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SOCIAL LEARNING: Trend Or Transformation? the Emerging Role of Social Learning in Training and Development

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SOCIAL LEARNING: Trend Or Transformation? the Emerging Role of Social Learning in Training and Development SOCIAL LEARNING: Trend or Transformation? The emerging role of social learning in training and development BY: SPONSORED BY: WARNING Shift ahead. ...are you ready? Business Perspectives That Matter to You amashift.org CONTENTS Lakewood Media Group PO Box 247, Excelsior, MN 55331 Corporate: 952.401.1283 Subscriptions: 847.559.7533 Website: www.trainingmag.com EDITORIAL: Editor-in-Chief Lorri Freifeld 516.524.3504 [email protected] Contributing Editor Margery Weinstein [email protected] Columnists Neal Goodman, Kendra Lee, Neil Orkin, Bob Pike, The Now, Wow, and Pow Peter Post, Michael Rosenthal, Roy Saunderson, Jason Womack of Social Learning 5 Art Director David Diehl 646.932.3402 [email protected] The Social Learning Tool Kit 7 Webmaster Matt Tews 763.712.8555 [email protected] SALES & MARKETING: CASE STUDY: IBM Connections Publisher Mike Murrell 952.401.1283 [email protected] and Purposeful Design 7 Account Executive Gary Dworet 561.245.8328 [email protected] Account Executive Lori Gardner 952.544.6906 CASE STUDY: PwC Tweets 8 [email protected] Marketing Manager Kris Stokes [email protected] CASE STUDY: KLA-Tencor’s Art Director/Promotions Susan Abbott Communities of Interest 9 [email protected] Production Manager Tony Kolars [email protected] How to Make Social Audience Marketing Director Vicki Blomquist Collaboration Happen Right Now 10 [email protected] CORPORATE & EVENTS: President Mike Murrell 952.401.1283 CASE STUDY: Hello.bah.com 11 [email protected] VP, Finance/Operations Bryan Powell 612.922.9399 [email protected] VP, Market Strategy Philip Jones 612.354.3525 [email protected] VP, Expositions Dick Powell 952.417.6504 [email protected] Brand Products Director Joyceann Cooney-Garippa 917.923.8052 [email protected] Conference Director Julie Groshens [email protected] Conference Manager Leah Nelson [email protected] SUBSCRIBER/ADVERTISER SERVICES: Copyright Permissions Copyright Clearance Center (Print & Online) 978.750.8400; [email protected] Custom Reprints The YGS Group, Anastasia Minichino (Print & PDF/Digital) 800.501.9571 x100 [email protected] List Rental Manager TriMax, Paul Kolars 651.292.0165 [email protected] Subscriber Customer Service 1.877.865.9361 or 847.559.7533 (Address Changes, Back Issues, [email protected] Renewals) Fax: 847.291.4816 www.trainingmag.com training SOCIAL LEARNING | 3 SOCIAL LEARNING: Trend or Transformation? ocial networking became the rallying cry for a generation that connects over the Internet as easily as previous generations communicated over the telephone. In fact, many Millennials entering the workforce actually prefer social media to spoken conversations. Now, savvy trainers are leveraging the technologies that enable Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and blogs, among other options, to deliver learning—not just because they can, but because using specific media supports their training goals. But what exactly is social media, and should it have a role in training? Many training organizations are grappling with those questions today. Training Top 10 Hall of Fame members, through this whitepaper, seek to make their decisions easier and well-informed by clarifying issues, exploring the roles of social media in training, and discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the many types of social media available. Throughout this paper, real- world examples are discussed, along with insights from thought leaders in the training industry. 4 | SOCIAL LEARNING training www.trainingmag.com The Now, Wow, and Pow of Social Learning Social learning media is the natural evolution of to pick the brains of many within a few hours—while they technology-enabled communications. In the 1980s, continue their work. In that application, social networks when individuals needed specific information, they are like technology-enabled cocktail parties. They can picked up the telephone or walked to a colleague’s stimulate awareness, desire, and knowledge; create or office. By the mid-1990s, they e-mailed. Now, they enhance capabilities; and reinforce behaviors and beliefs. check Wikipedia, YouTube, and blogs, or crowd-source But the information is only as good as the source. the information—asking questions on a networking site When the information is questionable, others quickly To what extent does your organization use the following social learning and networking tools to deliver training? Never Seldom Sometimes Frequently Facebook 76.4% 12.3% 8.3% 3.1% LinkedIn 74.0% 13.8% 8.5% 3.6% YouTube 50.9% 25.5% 19.2% 4.3% Content communities 47.5% 23.6% 20.8% 8.1% Online interactive collaboration tools 31.4% 23.9% 28.5% 16.2% Wikis 54.0% 22.7% 17.5% 5.9% Twitter 75.8% 12.5% 9.4% 2.3% Weblogs 60.7% 21.9% 13.8% 3.6% E-mail 16.9% 20.7% 27.5% 34.9% Vlog 81.4% 13.6 3.9% 1.1% Social blogs 70.2% 18.7% 8.5% 2.7% Interactive Internet forums 51.2% 23.6% 18.7% 6.5% Rating and social bookmarking 77.0% 15.6% 5.9% 1.5% Other forms of instant messaging 55.9% 21.3% 15.2% 7.5% Other forms of interactive Internet experiences 41.2% 30.6% 21.0% 7.2% 0 20 40 60 80 100 SOURCE: TRAINING MAGAZINE SURVEY OF 905 RESPONDENTS. www.trainingmag.com training SOCIAL LEARNING | 5 SOCIAL LEARNING: Trend or Transformation? challenge the comments. When it is consistently reli- attendee can tweet about the conference to share able, the contributors become known as subject matter information or post a blog that evening, rather than experts and, thus, enhance their own reputations while returning to the office and writing a memo three increasing the knowledge and resources available days later. Crowd-sourcing—a.k.a., electronic throughout the enterprise. Likewise, when CEOs blog or brainstorming—can elicit insights in hours that which tweet, everyone following them gains perspectives that otherwise may take days or weeks. Social learning tools otherwise would have been confined to the executive often enable people to do the same things they have suite. Learners who access blogs, crowd-sourcing, and done before, only better, faster, and cheaper. This is the other social learning options have the potential to gain power of social learning. expert insights and expose themselves to sources and That said, social learning is not a panacea for all viewpoints they would not normally encounter. Social training needs. But it does serve as a tool that can learning is revolutionary for the contacts that are made enhance technical training, as well as soft skills. The as much as for the information. Booz Allen Hamilton challenge, therefore, is to leverage the transformative is among those reaping the benefits. Social media has potential of social learning while remaining focused on increased the potential for collaboration at all levels of the organization’s training and learning vision and goals. the company and throughout geographies—something that is particularly vital for employees working at client sites. It helps employees remain closely connected with each other and with the company. Social learning also is known for the speed with which information flows. For example, online materials can be updated as changes occur. A conference To what extent does your organization use the following mobile devices to deliver training? Never Seldom Sometimes Frequently Cell phones 76.5% 16.5% 3.5% 3.5% Smart phones 67.3% 20.9% 7.4% 4.4% iPods 74.6% 16.7% 7.0% 1.8% Tablet computers 61.3% 18.9% 14.7% 5.1% Emerging digital (PDA) devices 73.9% 16.9% 7.2% 2.0% 0 20 40 60 80 100 SOURCE: TRAINING MAGAZINE SURVEY OF 905 RESPONDENTS. 6 | SOCIAL LEARNING training www.trainingmag.com The Social Learning Tool Kit Today’s tools for social interaction rely upon highly on-the-fly Internet access nearly ubiquitous. Waiting time accessible, scalable, interactive communications tech- is now an opportunity to listen to podcasts, check blogs, niques. Wifi networks extended their reach, making tweet, and visit networking sites. Just-in-time training is only a click away. Included in the CASE STUDY: IBM Connections and Purposeful Design social learning tool kit are: Blogs: Written blogs, video IBM is focusing on the overwhelming amount of learning that occurs blogs (called vlogs), and very socially by intentionally aligning people and resources to understand and short microblogs (such as Twitter) promote the value of a social learning strategy. This initiative harnesses all can promote communication IBM Connections to blend social media around existing learning experi- within an organization. Produced ences, as well as create new learning opportunities that are socially regularly, they must include valu- aligned. Social media is helping close knowledge gaps in a global busi- able insights and news to build ness that is transforming rapidly. a loyal following. Blogs and vlogs The goal is to recreate the type of collaboration common in smaller combined were used frequently by organizations and apply it to one of the largest organizations in the world. 4 percent of 905 Training survey Because of the rapid pace and the demand for immediacy, leveraging the respondents to deliver training. collective wisdom of IBM employees globally to solve challenges and de- PwC, for example, has a variety of velop talent reduces the burden on single individuals, events, or classes. blogs written from its global sites, In 2010, IBM formally aligned learning resources to support its overall in the local language. They dis- talent management strategy to create a culture of participation, conver- cuss such issues as international sation, community, connectedness, and transparency. To achieve those financial reporting standards, goals, social learning technologies were deployed for niche applications, merger and acquisition news and such as IBM’s YouQ for crowd-sourcing, blended into specific learn- strategies, tax insights, and what ing programs such as the Technical Leader Exchange, and in systemic recruits can expect.
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