Should learning cater to the modern learner?

 Let us begin by defining the modern adult learner. 18 plus, tech-savvy and used to different mediums of learning. The modern learners have faced lockdown or probably completed their education during the lockdown, where they had to increasingly study using online mediums like virtual classrooms, or online sessions through Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meet etc. What kind of training would they prefer? Instructor-led classroom sessions, Virtual instructor-led training or e-learning? The answer to that would definitely be the latter two. One reason for this simply could be the easy accessibility of the latter two. Secondly the ability to go through the recordings of the sessions multiple times to make the learning self-paced.

In the days of yore learning was classroom-based and much emphasis was laid on memorization. While,  when it comes to facts there is no denying the fact that memorization is still almost always the only way out.  But what about skill development or process-related learning, where the learner may need to develop hands-on practice, what would be a better method? It could be classroom training where learners learn to practice or maybe a simulation where the learners view and re-view the steps involved. 

As an instructional designer with considerable experience in the field, I feel that the learning should be bespoke. It should be designed keeping the demographics of the learner in mind. It should ensure that whatever content is being imparted through the training is grasped by the learner and absorbed and imbibed. To ensure these, it should use mediums of imparting that allow the learner to learn at their own pace which is not always possible in a traditional classroom or an instructor-led methodology. It is more possible with a recording or a video or an e-learning module. 

So when making an instructional design plan, keep the learner in mind and not necessarily the budget of the client. While it is easy to say,  educate the client about the validity of the method proposed by you, which is a herculean task but trying to convince is the only alternative to ensuring that your learning is effective and effective learning is the only learning that delivers results. 

How to deal with negative people

 In everyday work, we all come across people who are negative, cunning and manipulative. Many of them display their negativity upfront and some are sweet as sugar on the face and strike behind your back. While you can deal very well with the first kind of negativity by retorting back or remaining calm while the verbal assault is on, it is very difficult to deal with the second kind of negativity. When somebody speaks negatively behind your back, you are unaware of what the other person is saying. You take their sweet as sugar front to be true and trust them and all the while they are backstabbing you. 

Recently, I came across such an experience and when I faced negative feedback from my boss, I realized what this friend of mine was doing. I was trying to figure out a way of dealing with this and trying to understand why I was constantly feeling nervous and stressed. Why were negative thoughts crowding my mind?

Then on discussing it with a colleague I realized that my friend was the cause of all this. I also asked my colleague how to deal with the situation. He advised that I should also maintain a sweet as sugar façade and while I can't backstab, I can always remain alert as to how she would behave in future and stop me from trusting her. I accepted his advice as he had met the same treatment from her and decided to be cautious more than anything else. 

How do you deal with such a person? Do you expose them if you are able to or do you remain cautious or speak upfront and tell them you know their tactics and are not going to become a victim?