Peer to Peer Magazine

WWW.ILTANET.ORG 27 Normally my IT reflexes would have gone into panic and patch mode: add more content, resend messages and create mandatory use guidelines. Instead, I reflected on the results before making any moves. The question, "How do I get the numbers up?" rang hollow, as the offerings were solid. The real crux seemed to be adoption, so I turned my attention to two new questions: "Who are my learners, and what motivates them?" Adult motivation became my new obsession. I read about the effect of personal relevance on knowledge retention, nontraditional teaching methods and the advantages of gamification. I explored case studies on e-learning best practices and effective mobile platform integration — anything that would give me insights into my learners. An epiphany came when I researched books by Raymond Woldkowski, Malcolm Knowles, Sharan Merriam and Laura Birerma. They provided fascinating insights into three types of learners: 1. Goal-oriented 2. Activity-oriented 3. Learning-oriented Learning about these three types of learners gave me the seeds to hatch my next cycle of research. The goal-oriented learner follows a specific path toward a finish line. Motivation to improve a skill is tied to the physical outcome of work product. If learning does not correlate to a task, these learners do not engage. Activity-oriented learners gravitate more toward a social experience, with learning not necessarily being tied to a specific end point. While I saw value in the social aspects of learning, it did not resonate as the ultimate answer for the current situation. Those who are learning-oriented learn for the sake and joy of learning. The act of acquiring and reflecting on information is the actual end goal. This is the type of learner I could see actively accessing a library of mobile e-learning! However, the firm's learners seemed to be more goal- oriented. If I could analyze my audience and move the needle from goal-oriented to learning-oriented, I would have a more curious base of learners, which should translate into more people utilizing the mobile e-learning platform. GOING FROM IDLE TO PLAY I gathered new research on gamification and planned out my next cycle. Implementing the changes I wanted to make required face-to-face interaction, so my new tack focused on in-person class offerings. Traditionally, these goal-oriented learners were provided goal-oriented classes. If I wanted people to learn for the sake and joy of learning, I needed to offer them classes that aligned with those outcomes, necessitating a radical change to the class experience. To mitigate any resistance, I reimagined familiar classes and reintroduced them as updates rather than something new (e.g., RightFax became RightFax Against the Trainer and Overview of the Excel Environment became Excel Treasure Hunt!). I added gaming elements to the classes and presented real-life case scenarios that provoked creativity and added personal relevance. The results of these new classes were extraordinary. The learners' ideas of what skills-enhancement training should be went out the window when they participated in a RightFax game show and a murder- mystery story that required puzzles to be solved in Excel to get to the next chapter. The learners became active participants in the collaborative classes, they had fun and accessed the accompanying e-learning resources after class. My experience in the classroom also changed. I became more of a coach and less of a traditional trainer. This approach created stronger interpersonal bonds with the learners. Deeper personal reflection was paying off! Over a two-month period, class attendance increased by 300 percent and e-learning access increased by 600 percent. HIGHWAY BOUND After getting the numbers up, it was time to stomp on the gas. I had a few options: • Concentrate on the pool of people not utilizing the resources at all • Reimagine and roll out more classes to keep the momentum going • Encourage the new "power" users of the mobile platform to go even further The third option held the most appeal, so my third cycle would concentrate on creating personalized learning based entirely on the mobile experience. I scheduled one-on-one meetings with these power users, and we worked together to create personalized e-learning plans. They were participating in the journey, gaining autonomy over their education and getting excited for the opportunity. During the next month, I tracked the LMS and was happy to see high utilization. Even better, people were accessing resources outside of their plans. Engagement with mobile learning had finally taken off! CRUISING AND REFLECTING This third cycle was where I had my greatest realization: The personalized plan was well received, but not as much as the personalized attention. People were most inspired by the fact that I cared enough to put in the work required to make their experience meaningful. This was echoed in the responses I received to the new classes in the second cycle. At the end of my research, it all came down to personal meaning. Learners will follow the educational path you create. If a goal is the only desired outcome, do not be surprised if you wind up with goal-oriented learners. To encourage self-motivated learning, education must incorporate personal relevance and enjoyment. The end result will be a learner who looks at a mobile platform of e-learning as an adventure instead of a task. If properly motivated, there is a great road ahead!

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