Discussion: Responding to Learning Styles and Effective Training
Let's consider a real example. To determine Account Managers' needs, Cisco carried out a needs assessment. Many of the account managers said learning content was not being delivered to them in a way that fit their work patterns or learning styles. Account managers spend a lot of time traveling, so they wanted to get on the Internet, find out what they needed to know, and get out again. They preferred not to sit in front of a personal computer for a long e-learning course.
Responding to these preferences, Cisco created a suite of learning tools--everything from small chunks of information and short skill-building sessions to a simulator that presents various scenarios of sales calls to give account managers practice in handling difficult questions that come up in real-world situations. In the simulator, the questions arrive through a realistic audio feed. The account manager selects a response, and the program delivers immediate and specific feedback for improvement. While traveling, they can access a "talk show" and save it to their laptop or to an MP3 player. The talk show discusses issues related to their work.
What do you think of this approach? How did it respond to Account Manager learning styles?