Biologically, every person is born with inherent preferences in how they learn. Some may learn by hands-on training and visual images, while others learn from studying the written steps themselves. Scientists have broken the learning styles down into 8 criteria 4 sets of opposites: Active and Reflective, Sensing and Intuitive, Visual and Verbal, and Sequential and Spatial (Global). The testing for this is a short, online quiz presented by the North Carolina State University that identifies a persons preferences (and the strength of each preference) for each of the criteria. The test can be found at http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html.

Studies on these criteria have found that training that is centered on fostering and enhancing every persons natural learning style tends to help people learn faster and improve retention of information. It can also increase morale while reducing frustration. When the program is created to encompass all the learning styles and be based in a multi-faceted approach, everyone learns more and no one is left behind.

For instance, the series of For Dummies self-teaching books have been incredible market successes for the very reason that it addresses all the areas of the way people learn. Not only are the books very effective as a training device; they are off-kilter, interesting, and fun to read. Most of the more recent editions in the series also include a CD-Rom to enhance the visual aspect of the training, and the entire curriculum on the CD is fully integrated with the book to reinforce ideas and concepts.

For our purposes, the job-specific training manual would best serve the team by being an online, living document yet can still include all the aspects that makes the For Dummies books great. This way, it would only be printed the day a new employee started and it would include a warning that all the information contained was subject to change. After that, each employee would have a link to a web-based manual that could be updated as soon as changes take effect.

To cover the learning styles, the manual could include overviews of each section, graphics to aid the learning process of the employees adept to being visual learners, tips and tricks areas, big ideas areas for the spatial (global) learners, and summaries of each section. The manuals we currently have only foster verbal sequential learners; so many of our employees (myself included) tend to learn the concepts slower.

In a more complex training environment where manuals are only part of the resources available, flexibility should be placed in the timeline to allow for the differences in style. A flexible plan that allows for customization would provide maximum effectiveness to students of all learning styles.

Even after the employee has completed training and becomes certified in their job description, there will need to be an update system that not only addresses, but also will be attractive to all learning types. This can be accomplished by sending an email that not only includes written instruction, but also a small MPEG file of the person issuing the update telling about the change. This will in turn satisfy the visual and audible learners where before the email was only satisfying to the verbal learners. To put this process in place, a small investment in a web cam and microphone would be needed.

When learning styles are fostered, everyone wins. The employee will not only learn faster but will have a lower frustration level with what they are trying to learn. The flexibility and adaptability of the program can also boost morale by focusing on each persons individual strengths and creating value in them by taking the time to meet them where they operate best. As this is continued throughout the individuals career with the company, we can have the most adaptable employees who have not only learned the job, but have also learned how to learn. After all, change is inevitable. We can only meet it where it is and make it easier to absorb more quickly.

References:

Soloman, Barbara A. and Richard M. Felder. North Carolina State University. Index of Learning Styles http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

Silverman, Ph.D. Linda Kreger. Upside Down Brilliance: The Visual Spatial Learner. DeLeon Publishing, Denver, CO. 2002

Lancaster, Lynne C. and David Stillman. When Generations Collide: Who they are. Why they clash. How to solve the generational puzzle at work. BridgeWorks, New York, NY. 2002

Sample Training Customizations

At the beginning of training a new employees, the learning style quiz will be administered to identify the strengths of the individual. Based on the results, a customized plan can be laid out in order to enhance the effectiveness of the training. Below are sample customizations based on learning type. These may need to be altered accordingly where the individuals learning preferences overlap.

These are set up in four sets of opposite styles. The chart in the quiz will show the preference of the learner to each style.

Active

1. Schedule time for the active learner to repeat what was learned throughout the day to their instructor

2. Use more hands-on training and give the learner full ability to make mistakes and then learn from them

3. Use different experienced employees to train the learner each day or let the learner sit with a group to exchange ideas and information

Reflective

1. Give the learner time to sit and reflect quietly over their notes and experiences at the end of each day

2. Use more of an observation approach to showing the learner the steps involved, and give the learner a longer amount of time to form a comfort level before pushing them to try a hands-on approach

3. Allow for a more relaxed schedule in order to not overwhelm the learner

Sensing

1. Stick to the facts and processes at hand, and be sure to include real world situations that the learner can gain experience from

2. Try not to introduce abstract situations too early on, but keep the training grounded in process until the employee is comfortable

Intuitor

1. Keep the training interesting and process oriented to avoid boredom

2. Allow and encourage the introduction of concepts, ideas, and innovation

3. Introduce abstract situations to try and get the learner to exercise their problem solving skills

Visual

1. Incorporate and focus on more visually stimulating information including hands-on computer experience, charts, graphs, and screen shots.

Verbal

1. Incorporate and focus more on the written part of the manual and also spoken instructions. Encourage the employee to take as many notes as possible and allow time to go over these.

Sequential

1. Focus on teaching processes as a series of logical steps.

2. Allow the learners substantial time to make connections between processes that are seemingly unrelated.

Spatial (Global)

1. Focus more on big picture ideas and work downwards to individual processes.

2. Present learner with overviews of each section before getting started.