Digital White Papers

57 WWW.ILTANET.ORG | ILTA WHITE PAPER KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT Training, KM and Performance Support: Delivering Knowledge to Users While They Work become more wedded to devices when notifications are set as a default, KM and training understand that the information and data in their hands must be pushed to their internal clients. This is where performance support could inspire a joint KM-and-training-team approach to disseminating knowledge and learning firmwide. The performance support approach to sharing information is built on andragogy, or the adult learning theory. A leader in this field, Malcolm Knowles, conducted lifelong research into adult learning and identified characteristics of adult learners. In the "TEAL Center Fact Sheet No. 11: Adult Learning Theories," Knowles noted that adult learners: » Move from dependency to increasing self-directedness as they mature and can direct their own learning » Draw on their accumulated reservoir of life experiences to aid learning » Are ready to learn when they assume new social or life roles » Are problem-centered and want to apply new learning immediately » Are motivated to learn by internal, rather than external, factors From his understanding of adult learners' traits, Knowles developed guidelines for people seeking to engage adult learners. These include: » Seing a cooperative climate for classroom learning » Assessing each adult's specific needs and interests » Developing learning objectives based on the individual's needs, interests and skills » Designing sequential activities to achieve the objectives » Working with the individual to select methods, materials and resources » Evaluating the quality of the learning experience and adjusting as needed, while assessing needs for further learning. These guidelines encourage learner-centric training for adults. The adult learner, or end user in our environment, is no longer viewed as someone who accumulates knowledge for the sake of knowing more (as children do) and is instead viewed as someone needing specific knowledge to achieve a goal. As observed, performance support is a philosophical approach to delivering information to adult learners when they need to receive it to complete their work. Simply put, the best way to deliver knowledge to adults is while they work. In the modern workplace, this includes technology — a specific soware or application to do a job — managed by a team of experts. Electronic Performance Support Systems Electronic performance support systems are where the intersection of KM and training could be genuinely thrilling. KM professionals continually search for innovative ways to use systems and platforms The best way to deliver knowledge to adults is while they work.

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