Let’s change how we learn in the public service

This post is written by Kimberley Hutchinson, Senior Analyst, Learning Design Lead, Digital Academy, Canada School of Public Service

• The problem: How we approach learning in the public service is not always reflective of the organic nature of learning.
• Why it matters: Learning in the moment of need triggers motivation and has the highest impact.
• The solution: We need to move away from our paradigm of formal seminars and classrooms to a more dynamic experience where people can learn what they need, when they need it, and apply their learning while they work.

We need the time, space, and freedom to access learning while we work.

Whether we realise it or not, we are all continuous learners. Sometimes we may be reluctant to learn (let’s face it, change isn’t always easy). And we don’t always learn with intention. However, the need to learn in the flow of life is not only necessary for us to thrive, but also needed for survival. Consider these examples:

· As children, we learn how to cross the road safely so that we can be weaned from the constant protection of our parents.

· As we grow older, we learn from the stories of others and from our own life experiences how to make healthier life choices.

Let’s examine why and how we need to change our approach to learning in the public service

Learning in the moment of need triggers motivation and has the highest impact. However, how we approach learning in the public service is not always reflective of the organic nature of learning. We need to move away from our paradigm of formal seminars and classrooms to a more dynamic experience where people can learn what they need, when they need it, and apply their learning while they work.

I’m not suggesting there isn’t a place or a time for more formal instruction. There is, but we have taken this too far and created an artificial division between learning and work. We need the time, space, and freedom to access learning while we work. Many public servants must still take a break from their work to learn, and often must jump through multiple hoops of approvals and signatures to do so. If we are to embrace a continuous learning culture, this highly formalised and bureaucratised approach must change.

Not just pandemic-based

The need for a bureaucratic paradigm shift around learning existed long before the dramatic pivot away from in-person learning required by a global pandemic. Perhaps you noticed the foreshadowing with my reference to “learning in the flow of life”. It’s going to get a bit jargony for a few sentences (I do work for government, after all), but I hope that you will stick with me.

Some of us have been talking about “just-in-time", “just-in-context" and “learning in the moment of need” for a while. “Workflow learning” (Jay Cross) or “learning in the flow of work”(Josh Bersin) combines this immediate approach to learning with a critical focus on performance. According to Bob Mosher, an influential voice in the learning industry, workflow learning is learning that occurs while I do my job - not when I stop work to engage in learning content like attending a course, completing e-learning, or logging into a webinar or other learning activity. It’s performance-focused and is measured in terms of its ability to deliver results.

As a learning specialist, I strive to embrace curiosity and to be intentional in my personal learning journey. We live in a time of limitless resources and information. Learning to sift through and discern information is a lifelong challenge. I believe there is truth and insight in many of the frameworks and approaches to learning and I have been working to distil some key truths and principles to guide my own learning design. I share them in case you might find them helpful.

Not all learners are the same or have the same needs. We must design and test with our users to ensure we are inclusive by design.

How to begin the paradigm shift

Most recently, I have been reflecting on the intersection of truths in a few frameworks for (life and) learning: Indigenous worldviews, Growth Mindset (Dweck), Systems Thinking (Forrester), Thinking, Fast and Slow (Kahneman), The 5 Moments of Need (Mosher), Action Mapping (Cathy Moore), and the Government of Canada Digital Standards (especially Design with users, Build in accessibility from the start, Iterate and improve frequently).

I will leave you to explore these on your own, but will share what I believe to be some foundational truths about learning that have emerged for me from these frameworks and approaches:

· Not all learners are the same or have the same needs. We must design and test with our users to ensure we are inclusive by design.

· Learning is more effective when driven by what learners need to be able to DO, and not by content.

· Learning is not necessarily linear or rational. Nor is it only cognitive. Physiology, psychology and behavioural economics (i.e. science) should inform learning design and delivery.

· Learning is part of living. Learning in the flow of life and work is how we are designed to learn.

· Deep learning requires intention, a growth mindset, and time for reflection.

A shift to learning in the flow of work and away from training and courses isn’t easy, for a couple of reasons.

First, learning in the flow of work is a simple concept that can be complicated in practice. The amount of information and content at our fingertips can be overwhelming. Learning in the flow of work isn’t just a matter of searching online for information. Sometimes that works, but effective learning in the flow of work requires careful and thoughtful design. Guided by performance objectives, we can chunk learning into micro elements that can be absorbed quickly and applied in the flow of work. These can be short videos, infographics or other job aids. The micro-learning can be revisited for reinforcement, when and where needed. It’s also not enough to provide the learning experience and assume that it was effective. We need to explore how to measure the impact and effectiveness of workflow learning. Truthfully, we are not doing a good job of measuring the impact of more traditional learning now, so a change in how we learn at work affords an opportunity to consider new ways of measuring impact.

Second, and perhaps most challenging, learning in the flow of work requires a paradigm shift, a fundamental change in how we manage and lead in the public service.

We can carefully design workflow learning, but our colleagues need to be provided the opportunity and encouragement to access this learning, in bite-size chunks, when needed. And given that it is designed to be accessed in the moment of need, it won’t work to have multiple levels of approval and a bunch of forms. It requires trust in employees to access learning when and where they need it.

So, what can you do to help change how we learn in the public service?

As a leader, you can influence the paradigm shift. Start by supporting workflow learning for your team with open permissions and fewer approvals.

As an employee, think about how and where you access learning while you are working. Find and track reputable sources of learning, so that in the moment of need you know where to look. Discuss this approach to learning with your manager; you might even add it to your formal learning plan.

If you design learning, apply the key foundational truths noted above. Start small and demonstrate success with proofs of concept and prototypes. Improve on them and test them again. I plan to do just that with a learning in flow of work pilot later this year!

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