Identifying And Developing Learning Ideas: Exploring Different Types Of Learning Programs

Identifying And Developing Learning Ideas: Exploring Different Types Of Learning Programs
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Summary: Identifying and developing learning program ideas is a gradual process, and one in which skill improves with experience.

Different Types Of Learning Programs

Identifying and developing learning programs is a gradual process that improves with experience. It will certainly enhance your Learning and Development (L&D) performance, enabling you to offer personalized services to customers and assisting your team in expanding their skills through diverse learning opportunities and activities. There are several different types of learning programs that can be developed, and we will highlight the most important ones here:

  1. Learning apps
  2. Onboarding programs
  3. Training during office hours (program presentation)
  4. Virtual live events
  5. Learning academies with various type of courses
  6. Live events/conferences

Please note that while not all of these archetypes may align with your company or department's requirements, exploring each one individually can help you determine the most suitable option for your needs. Thorough research, comprehensive analysis, a detailed report, and initial discussions will simplify the decision-making process, ensuring that the choice is optimal for the project or customer requirements and ultimately delivering the desired outcomes.

Learning Programs Benefits

Now, let's delve into the advantages of these different types of learning programs.

Learning Apps

Here are the main benefits of using a learning app:

  • Flexible learning
    Learn from anywhere, at any time. It is also easy to access by everyone, and it is easy and fast for the organization to change something any time this is needed.
  • Easy way to structure your customer training
    It is all located in one place and and easier to promote as a learning app.
  • Can be easily presented
    You can show it to any prospective client at any given moment (in a live session, in a conference, at a live exposition, etc.)
  • Improved collaboration between customers
    The app can feature discussion boards, instant messaging, groups, feedback, and much more.
  • Fast feedback
    This can be achieved by implementing a survey form, either for the learning courses or for the entire learning program in the application.

Onboarding Programs

Now let’s identify how onboarding programs can help each organization to achieve more and how the organization can improve this learning experience for their employees:

  • Onboarding programs help new hires to have a complete learning experience from their first day in the company.
  • You can easily collect feedback and there is the possibility to implement it faster.
  • Can include structured and nicely designed communication emails for new hires and their direct managers for a smoother transition.
  • Efficient onboarding programs can help the organization increase the retention rate.

Training During Office Hours

Training during office hours or virtual program presentations can also be important. Let’s find the benefits below:

  • Requires only one hour per week or month to promote existing and upcoming trainings to your customers.
  • Can be combined and followed up with a "training opportunities" newsletter for your customers.
  • Your customers can ask additional questions and find out more about the learning opportunities, how they can register for them, what the course catalogue is, what the benefits are, costs, etc.
  • You can present demos in the session.
  • Customers can ask live questions about your program and receive personalized and concrete answers.

Virtual Live Events

Live events can help the organization maintain its relationship with customers, and there are various benefits from these types of events:

  • Customers will have the opportunity to engage in discussions and ask questions.
  • They can also promote other training programs/courses.
  • They strengthen/increase the connection with your customers.
  • Customers can be recognized during these live events, helping the organization strengthen this relationship year by year.

Learning Academies

Learning academies are quite new in the Learning and Development field, but can represent a good start for every organization and bring multiple advantages with them as well.

  • Promote your trainings
    You can do so in an organized way and as one single product, offering multiple opportunities to sample the trainings.
  • Various types in a single place
    You can include various types of learning opportunities in one single place: online, live, documentation, demos, microlearning, etc.
  • Customers part of the learning experience
    Customers will be part of the learning experience as a result, and not just part passive partakers of a course.
  • Easier to promote
    The academy can be promoted at various events as a single product using interactions and demos.

Conclusion

Learning programs assist organizations, employees, and customers in accomplishing more by enhancing learning strategies, course catalogues, practice opportunities/demos, certification, and increasing opportunities for acknowledging the role of the learner/customer. Each learner has the opportunity to showcase their certification and recognition by acquiring a badge, offering a twofold advantage:

  • Customers can proudly display their certified knowledge on social media.
  • The company can enhance its visibility by incorporating its logo into each badge, promoting the brand with every badge shared on social media by the customers.