By Dr Carol Webb, Cranfield University

No doubt you’ve all seen the film ‘The Matrix’ and will remember the scene where Keanu Reeves is subjected to what can only be described as a martial arts training video - downloaded directly into his brain. After this he wakes up and pronounces with much amazement and awe: ‘I know kung fu!’

Throughout the rest of the movie we’re impressed by his miraculous bodily manoeuvres and find ourselves witness to the wonders of learning technologies of the future and our imagination.

Before the video-to-brain download our protagonist was a mere computer hacker, but immediately afterwards, and without any physical training whatsoever, he finds himself to be a smoother, more high-tech Bruce Lee, with gravity-defying, bendy limbs.

If only every child hooked on play stations, x boxes and games consoles in the UK today could tap into a real-life version of this marvellous technological idea – perhaps then we would have a chance to fight obesity by means other than Jamie’s school dinners.

As marvellous as such futuristic ideas are, I tend to think of them like a magic wand. In reference to this Magic Wand: wouldn’t it be absolutely fabulous if I could wave this wand, say a few magic words, throw some fairy dust in the air, and impart truth and knowledge to all in an instant?

No more boring lecture halls filled with hung-over students. No more homework when you’d rather be watching Neighbours. No more reading dry textbook material. No more cramming for exams. No more paying thousands of pounds on staff training budgets. No more knowledge management issues. No more skills and knowledge gaps. No more school… now that would be a revolution. But, because, among other things, parents couldn’t afford the day care for children in lieu of school, we know this isn’t ever going to be reality.

And, something else which will still be true no matter how advanced our technology gets - we are all different, and individuals have different learning styles. Therefore the methods and means by which we learn best depend on factors relating to these. In fact, individual learning styles are affected by 7 key issues: These are the perceptual, physiological, sociological, psychological, environmental, and emotional elements and preferences of learning that differ from person to person (Boyle, 2005).

For example, consider some important perceptual elements. These affect the way we learn and retain information, and this category includes six main learning styles: auditory; visual picture; visual text; tactile; kinaesthetic; and, verbal (internal) kinaesthetic. Individuals have personal preferences or strengths in at least one of these styles of learning, but this differs from person to person (Boyle, 2005).

You can imagine on the one hand that while someone will do exceptionally well learning by sitting in a lecture theatre listening to a speaker, but on the other hand, for some people the only way anything would ever go in would be though experience in either a real life setting or in a simulation of some kind, while others really need to just talk about it (amen for Knowledge Cafés then!).

Consider also how sociological elements impact on learning styles – which means how we interact with others and our preferences for learning with others. These include: working or learning alone; working or learning alone but then interacting with others - after having had time to think things through; working in pairs; working in small groups or teams; working under the guidance of a supervisor and being critical of peers; preference for working with an expert – authority-oriented; or combinations and variations on a mixture of these preferences (Boyle, 2005).

It’s rare that we as individuals get our learning preferences met though, isn’t it? It’s more often the case that learning environments are provided for us and we usually have to fit in with the styles and methods delivered.

But, as educators and knowledge managers, what should our objectives be in facilitating learning in the 21^st century? Might it not be nice to put a bit of magic into it and start to consider the diversity of individual learning styles and preferences when designing and implementing knowledge sharing and learning programmes, tools and methods?

While we aren’t quite at the direct video-to-brain download stage of the Matrix yet, we do have a plentiful supply of tools to play with, and since online and offline social interfaces offer such a lot of potential, why not fuse them?

The state of the art in learning tools and methods means that we now have a rich reserve of technological means and emerging social contexts in which knowledge sharing and learning can be facilitated.

Through ICT applications and the Internet, knowledge sharing and learning has been enhanced through increased multimedia support and the general development of ‘elearning’ in all its forms. And ‘blogging’ – the upkeep of a web log, usually on a particular theme or in relation to the thoughts or activities of a specific individual or group – has also opened up new avenues in which knowledge sharing learning opportunities can be explored. More generally it’s been said that the internet provides specific opportunities for knowledge sharing and learning to take place in the form of online discussion, online learning with others, through virtual learning groups, collaborative virtual learning, in virtual communities of practice, or co-reflection in online learning environments.

Such opportunities have and are being leveraged to maximise knowledge sharing and learning, and recent developments in this field include the use of virtual collaborative learning with a tutor-agent, simulation gaming and digital simulation games, the creation of virtual business environments and even the facilitation of learning emotional intelligence with synthetic characters.

Therefore, technology’s opened up a vast range of possibilities in which online professional development can take place. This focus on technology, however, has not detracted from work going on to facilitate learning and knowledge-sharing in diverse social contexts that don’t necessarily dictate a technological interface.

The recent focus on knowledge-sharing and learning in the social context is referred to in terms of learning through social networks and groups, in specific learning communities, and, through strategic alliances in social exchange. Learning in these contexts can be mitigated through specially designed collaborative learning environments, or, more informally, for example, in a social context characterised by change, or through a lifelong learning network. This can take the form of localised learning in social contexts, in communities of competence, in informal networks, and, at the regional level, or simply as collective learning in small businesses.

The state of the art tools and methods which draw together the facilitation of knowledge-sharing and learning either via technological means or in a social context can be adapted to fit either mode. A range of learning orientated tools, methods and material already exists in the scope of management development. These can, for instance, be deployed in the context of specific organisational learning initiatives or in order to develop bespoke knowledge management tools and practices.  Tools and methods are grounded in either of, or a combination of kinesthetic, tactile, visual text, verbal kinesthetic, and visual picture styles of learning, as mentioned above.

Some tools in particular have a stronger leaning also towards methods grounded in Kolb’s experiential learning, articulated through his learning cycle of ‘experience’, ‘reflect’, ‘conceptualise’ and ‘experiment’. Experiential learning techniques include, for example, facilitated interventions, in-company vocational learning, competency-based education, or in attempts to motivate learning through usefulness, as in the case of interest-driven frameworks.

Under the heading of experience-based kinesthetic and tactile approaches are real-life exercises and simulations, specific management development games and simulations, learning through engaging, or through play. Learning diaries and learning logs bring together the approach of experiential learning with tactile and visual text learning styles. Verbally kinesthetic methods, which focus on learning through discussion with others, include the facilitation of dialogue in specially intended environments - focussing on the conversation and interaction with others in group-based contexts and interactive issue-based learning. Methods leveraging visual picture learning styles include the use of scenarios and metaphor as well as, of course, graphic imagery.

The list goes on. The possibilities for combining different opportunities to learn seem endless actually. So in terms of how we will share knowledge and learn in the future, I think that what this all means is that we will continue developing new ways of learning in different contexts and environments, so that in the end it will be less of the magic wand and fairy dust but more of methods and tools that suit us as individuals in the times and places where it’s of value for us to learn. And before we start learning about other things, we should take the time to really start to learn about ourselves and about all the different ways we can learn. How would you choose to ‘know kung fu’?

References:

Boyle, R. A. (2005), 'Applying Learning-Styles Theory in the Workplace: How to Maximise Learning - Styles Strengths to Improve Work Performance in Law Practice', Saint Johns Law Review, Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 97-126.