Elearning! Magazine: Building Smarter Companies via Learning & Workplace Technologies.
Issue link: http://elmezine.epubxp.com/i/224037
have to believe that it's better than elite residential programs. We only have to believe that digital learning has crossed a threshold of quality where it is valued (rather than avoided) by emerging leaders — the ones we're unlikely to send to an elite residential experience today. Connected learning is at its tipping point. The ability to execute now surpasses the expectations of both emerging leaders and their sponsors. While the technological components of effective digital learning have existed for some time, they have not been deliberately assembled into a system where learning and doing mutually reinforce one another. CorpU has spent years perfecting a choreographed learning experience that enables networks of emerging executives to learn while doing. "Connected learning" is the future of executive education for emerging leaders. (but not in-person) chats, and live sessions must precede and follow group discussions in order to boost both the quality of decisions and the amount of development that occurs during the decision-making CONNECTED LEARNING: CHOREOGRAPHED INTERPLAY Connected learning is carefully orchestrated to build a reinforcing loop between learning and doing. Beginning with a group of emerging executives working together on a corporate project, learning moments must be precisely timed in order to set-up participants to collectively make better decisions. Individuals must complete solo work in order to prepare for live process. Live sessions have the additional beneft of motivating participants to complete their work so they don't let their team down. Finally, customized content from clients' senior executives must be integrated into the experience in order to provide context for the lessons ofered by outside experts. Tis context allows participants to connect the dots between what they're learning and what they're doing. Participants in connected learning pro- grams should also take part in a guided, paced cohort led by an academic expert or faculty leader. Individuals access the learning platform, which integrates with popular LMSs, at a time that works best It's not a question of whether digital learning can be as good as in-person. In 10 years, companies will prefer connected learning to live executive education, but we won't get there by trying to replicate the in-person learning experience. for them. Content is diced into consumable chunks that require little efort to digest and ft into their busy schedules. Subject matter is matched to project lifecycle, so if a framework for thinking about product innovation will help the team make a particular decision, it is delivered just before that decision needs to be made. Participants can digest the teaching at their own pace, refect on how to apply it, and then chat with co-participants so Elearning! December 2013 / January 2014 19