UNDERSTANDING SKILL BASED LEARNING FOR BUSINESSDr. Allen Partridge, Adobe eLearning Evangelist

Comparing Skills & Competencies

KSA’s & KirkpatrickUnderstanding foundations

The path from Business Strategy to Skill based learning

Reflective Practice and Knowledge Transfer

Our Agenda for the day

What’s the difference between a competency and a skill?

A competency is a combination of knowledge, skills and behaviors that constitute expertise.

Communication, Problem Solving, Critical thinking, these are competencies. (Competencies were introduced by McClelland in 1973)

A skill is a specific learned activity.

Using a computer, Checking blood pressure, making donuts, these are skills.

There are often many skills in a given competency, as well as specific knowledge and attitudes.

So while you could think of a competency as a collection of skills, you must also consider that specific knowledge and behaviors are all a part of competency.

Do you think we evaluate each aspect of competencies equally well?

Are we better at evaluating knowledge, or skill than we are at evaluating behavior? If so, why do you think that is?

Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes – Kirkpatrick (KSA)

During the late 50’s, Donald Kirkpatrick introduced a four level model for evaluating learning impact.

Reaction, Learning, Behavior, Results

L1: Reaction How did the learners react to the training?

L2: LearningWas there improvement in knowledge, skills and abilities?

L3: BehaviorIs the knowledge transferred to on the job action?

L4: ResultsHow did the training impact the business?

L1: Reaction FeedbackLearner Centered – rather than Trainer Centered

Trainer Centered Learner CenteredThe course materials were I found the course easy towell organized navigate.

The facilitator managed the I was well engaged during theprogram well session

Jim Kirkpatrick of Kirkpatrick Partners redefined L1 Feedback with a learner centered focus: http://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/Portals/0/Storage/The%20new%20world%20level%201%20reaction%20sheets.pdf

L2: LearningWas there improvement in knowledge, skills and abilities?

More commonly, this is measured through a comparison of preand post test results. While this gives the difference of knowledgeit does little to nothing to evaluate the difference in skills (theapplication of the knowledge) and behavior (the integration ofideas into the on-the-job behaviors of the learner.)

Practice / Simulation / Gamification all provide alternatives that may expand the reach of evaluation into skills.

L3: BehaviorIs the knowledge transferred to on the job action?

Some approaches here: Delayed knowledge testingFormal and informal on-the-job practice4-6 Week manager check up

Isolating focus to skills, rather than KSA’s can simplifyreporting for managers. Behavior reporting is problematic.

L4: ResultsHow did the training impact the business?

The dreaded ROI question. How can you prove to C-Levelexecutives, that the training has a tangible impact on businesssuccess?

Invert the question: Can you break down a business strategy, into parts that require training? Can that training be described as competencies? Can you identify the skills and knowledge that contribute to that competencies? (Set aside attitude for now.)

The path from Business Strategy to Skill-based Learning

Business StrategyDouble annual profits worldwide by leveraging the fastest

innovation in the industry

Scope is Global, Timeframe is this year, Strategy (differentiator) is Innovation

The critical competency requirement for most employees will therefore be innovation, and the role of training should be to contribute to efforts to enable, inspire, drive and reward innovation.

Competencies: Innovation

LeapfroggingBoundary PushingData Intuition / IntegrationAdaptive (Iterative) PlanningSavoring Surprise

Five Leadership Competencies for Disruptive Innovation, Soren Kaplanhttp://www.innovation-point.com/five-leadership-competencies-for-disruptive-innovation/

Skills – Observable and MeasurableKaplan defines LeapfroggingCreating or doing something radically new or different that produces a significant leap forward. Leaders who possess the unyielding intention of creating breakthroughs give themselves a leg up by ensuring everything they do adds a completely new level of value to the market.

Five Leadership Competencies for Disruptive Innovation, Soren Kaplanhttp://www.innovation-point.com/five-leadership-competencies-for-disruptive-innovation/

Skills – Observable and MeasurableLeapfrogging Skills

Listens Actively (Listen, record, repeat, practice, question)Researches Habitually (Inquire, question, record, compare)Adapts rapidly (Accept change, criticism, failure, hardship)Creates (is a Maker)Volitional (chose action over inaction)Explores (Expand sphere of influence, travel, go beyond peers)Experiments (Hacks Life, choose variation over routine)

Five Leadership Competencies for Disruptive Innovation, Soren Kaplanhttp://www.innovation-point.com/five-leadership-competencies-for-disruptive-innovation/

Refine and define skills, train the skillsContinue to refine and define skills until you are certain that you have observable and measurable outcomes. These will form the foundation of the training.

Listens Actively (Listen, record, repeat, practice, question)(Notice how most of these skills are best served by creating a

method for practice. Simulation, gamification, practice on the job prompts, reminders, are generally better tools here than multiple choice quizzes. You can give examples from peers and demonstrate methods.)

Reflective Practice and Knowledge Transfer

What is reflective practiceOrganized self-reflection in the wake of life lessons or organized learning. Reflective practice encourages higher level thinking about the process and outcome of learning. It is particularly helpful for knowledge transfer based on simulation.

Open University – Gibbs Reflective Cyclehttp://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=14520&extra=thumbnail_idp666608

Experience

Feelings

Evaluation

Analysis

Conclusion

Action Plan

Gibbs Reflective Cycle

Consider integrating Reflective PracticeAfter a simulation or learning game, ask the learner some follow up questions. These are formative and require no feedback or grading.

1. What did you observe? (What happened)2. What were you feeling?3. What did you like or dislike about it?4. Can you break the experience into parts and describe them?5. Can you think of other things you might have tried?6. What would you do differently next time?

Dr. Allen Partridgeallenp@adobe.com@adobeElearning