we need to know. The promise of eLearning is putting learners in the driver's seat, to focus on accessing, assimilating, and compiling information that is most important to find. We're in trouble as long as eLearning is defined by the creator of the method rather than by the desires of the end user. The best eLearning really isn't designed to help people perform better in the workplace; it's a tool for enabling extended conversations.

How does Root determine the best solution to a learning need?
JH. Our process starts from the genuine curiosity of "what it's like not to know." We ask good questions and uncover the right approach for that audience. We engage clients in what's possible. Then we use our 20 years of experience to build, deploy, and sustain relevant learning. We excel at group and individual eLearning, simulations, gaming, and scenarios. We also have the consulting capability to help clients with the entire spectrum of learning needs.

For over 20 years, Jim Haudan, CEO and Chairman of Root Learning, has helped organizations unleash hidden potential by engaging people in their work. He partners with leaders of major companies worldwide to build creative ways to execute strategy.