In the modern workplace, you’ve been hearing a lot about personalized learning and adaptive learning and how important it is to tailor training materials to each individual learner. So, where and how does group-based training fit into the mix? When is it beneficial, and when does it not wind up doing much good? Keep reading to learn more.
When Group-Based Training Is Beneficial
Group-based training is typically beneficial and easier to execute when:
- Handouts and supplemental information are provided that learners can access and refer to at a later point in time in case they miss something.
- It’s conducted via technology platforms that learners can access from remote locations, which also permit them to interact with their instructors and fellow learners via the same technology platforms.
- Organizations are attempting to cut costs or better manage the time they spend on conducting in-person training sessions and programs.
- Learners need to role-play or practice skills with one another in real time as they learn.
- Instructors need to address certain questions and concerns at once, while learners can hear one another’s questions and approaches in a shared environment, too.
- Brainstorming or idea-generation needs to take place.
- Rapport and team-building are essential to the skills being learned—e.g., communication skills and emotional intelligence skills.
When Group-Based Training Is NOT Beneficial
Group-based training is typically not beneficial, and can even be harmful to employees, when:
- Some or all employees in a group are at different levels of learning or have wide ranges in their knowledge bases—for instance, you probably wouldn’t want to place first-time managers and executive-level managers in the same leadership training program.
- All employees in a group have different aptitudes for learning—for instance, some groups might get frustrated with a group member who has a learning disability if they don’t know the person has a learning disability and what it is; or, members of a group who have doctorates may not work well with other group members who have different educational backgrounds, especially when detailed and strategic work and learning are required.
- Strategic and intense decision-making is critical to the outcome of the work of the group—sometimes, group work or group learning can slow down the processing of information and the overall decision-making process.
- There is conflict between learners of a group—if people inside a group don’t get along, they will not be able to learn very effectively.
- Learners have different work ethics or certain tasks aren’t delegated—oftentimes, learners won’t get anywhere learning in groups because they will simply check out while the other members of the group do all the work for them, especially when there are a few dominating personalities in the group who take charge of the group without asking.
If you’re interested in implementing group-based learning, consider when it’s most beneficial and when it’s not, as detailed above.