What type of learning to use in different situations

There’s lots of different ways to learn – from training days to eLearning to formal qualifications. We look at what type of training is best to use when.

In-person training sessions

In person training sessions are a great option for delivering training to your whole team, or large groups of your team, at the same time. It can be really useful for topics where you want your team to be able to ask questions openly and discuss with each other, as well as for situations where hands-on practical activities will support the learning. In-person training sessions are also a good bonding time for your team and can help make everyone feel invested in the topic of the training as they have a full day (or more) to focus on it and are learning together.

eLearning

eLearning is a good choice for allowing people to learn more flexibly and at their own pace. It may a one-off short module that team members can fit into their own schedule where suits, or it may be a series of modules which they can slot into their work over the course of several days, weeks or longer. It’s a great solution for when it’s not possible or practical to have everyone come together to conduct training at the same time or in the same place. eLearning can really benefit people who learn best by reading and through visual memory, as well as through a question and answer function. It can also be a good choice for training which has to be regularly repeated.

Qualifications

Formal qualifications are a more in-depth type of learning which can be completed over the course of months or even years. It's an important option for people who are looking to develop professionally to perhaps progress into a more senior role or specialise in certain areas. It provides an accredited recognition of the skills and knowledge gained and can sometimes be a requirement for progressing into certain roles. Leaders should speak with their teams regularly about their ambitions to progress and where the organisation could support them to achieve formal qualifications.

On-the-job training

On-the-job training is learning through real-life hands-on experience. This is useful for embedding skills and knowledge, particularly for newer starters, beyond the initial induction and statutory and mandatory training. It allows people to learn from the complexities of real-life situations and to put theory into real practice. As well as being a good option for settling in new starters it’s also useful when upskilling staff in new ways of working or using new technology.

Buddying and mentoring

Buddying and mentoring both involve working closely with others to learn from their experience. Buddying is a really useful tool for new starters to an organisation and gives them a trusted person they can go to if they need to check in about anything they’re unsure of. Mentoring can also apply to new starters but can also be used by people who are very experienced in their career but want to learn from others to continue to progress. Often a mentor is someone who may already be in the position the mentee is hoping to progress to but it’s also possible to do reverse mentoring where the mentor is more junior than the mentee. This is because gaining the perspective of those who may be newer to their careers can also support more experienced staff in keeping up with new technologies and best practices, and keeping in touch with different elements of the organisation and ways of thinking.

Videos, webinars and podcasts

Videos, recorded webinars and podcasts are all really great options for time-short care workers who may only be able to dedicate half an hour or even just 10 minutes to learning on a regular basis. It can be possible to fit in these quick learning options to your day by listening to a podcast while driving between appointments, or watching a short video between calls. These are all really valuable tools in building ongoing learning into you and your team’s regular work schedule.

Find out more about learning and development options with our #KeepLearning spotlight.

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