L&D revolution: How to make the transition from traditional to digital learning

23 May 2014News

Digital learning provides a higher return on investment than traditional approaches to knowledge and skills development, say Nicola Jones and Jon Harman

Three things you will learn from this Masterclass:

How digital learning can transform day-to-day practice
How technology can track learning and demonstrate return on investment
How digital learning can be used to meet strategic business needs

There are compelling reasons to reconsider digital learning
as a tool for development in law firms. We have learned
a lot since the days of dull, passive e-learning. New technologies and developments in learning theory are opening
up exciting opportunities to make learning both powerful
and personal.

In the UK, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is reviewing continuing professional development (CPD) regulations. It intends to remove the mandatory 16 CPD hours requirement
and to replace it with an outcomes-based approach from
November 2016, with firms having the option of early adoption from February 2015.

Agility and innovation in business are essential factors
to success in the legal market. Mastering the use of technology
in learning and development (L&D) now will embed the skills
and attitudes required to develop a cutting-edge practice
in future.

Methods of learning

Traditionally, learning interventions have been focused on ‘knowledge transfer’ by didactic means, essentially broadcasting knowledge/content to learners and expecting them to make what they will of the material. To date, much of e-learning has followed this model.

Studies have shown that this is not the most effective way for the brain to absorb or retain knowledge.¹ A multifaceted approach utilising a range of learning activities best fits how the human brain operates. Technology is the perfect medium for delivering content in a variety of formats and creating ‘sticky’ learning that is memorable and transforms practice.²

Instructional models of learning also emphasise learning
in isolation, with time-limited interaction in seminars or tutorials
often marking a conclusion to a particular learning effort.
By contrast, constructivist theories of learning focus on the social context of learning. The full potential for technology to facilitate powerful social learning in law firms and with clients is immense
and, as yet, untapped in the legal sector.

Individual learning

Learning is a constant activity in professional life. Independent, individual research has been made much easier by access to
online resources. Most people routinely search for information
online as and when they need it.

Many also use online networks such as Twitter or LinkedIn
to ask questions or locate new ideas. Often, this type of informal learning has the most impact, but it may not be recognised
as a learning activity.

In the near future, technology will put the individual learner front and centre in the drive for organisational performance. Utilising the core motivational dynamics of autonomy, relevance and mastery (as described by Daniel Pink), learners will be
in control of how and what they learn.

It follows that the role of L&D will change from that of training provider to learning architect. This will involve constructing frameworks of learning, using technology to identify and curate
the best resources, and offering an expert view on how to integrate formal and informal learning.

L&D digital analytics tools

E-learning tracker– it is now possible to collect data about the wide range of experiences a person has (online and offline) through a programmable e-learning tracker like Tin Can API. This application programming interface(API) captures data in a consistent format about a person or group’s activities from many technologies. Very different systems securely communicate by capturing and sharing the stream of activities using the API’s simple vocabulary. This means that it is possible to capture a variety of learning activities (e.g. watching, searching, playing) that happen on a range of platforms and devices (e.g. YouTube, LinkedIn, intranets).
Learning record stores (LRS) –this sounds straightforward. Like all of the best ideas, it is simple but serves a real need. The LRS is a new system that goes hand-in-hand with the e-learning tracker. It is way of plugging into the learning data created by the API and making it transferable and usable, for example to create visual representations of activity, such as learning dashboards. As activities monitored by the API generate statements, they are sent to an LRS. The LRS is simply a repository for learning records that can be accessed by a learning management system (LMS) or a reporting tool. An LRS can live inside an LMS or it can stand on its own. So, the LRS is a way of translating activity captured in an e-learning tracker into meaningful data on systems within an organisation.
Adaptive learning – an educational method which uses automated technology as interactive teaching devices. Technology adapts the presentation of educational material according to learners’ needs, as indicated by their responses to questions and tasks. The interaction is personalised and offers up content adaptively based on algorithms and knowledge graphs.
Open badges – a shared technical standard to help recognise skills and achievements and share them openly. Employers, organisations and schools can explore the data behind each badge issued to verify skills, achievements and interests.

Tracking ROI

Measuring the impact of informal learning activity is challenging.
In order to thrive, L&D needs to be able to demonstrate value
to the business.

Historically, law firms have done a poor job of tracking return on investment (ROI). Research has found that only 17 per cent
of law firms collect information from learners on the extent to
which learning has been applied at work.³

Big data analytics

Data analytics can provide transparency on the use and efficacy
of different forms of learning activity. This is good news for law firms that are keen to invest in cutting-edge L&D and equally keen to make sure they are getting returns from their digital investments.

The use of analytics for professional development is rapidly coming of age. The arena of digital learning has opened up into a data-rich ecosystem allowing for the creation of dashboards measuring learning activity, content and use (see box: L&D
digital analytics tools).

Most importantly, big data ecosystems enable multiplatform delivery and access so that people can use their own devices anytime, anywhere. Now it is easier to deliver learning experiences and track them when and where they happen.

Outcomes-based learning

Data-driven digital learning and assessment, aligned to competency frameworks and skills badges, is an area for development for L&D staff and compliance officers. This
will be particularly beneficial as part of the move towards
outcomes-based CPD in the UK.

Enabling transparency of learning, skills acquisition and competency could be the new edge by which law firms differentiate the value of their service to clients.

Business benefits

Historically, the primary reason for adopting online learning has been cost. Back in 2007, research by GfK Group found that
36 per cent of decision makers in top-100 UK law firms believed ‘cheaper cost’ was the primary benefit of online learning.

However, in 2013, research by Towards Maturity found
that businesses using technology to foster a learning culture reported benefits including:

improved productivity (49 per cent vs. 15 per cent);
reduced time to competence (41 per cent vs. 15 per cent);
staff put what they learnt into practice quickly (38 per cent
vs. 12 per cent); and
improved talent/performance management (26 per cent
vs. 9 per cent).

Strategic view

Many digital learning approaches are seen as IT projects
and approached in a similar manner, thus becoming unwieldy.
However, there is no need to ‘try to boil the ocean’ when developing digital learning approaches. It is far better to take
an iterative and agile approach to developing your firm’s strategy
and tools (see Figure 1).

The key to successful utilisation lies in designing a learning framework that underpins learning activity. The learning framework needs to reflect strategic business priorities, as well as accommodate individual learning preferences.
It is this framework which will harness personal motivation in order to create learning that genuinely serves
business needs.

Building capacity

Law firms are under increasing pressure to differentiate themselves
in terms of skills, knowledge and competency, while also facing challenging cost models and an increasingly-competitive business environment. At times like this, it is common for firms to reduce their investment
in L&D when, arguably,
they need it the most.

Well-implemented digital learning initiatives can have a transformative effect on professional development and compliance. In order to achieve this kind of benefit it is, however, imperative to have an L&D capability that is agile and efficient in creating and curating content, facilitating learning and measuring success.

Having an L&D team capable of implementing an effective technology-enabled L&D strategy is a core competency and, worryingly, a noticeable barrier for law firms. Towards Maturity’s benchmarking study showed that 50 per cent of L&D staff don’t understand the potential or application of digital learning, and
50 per cent lack the skills to implement and manage digital learning initiatives.

Taking stock and quick wins

Conduct a technology audit with your team. How are people using technology? What are the contexts of that use and how comfortable/ skilled are they in using it?
List the factors that can affect technology adoption within your team and leverage the factors you identify that increase adoption. Devise strategies for overcoming the barriers; try to work with what people know and like.
Explore and familiarise yourself and your team with the digital learning tools available. Run ideas workshops to map tools (e.g. Twitter, YouTube, search engines) with learning requirements. Involve your team in this process and then collate the results using collaborative digital resources (e.g. Padlet, Dabbleboard, PalBee).
Do not reinvent the wheel. There are many open learning resources out there (e.g. TED talks, YouTube videos, online articles and MOOC courses). Consider curating and integrating these into your firm’s systems and courses.

Making the transition

Changes in learning cultures cannot arise from the introduction
of new technologies alone. It is a common mistake when making the transition from traditional learning to digital learning methods to simply overlay existing practice with some online resources.⁴

Firms engaging with the potential of digital learning are now in a position to leapfrog past the initial stages of e-learning. They will be able to reap the benefits of what has gone before and use technology to support and enhance learning in new ways.

Jon Harman, director of learning design at Honeyboot & Lemon (www.honeybootlemon.com), was formerly head of digital learning at University of Law. Nicola Jones, formerly a barrister, is an L&D specialist and director at Athena Professional
(www.athenaprofessional.co.uk). They will co-host the Managing Partner ‘Designing a learning programme for digital learning’ masterclass event on 17 September 2014 in London.

Endnotes

1. See, for example, ‘Situated Cognition and the Culture of Learning’, JS Brown et al, Educational Researcher, Vol. 18 No.1, 1989; and ‘Technology enhanced learning: The good, the bad, and the ugly’, IE Dror, Pragmatics & Cognition,
Vol. 16 No. 2, 2008

2. See ‘Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning’, RE Mayer,
The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning, Cambridge University Press, 2005

3. See 21st century learning for 21st century legal firms, Towards Maturity, November 2013

4. See ‘Digital tools and challenges to institutional traditions
of learning’, Roger Säljö, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Vol. 26 Issue 1, 2010