Learning goes beyond simply absorbing information. Learning requires reflection and this is a crucial step in deepening our conscious understanding and gaining an enhanced perspective.
In today’s fast-paced world, professional development and learning are often viewed as a luxury due to the increasing demands on our time.
That is why it is key to also offer incentives to encourage commitment to learning. Totara partner Accipio believe that incorporating incentivised guided reflection can be the secret weapon to enhancing learning experiences and ensuring long-term impact.
So, how can you implement this approach? Here are some practical suggestions and steps.
Step 1: Diagnostic with base reflection
Guided reflection involves purposeful consideration of your current position in your learning journey and where you aspire to reach. It is best done within a framework supported by evidence to aid in this process.
Running diagnostics before implementing a learning initiative is essential for success. By conducting assessments, with a 360 view, including leadership styles or team dysfunctions, you can gather objective evidence to reflect on and measure impact and behavioural changes over time.
Helping individuals extract insights, identify patterns, and understand the implications of their actions is crucial for long-term growth and development.
Top tip: Use Totara’s Perform functionality, or Accipio Diagnose, to assign and run diagnostics automatically.
Step 2: Peer reflection supported by online and live learning
Peer reflection, supported by both online and live learning, is crucial for a variety of reasons. It leverages the strengths of diverse perspectives, encourages collaborative learning, while offering immediate feedback. Peer reflection also incorporates social learning dynamics, aids in skill development, enhances motivation and fosters a sense of community among learners.
Our learners benefit from a combination of online learning and interactive workshops that encourage high levels of engagement and challenge among peers.
Top tip: Use Totara Engage with the Microsoft Teams integration for collaborative learning.
Step 3: Process for reflection and application with coaching
We now have concrete evidence from the diagnostic and learning processes that have occurred. However, this alone is not enough. While sharing with peers in a workshop setting can be enjoyable, it is not sufficient to ensure long lasting learning. Quizzes may test knowledge, but they are passive in nature. Our goal is to engage individuals in an iterative process that involves documenting reflections and applying them actively to enhance learning.
We use assignments to do this that are complemented by structured templates containing specific questions. For example, one of the questions could prompt individuals to reflect on their leadership style and propose strategies for advancement.
Following this, we provide guidance and encouragement through coaching sessions. This engages people to refer to the diagnostic results and apply the models from the previous two steps.
Top tip: Use Totara Learn and the assignment functionality to support the end-to-end assessment and feedback processes.
Step 4: Answer the “so what” question
One effective way to encourage individuals to use their own discretionary effort for learning is by offering incentives.
We use internationally recognised qualifications from the Chartered Management Institute as a “CV candy” incentive. These qualifications also provide the backbone for our learning development programme.
Other incentive examples include incorporating gamification into learning using badges or certificates to recognise milestone achievements. Another approach is to link learning to promotions, although this may present certain challenges.
Management apprenticeships, fully funded by the UK government’s Apprenticeship Levy, are another great example of how you can use work based iterative and reflective learning processes, coupled with incentives, to maximise delivery impact.
Top tip: Use Totara Learn badges and certificates to recognise learning, and where possible, look for accreditation options.
Incentivised guided reflection represents a potent strategy for learning with impact. By combining the introspective power of guided reflection with motivational incentives, individuals are empowered to navigate their learning journey with purpose and enthusiasm, ensuring that knowledge acquisition goes beyond the surface to create a lasting and transformative impact.