This was the first time I have attended a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development L&D Show, and it was interesting to discover more about the CIPD and the various L&D providers involved in this market. The most interesting aspect for me was the many types of L&D related qualifications, training and information being offered by the exhibitors, which included the following: CIPD
- CIPD’s ‘Future of Learning’ (Designed to keep you up-to-date with the latest industry trends, techniques and skills)
- Level 3 Foundation Certificate or Diploma in L&D (Level 3 QCF)
- Level 5 Intermediate Certificate or Diploma in L&D (Level 5 QCF)
Corporate eLearning Consortium
- The L&D Professionals Online 70:20:10: Practitioners Programme
I attended a variety of learning sessions at the show and the following are details of some of the most notable:
Putting Digital Methods at the Heart of Delivering Professional Development (CIPD Training in Partnership with Home Learning College)
This learning session was delivered by Andy Lancaster (CIPD Head of L&D) and also by a representative from the Home Learning College. Essentially this session was encouraging L&D professionals to learn and do more in relation to digital, by encouraging them to embrace digital information, digital techniques of training, and to build digital networks. To underpin this Andy highlighted many useful information sources, which included the following:
- Jane Hart’s WWW.c4lpt.co.uk website
- The Preparing for the Future of Learning In-Focus Report April 2016(Authored by Laura Overton and Dr Genny Dixon A Changing Perspective for L&D Leaders)
He also encouraged the audience to try and adopt the following digital practices, which for many would be completely new delivery methods:
- Create Podcasts (This is now technologically much easier as many smartphones now provide the ability to create Podcasts.)
- Create and hold webinars (Although it was noted that to achieve this it would be best to at first get training on how to create and deliver webinars).
Digital methods of professional development were also highlighted as good practice due to the following positive reasons:
- They connect us with dispersed and global networks
- Enable us to access a growing body of online content
- Provide development just when we need it
- Link us to leading edge communities of practice
- They are cost and time effective
To build these networks it was firstly advised to develop a list (by checking conference programmes) of L&D professionals and thought leaders. This list could then be used to allow you to achieve the following:
- Discover content they may have written
- To follow them on social media platforms (To acquire further information and knowledge.)
Joining groups such as relevant L&D groups on LinkedIn and Twitter, such as L&D Connect (@LnDConnect) were also advised as good practice. Andy also spoke about the CIPD’s L&D Development Hub named: ‘The Future of Learning’, which was created in partnership with the Home Learning College. This is essentially a place where you can keep informed about the latest industry trends, techniques and skills which (as advertised by the CIPD) includes the following features:
- Bite-sized L&D learning and skills content
- Exclusive live sessions with leading L&D specialists
- Curate your own content, shape the debate with specialist practitioners and a growing community
- Fresh ideas, innovation and inspiration you can apply to have a positive impact in your organisation
The Power of Presentation: Communication Techniques to Increase your Personnel Impact (The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama)
This learning session was all about making the audience aware of how the effective use of communication techniques can increase your personnel impact. The session broke down each element involved in communication, and highlighted how through the effective manipulation of these elements you are able to be a more effective communicator. The session identified the following elements involved in communication:
- Intonation
- Pitch
- Pace
- Loudness
- Facial Expressions
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama provide a variety of training and courses. They also provide a whole range of courses and training specifically for business and industry, which includes the following:
- Presentation Skills
- Voice and Communication
- Personal Impact
- Leadership
- Public Speaking
- Elocution & Articulation
- Storytelling and Influence & Rapport
Being made aware of how to improve and enhance the various elements involved in communication is interesting and useful. However, to fully realise and benefit from this knowledge, and make improvements to your own communication skills, it would be advisable to perform the following:
- Spend time observing other experienced presenters
- Experiment and practice with your own technique
A Practical Guide to a Modern Learning Agenda Using 70:20:10
This learning session was provided by Michelle Parry Slater from the Corporate eLearning Consortium who provide workplace learning and online resources. The most notable learning content they provide is the Toolkit for Managers and an online 70:20:10 L&D Practitioner Programme.
Michelle Parry Slater delivered an informative and dynamic learning session which encouraged audience participation. It also challenged ideas associated with traditional learning methods and the terms used to classify people involved in learning and knowledge acquisition. For example, Michelle questioned whether the term ‘Learner’ was really the best term to use for each and every person involved in formal learning.
The 70:20:10: model for learning and development appears to have originated from a book entitled ‘The Career Architect Development Planner’ by Michael M. Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger, who published their findings from a survey of 200 executives on how they thought they learned. The 70:20:10: model essentially implies that learner’s learn and gain their knowledge in the following ways:
- 70 percent (from job-related experiences)
- 20 percent (from interactions with others)
- 10 percent (from formal educational events)
Using the model as a concept for learning is useful for the following reasons:
- It makes you think about how you as an individual learn and acquire knowledge
- It makes a lot of sense for busy professionals (As the model supports the idea of a lower percentage requirement for formal learning).
Although the model has been criticised over the years, new research using information gathered from 600 L&D leaders is believed to provide further support for the 70:20:10 model. This new research has been conducted and written by Towards Maturity and Charles Jennings and can be found in the following online report: