Tips for blends 3: Focus on performance, not knowledge
Clive on Learning
OCTOBER 2, 2013
Schools and colleges exist primarily to foster learning. Employers are only interested in learning to the extent that it influences performance.
Clive on Learning
Knowledge Related Topics 
The quest to know knowledge
Clive on Learning
DECEMBER 13, 2006
I've been buried for a while now in George Siemens' new book, Knowing Knowledge. Knowing Knowledge is a book about connectivism , the way that knowledge exists through connections both inside the brain and beyond. The act of knowledge is offloaded onto the network itself."
Knowledge 
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Big Question: What new skills and knowledge are required for learning professionals?
Clive on Learning
JULY 1, 2009
This month's Big Question on the Learning Circuits Blog asks 'What new skills and knowledge are required for learning professionals?' Well,contrary to many commentators, I am not so sure that l&d professionals need to tear up the rule book and start again.
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Insights: Assessment is changing
Clive on Learning
DECEMBER 6, 2012
The eighth of ten 'insights' is that ‘Assessment is changing', in the sense that assessment of knowledge is not enough - it is performance that matters. By and large, employers are not really interested in their employees having knowledge; they want them to be able to fulfil their job responsibilities, and to do that they must be competent.
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Sherlock Holmes and the three Ls (this time with the video!)
Clive on Learning
AUGUST 28, 2019
The video tells how Sherlock Holmes uses the three Ls (knowledge of the Learning, the Learner and the Logistics) to solve a case. This video provides a light-hearted introduction to the process of needs analysis. It also represents my one and only acting credit (there will be no more).
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Sherlock Holmes and the Three Ls
Clive on Learning
AUGUST 21, 2019
The video tells how Sherlock Holmes uses the three Ls (knowledge of the Learning, the Learner and the Logistics) to solve a case. This video provides a light-hearted introduction to the process of needs analysis. It also represents my one and only acting credit (there will be no more).
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The Really Useful eLearning Instruction Manual is here and it is really useful
Clive on Learning
NOVEMBER 12, 2013
Even those who are highly experienced in one aspect of elearning will lack knowledge in some other areas. Wouldn’t it be great if you could access the hard-won knowledge, practical guidance and helpful tips of world-leading experts in these fields?
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Tips for blends 2: Try to stop the subject expert and the client dictating the solution
Clive on Learning
OCTOBER 1, 2013
Because subject experts suffer from ‘the curse of knowledge’ – they believe that every aspect of their subject is not only of vital importance but intrinsically interesting to just about anyone. Next : Focus on performance, not knowledge. They are wrong. The situation is similar with clients and other forms of project sponsor.
Driving behavioural change across the people profession
Clive on Learning
JANUARY 31, 2020
A big challenge was that we were not focusing on knowledge-based material; we wanted to challenge and shape the behaviours of those working in HR, L&D and OD, not just in the UK but across a wide range of cultures.
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Why scenarios are the future of e-learning
Clive on Learning
FEBRUARY 4, 2014
What annoys them is instructional e-learning, particularly that sort that aims to provide knowledge, normally in the form of a tutorial. Instructional e-learning tries to provide knowledge in one hit and this is rarely going to be a successful strategy. People don''t dislike all e-learning. Scenarios are the future of e-learning.
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107 Pyramids and spheres
Clive on Learning
DECEMBER 7, 2012
From my tenure (2008-2011), I chose two contrasting developments, knowledge management and Web 2.0. I represented knowledge management by a pyramid: Why a pyramid? Well, because knowledge management, as it was originally conceived, was another top-down, over-structured, IT-led endeavour, designed for robots not humans.
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Knowing where to look is more valuable than knowing what
Clive on Learning
JULY 19, 2011
These findings back up the concept of connectivism, as described by George Siemens in Knowing Knowledge ( see my 2006 review ). The act of knowledge is offloaded onto the network itself." Far better to concentrate on important underlying concepts and principles than on factual knowledge and routine algorithmic procedures.
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How I would approach creating compliance e-learning
Clive on Learning
JULY 16, 2013
Over and above knowledge and skills, what else needs to be in place in the work environment if performance is going to change? questions) rather than a knowledge test. The idea is that you will go to these to fill any gaps in your knowledge brought out by the scenarios.
There are three vowels in 'learning' (and 'i' comes last)
Clive on Learning
JULY 27, 2018
Learners are not empty vessels, waiting to be filled with new knowledge – any new learning has to connect to something that’s already there. For this reason, it is easy to see why explanations that make the link between new learning and prior knowledge as obvious as possible are going to help the learner. This process takes time.
Strategies for transformation 4: from top-down to bottom-up
Clive on Learning
JUNE 21, 2013
Top-down learning Top-down learning occurs because organisations want their employees to perform effectively and efficiently and they appreciate that this depends, at least in part, on them possessing the appropriate knowledge and skills. Top-down learning is designed to fulfil the employer’s objectives, not the employees’.
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My love-hate relationship with learning objectives
Clive on Learning
MARCH 15, 2012
But statements of purpose or competence are what we would normally regard as learning objectives, which define the outcomes of a learning intervention in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Conventional wisdom says we should take great care in defining learning objectives and then use these as a basis for assessment and design.
PIAF - the ideas adventure
Clive on Learning
DECEMBER 19, 2013
Well, I mean more than the teaching of the knowledge (facts, concepts, rules, etc.) Knowledge may be a pre-requisite to the exploration of ideas, but it won''t take you all the way there. Today, I will attempt to do the same for an intervention that explores ideas. First of all, what do I mean by exploring ideas?
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79 What specifically is e-learning good for?
Clive on Learning
JULY 13, 2012
E-assessments To check knowledge, understanding and, to a more limited extent, problem-solving and decision-making skills, against specific objectives. Tutorials which develop problem-solving and decision-making skills, using case studies, scenarios and other forms of interactivity. As tools for sharing best practice, links and information.
Getting serious about e-learning
Clive on Learning
MARCH 13, 2014
Good e-learning requires great communication skills, empathy with your audience, a really good understanding of how people learn, an appreciation of the opportunities that technology can afford and, above all, an ability to stand up to clients and subject experts who want you to stick with the fire hose.
A question of attitude
Clive on Learning
MARCH 21, 2012
It's almost impossible to address issues of knowledge and skill when attitudes are in the way. If you are looking to help people construct knowledge or develop skills, there is a reasonable amount of agreement on what works and what doesn't. I've checked this out with lots of other l&d professionals and they agree.
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Exploring social learning with Ben Betts
Clive on Learning
MARCH 7, 2012
In this video, Ben made the claim that "People build knowledge for themselves in a social situation." Is knowledge the art of constructing? Similarly if you test your skills and knowledge out with a game, simulation or quiz. Sure, the social component is important but many people learn quite happily on their own.
Just enough information to permit practice and no more
Clive on Learning
JUNE 3, 2011
In most cases the end goal is for the learner to be able to perform a task effectively and efficiently, rather than to acquire knowledge. Knowledge is useful, but only so far as it supports this goal.As So what are the implications?Training Training is not education. Classroom, on-job instruction, e-learning, makes no difference.
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81 The only way to build confidence is to practise and get feedback
Clive on Learning
APRIL 25, 2012
Over the past couple of years I've been making quite a play on the need to design formal learning interventions so that they focus on inspiring and confidence building and not on dumping knowledge. This has two effects: Learners are overwhelmed with new knowledge that they cannot hope to retain.
Classrooms are not the problem but they are also not the solution
Clive on Learning
AUGUST 6, 2013
Until recently this was the entirety of L&D, and in many organisations classroom training is still the primary medium for improving employee skills and knowledge. This should not come as a surprise. While the classroom has its place, L&D''s model has to change to deal with the 21st Century''s fast pace of change.
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The learning professional as storyteller
Clive on Learning
JULY 3, 2020
In his book Tell me a Story , psychologist and artificial intelligence expert Roger Schank argues that "knowledge is stories" and that intelligence may be more or less equated with the ability to tell the right story at the right time. Simple stories like "I fell over" or "I had a bad dream and I'm scared", but stories nonetheless.
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98 Tips for blends 5: Build in lots of opportunities to practise new skills
Clive on Learning
OCTOBER 4, 2013
Another side effect of our focus on knowledge is that we allow far too little time for learners to practise new skills. We have already discussed how easy it is to overload learners with information, particularly abstract theory, facts and procedures.
Massively scalable training
Clive on Learning
DECEMBER 15, 2011
Both aim to impart knowledge and foster cognitive skills. And while you can do a reasonable job of measuring knowledge and some cognitive skills using a computer-gradable, online assessment, the majority of competences require a human eye. Interested as I am in all this, my work is not in education, it is in training.
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84 Can PeopleCloud support learning in all its contexts?
Clive on Learning
MARCH 8, 2013
Here, LMS functionality is provided within the context of your principal day-to-day tool for learning, knowledge-sharing and collaboration, not the other way round. However, there is a key difference. It is also possible to establish mentoring relationships and set up activities to support these.
The new age of exploration
Clive on Learning
DECEMBER 1, 2014
You can understand why the emphasis shifted from exposition to instruction as it became necessary to provide millions of new entrants to the workforce with essential knowledge and practical skills. Employees working in a knowledge economy are required to make judgements in highly unpredictable circumstances.
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101 Five things you must do when you first meet your client
Clive on Learning
FEBRUARY 1, 2018
It is not easy to turn this situation around because, to act as a true professional requires not only a sound knowledge of the principles of adult learning - it takes self-confidence and good consulting skills. They see themselves as service providers, rather than trusted advisers; people who take orders rather than solve problems.
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The vision: 1. Learning and development that is aligned
Clive on Learning
MAY 21, 2013
Performance is influenced by a lot more than skill and knowledge. The performer him or herself has aptitudes (indicating his or her potential to learn) and motivations, as well as their accumulated knowledge and skills. The whole performance system has to be functioning correctly if performers are to exhibit the desired behaviours.
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The new self-directed learning toolkit
Clive on Learning
SEPTEMBER 4, 2013
Assessment is often superficial and knowledge-based. Wikis provide a way for groups of learners to work together in building a knowledge resource. The learner is isolated from peers, experts and others who can assist their learning. It can be tricky to deploy these tutorials on mobile devices.
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97 How professionals learn
Clive on Learning
FEBRUARY 23, 2010
The problem lies not with the provision of knowledge but with skills development, which takes time. With knowledge training, the follow-up probably isn't necessary for this audience, but when you really need to develop new skills in this audience (interpersonal skills come to mind) then you've got a problem.
Strategies for transformation 1: from generic to tailored
Clive on Learning
JUNE 11, 2013
However, a great deal of current l&d offerings can be categorised as ''one size fits no-one'', a sheep dip approach in which everyone receives the same learning experience, regardless of their prior knowledge and current need. Don''t shy from one-to-one support where it''s needed.
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Twenty questions to ask when taking a brief
Clive on Learning
JUNE 18, 2015
This question places the emphasis on performance not on learning, which is vital if you are to design a solution that is focused on changing behaviour and not on developing knowledge. Many learning interventions end up as knowledge dumps and cause a great deal of unnecessary pain for the learner. Why are they not doing this now?
Twenty questions to ask when taking a brief
Clive on Learning
JUNE 18, 2015
This question places the emphasis on performance not on learning, which is vital if you are to design a solution that is focused on changing behaviour and not on developing knowledge. Many learning interventions end up as knowledge dumps and cause a great deal of unnecessary pain for the learner. Why are they not doing this now?
E-Learning Debate 2009
Clive on Learning
SEPTEMBER 30, 2009
If those of the oral tradition had had their way, the world would have been denied the explosion of knowledge that led to The Enlightenment. The internet is a wonderful testimony to society's ability to share and build knowledge in cooperation. Courses cannot keep up with today's knowledge. serious gaming, etc.
Six common micro-learning myths
Clive on Learning
DECEMBER 4, 2017
We know that people are much more likely to retain and apply new knowledge and skills if they are exposed to it repeatedly over time. But only active, repeated rehearsal of the same knowledge and skill will help in retention and application. Cramming provides short-term benefits but these quickly fade. Repeated testing works well.
Profile of a learning architect: Rob Bartlett
Clive on Learning
APRIL 29, 2011
Communities of practice Rob works closely with the company’s Knowledge Management function to look for any opportunities for the two departments to collaborate. Alternatively, employees can direct questions to Knowledge Management who will endeavour to track down an expert capable of providing an answer.
Portrait of a learning architect: Rob Bartlett
Clive on Learning
OCTOBER 28, 2011
Communities of practice Rob works closely with the company’s Knowledge Management function to look for any opportunities for the two departments to collaborate. Alternatively, employees can direct questions to Knowledge Management who will endeavour to track down an expert capable of providing an answer.
Activities, resources and assessments - your flexible friends
Clive on Learning
JANUARY 25, 2013
Assessments : Because the emphasis here is on competence building and not knowledge-building, assessment is going to require more than quizzes, so we're probably talking an evidence-based approach based on real-work performance or, at very least, special assignments.
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Beware who's selling informal learning
Clive on Learning
NOVEMBER 23, 2011
To some extent because employers need assurance that critical skills and knowledge are in place. Experts suffer from the curse of knowledge. Therein lies my concern. Their responses to the demands of their everyday jobs are mostly automatic. They find it really hard to empathise with the difficulties encountered by novices.
Why scenarios are the future of e-learning
Clive on Learning
FEBRUARY 4, 2014
What annoys them is instructional e-learning, particularly that sort that aims to provide knowledge, normally in the form of a tutorial. Instructional e-learning tries to provide knowledge in one hit and this is rarely going to be a successful strategy. People don't dislike all e-learning. Scenarios are the future of e-learning.
Every learner is different but not because of their learning styles
Clive on Learning
JUNE 5, 2015
In my book More Than Blended Learning , I suggest some characteristics which both research and practical experience have shown to be important: A learner's prior knowledge of the subject or skill in question (novices will require a lot more structure and support than those with more elaborate mental models).
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