QHA Review January 2018

TRAINING AND SAFETY with Ross Tims
CONTEMPORARY LEARNING TRENDS
The world is changing at a fast pace with technology,
innovations and a more disruptive economy (called
‘Uberisation’ by some) having a substantial effect on
how we do business. The learning and Vocational
Education and Training (VET) sectors aren’t immune
to this transformation. The challenge for us is how we
best develop the capability to innovate and stay ahead
of the disruption curve. Here are some of the changes
that we’re starting to see.
MOBILE PLATFORMS
The majority of customers who undertake QHA online
training courses do it from their phone. Many online
training providers deliver course modules through
mobile platforms. It’s an ideal mode for short courses
in particular. Although the majority of learners using
this technology are from a younger cohort, this will
change over time. A benefit of this platform is that it
can be delivered any time, any place. Training can be
delivered to employees during the working day and in
a just-in-time learning mode.
GAMIFICATION
Gamification is the process of applying gaming
designs and concepts to learning or training scenarios
to make them more engaging and entertaining for the
learner. This can transform the classroom or e-learning
environment by turning regular activities into a game.
We currently use this method during delivery of our
Youth Jobs PaTH employment skills training. We do
this by applying the typical elements of game playing
(i.e. point scoring, competition with others, rules of
play) into their learning processes. In this context, it
increases their engagement and the effectiveness of
the training by getting their competitive juices going
(within a team environment) and having fun in
the process.
A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUR COURSE
PARTICIPANTS ARE YOUNG AND RESPOND WELL
TO SOCIAL MEDIA REFERENCES, SUCH AS VIDEO
TRAINING AIDS FOUND ON YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK
AND TWITTER.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The use of social media to enhance course delivery
complements traditional approaches to learning. It’s
easy and convenient to access, provide information
and communicate via social media. Using this type of
media engages students, helps retention of knowledge
and motivates interest. A significant number of our
course participants are young and respond well to
social media references, such as video training aids
found on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. There are
hospitality networks using social media to seek or
advertise job vacancies.
MICROLEARNING
Although not suited to all applications, microlearning is
a development that’s gaining traction to better enable
employees to learn on the job. By delivering short,
fast learning modules that take only a brief period for
delivery, employees can get the information they need,
when they need it. This concept also underpins the
continued popularity of short courses for providing
targeted skills and knowledge precisely when your
team members need them.
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