How To Tap Into The Power Of Collaborative Learning Support
Many corporate learners turn to online instructors, facilitators, and managers to clarify confusions and overcome obstacles. However, there’s another valuable source of support you may be overlooking in your online training program. Corporate learners can exchange information and insights for the benefit of their peers, which gives everyone the opportunity to broaden their knowledge base and refresh their skills whenever it fits into their schedule. These are 7 ways to tap into the power of collaborative learning support.
1. Launch A Closed Social Media Group
Your corporate learners may be reluctant to share personal experiences or tips in a public discussion. However, a closed social media group gives them a more private setting to open up and collaborate with peers without the fear of being judged. Launch a Facebook group for every online training topic, course, or department. Then invite corporate learners to join and post an introductory message. It’s a great way to break the ice and make everyone feel like they’re part of the online learning community. Then encourage them to share questions, insights, and resource links. You can even get things started with a poll or an open-ended inquiry and ask them to leave a comment.
2. Start A Topic-Centered Online Discussion
Start an online discussion for each online training topic or course so that corporate learners know where to find targeted support quickly. For example, they don’t have to search through an entire database of FAQs or archived posts to find relevant topics. Instead, they can simply click through to the niche forum and ask questions or search posts to get the information they require. Make certain that you have a centralized link list so that corporate learners know which online discussions to visit under the circumstances. For instance, they should access the compliance troubleshooting discussion if they encounter a company policy issue.
3. Create A Learner-Driven Online FAQ
Develop an online FAQ that is fueled by learner participation. Start with a basic list of answers and questions, then invite your corporate learners to submit their own. They can even post a pressing question and ask their peers to provide viable answers. The caveat is that you must have a moderator to keep the list free of clutter or questionable content. For example, corporate learners may post redundant questions or incorrect information that might cause confusion.
4. Invite Corporate Learners To Guest-Host A Live Online Training Event
Corporate learners who excel in a particular subject may be willing to take it to the next level and host their own live online training event. It gives them a chance to show off their knowledge and offer collaborative learning support at the same time. Send out invites beforehand and include a brief blurb about the host’s background and what’s in store for attendees. For example, the speaker is going to offer insider tips on how to manage their time more effectively and improve on-the-job productivity. Encourage hosts to create an outline and complementary activities that suit the subject matter, as well as a group or Twitter hashtag to pair with the online training event. You can also provide them with online training resources to help them plan the live session, such as online training tutorials or guides on public speaking and how to use video conferencing tools.
5. Develop A Remote Mentorship Program
Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. A mentorship program is an excellent example of collaborative learning support, since it gives corporate learners the opportunity to share their strong suits and bridge the gaps that hinder their success. Survey your corporate learners to get a feel for their area of expertise, then pair them with peers who want to hone those skills or abilities. The mentors can also step into the role of the mentee by teaming up with another peer who possesses other strengths, which enables them to focus on their personal areas for improvement. As such, no one ever feels like they are in a subordinate position or being judged due to their lack of knowledge given that everybody’s in the same proverbial boat and is part of the information exchange.
6. Create A Learner-Generated Online Training Library
Ask corporate learners to develop their own online training materials and add to your ever-expanding library. Preferably, microlearning online training resources their peers can use for "moment of need" support. You may want to lay a solid foundation by posting specific categories. Then corporate learners can decide if they bring anything unique to the table based on the skill, task, or concept-based sections. For example, a member of your sales team is particularly adept at negotiation skills. Thus, they can create an online training tutorial and upload it to your ‘skyrocket sales’ category.
7. Encourage In-House Experts To Start A Corporate eLearning Blog
There are probably several corporate learners who have unique expertise and skills that can benefit their peers. The trick is figuring out how to tap into their experiences and encourage them to share all that knowledge with the group. Why not invite in-house experts to start their own corporate eLearning blog and publish weekly posts. It can be something as simple as quick tip sheets to help peers improve task proficiency or mini troubleshooting guides that focus on a relatable problem or challenge. This also opens the line of dialogue between the blogger and their followers in order to foster a sense of community. Develop a list of the learner-led blogs for easy access and include a brief explanation for each link. You can also bookmark the blogs and pin them to your LMS home page.
Peer-based collaborative learning support gives corporate learners the opportunity to share their unique experiences and see things from a new perspective. This also helps to reduce your online training expenses by stretching resources you already have in-house. Namely, learner knowledge, skills, and wisdom that they can impart to their peers.
Peer pressure often has a negative connotation. However, positive peer influences help corporate learners open up and explore new perspectives. Read the article 5 Tips To Incorporate Peer-Based Coaching In Online Training to discover 5 top tips to incorporate peer-based coaching in online training.
