Learning methods are any activity deliberately undertaken, or resources provided, to help the learning process at individual, team or organisational level.

In rapidly changing business environments, employees need to be able to adapt their capabilities to support the organisation’s strategy. Organisations can keep pace with changing needs by looking ahead to define requirements and plan effective learning interventions that support business objectives. Read more in our factsheet on learning and development strategy and policy.

Defining training, learning and development

The terms ‘training’ and ‘learning’ are used broadly and at times interchangeably, within the people profession and a workplace setting, but can be summarised as:

• Training is an instructor-led, content-based intervention designed to develop skills or change behaviour.
• Learning is a self-directed, work-based process that leads to increased adaptive potential.
• Development implies a longer-term or broader process – acquiring skills or knowledge by a range of different means.

As these are broad definitions, it’s important for organisations to know what these terms mean in their context. 

The role of managers

The shift from course-led learning experiences to bringing learning directly into everyday work brings a greater role for managers in the learning process. This is a new role for many managers who may see learning as a separate activity provided by L&D and happening away from the workplace. See our factsheet on managers' role in supporting people professionals.

Selecting an appropriate technique for each need will depend on factors such as:

• Organisational priorities, budget and required expectations.
• Performance targets and how that links to employee needs, experience and perception.
• Data gathered on the effectiveness of previous learning interventions.
• Complexity of knowledge, skill or behaviour the learning intervention covers along with employees existing skill set.

Recognising the cognitive processes associated with learning is important. Knowing your people and organisation well, and not making assumptions, feeds into decisions on appropriate methods. Employees need to be able to relate any learning activity to their own unique context. 

Our related factsheets on Learning needs analysis and Learning evaluation, impact and transfer will also be useful when making choices on learning methods.

Although definitions and classifications may overlap, it’s possible to categorise learning methods in various ways including:

• Formal and/or informal techniques.
• Internal and/or external provision.
• Team and/or individual arrangements.
• Digital and/or face-to-face.
• Created and/or curated resources.
• Formal course and/or a series of accessible resources on a given topic.
• Learning directly at the place of work ('in the flow') and/or away from the workplace.

Many organisations benefit from the blend of methods used and the explicit inclusion of social collaborative elements. Our report with the IES on Digital learning in a post covid-19 economy explores how digital learning can be embraced and enhanced.

Shift from instruction to interaction

The move from less instruction to greater interaction has been embraced by a number of practitioners. 

Availability of social collaborative apps can help employees to learn in the flow of work. Products such as MS Teams, Slack, Trello and Google hangouts can facilitate ongoing informal group learning.

This changes the skills L&D professionals need from ‘sage on the stage’, creating and presenting materials, to a ‘curator-concierge’ model in directing learners to excellent existing learning content. This is also a shift in mindset as well as skill set.

On-the-job training

Typically, on-the-job training is learning through observing and/or being assisted by a colleague with more experience of performing a task. It’s usually:

• Delivered on a one-to-one basis at the trainee’s place of work.
• Allocated time to take place.
• A specified, planned and structured activity.

This method is usually relevant to basic job needs. However, work colleagues or line managers who do the training need to ensure that:

• Trainees are able to practise what they have learned immediately to enhance recall.
• Instruction is paced to avoid information overload.
• The trainee's current level of knowledge, skill or behaviour is taken into account.
• Encouraging feedback is given.
• The person undertaking the ‘trainer’ role is adequately skilled to develop others.

Learning 'in the flow' of work

‘Learning in the flow of work’ is a term first coined in 2018 by Josh Bersin. In Driving performance through learning, Lancaster describes it as ‘learning accessible during work in the workplace environment’. He also offers a definition of ‘learning in the moment’ as learning undertaken without any disruption to the work activity. It requires practitioners to design and facilitate learning close to the workplace which needs new thinking and tactics, as discussed in our learning in the flow of work podcast.

Supporting individuals and groups in learning is an essential part of an organisation’s strategic human resource management. However, traditional models which use appraisal forms to identify learning needs delays employees from accessing vital learning. Recognising where learners can access learning materials and online resources at the time they’re needed is central to learning in the flow. Numerous topics can be accessed online so when the L&D team curate material, they must select carefully. Curating content is one of the skills demanded of L&D practitioners, as found in our Learning and skills at work surveys.

In-house development programmes

This covers a diverse range of interventions that are longer-term, broader and/or of a 'higher level' than basic on-the-job training. Development programmes could blend with other methods (coaching and mentoring or secondment). In-house programmes are often used for management or leadership development activities but are not limited to these.

Coaching and mentoring

Coaching and mentoring are development techniques based on one-to-one discussions to enhance an individual’s skills, knowledge or work performance – often for the current job, but also to support career transitions.

Blended and ‘bite-size’ learning

Some forms of learning can have greater impact when used in a blended approach. For example, digital resources may produce more results when blended with other types of learning. A blend offers an effective way of moving learning away from reliance on formal training approaches.

Knowledge management

Gathering teams together at the end of projects to review how they’ve worked and to record ‘lessons learned’ can be very effective. Such events allow learning about better ways of working together or improved processes and outputs that can be shared with future project teams.

Social collaborative tools

Online collaboration tools and platforms enable employees to learn from each other through sharing material. These support the development of online communities of practice where shared ideas support learning and practice.

There are also free tools such as animation, infographics, video, word clouds, and self-authored e-learning, which enable anyone to create and share learning content.

Action learning

Action learning is a form of collaborative learning where a small group of learners (an ‘action learning set’) meet regularly to reflect on real work issues. Its basic philosophy is that the most effective learning takes place when individuals are faced with a real problem to solve.

Content curation

Social tools, self-authoring tools and learning management systems allow learners to be curators of knowledge and to share amongst their networks. L&D professionals are moving to the role of 'content curator'. Rather than selecting and designing learning methods, they are providing the tools and content for employees to direct their own learning. 

Qualifications

Vocational and management education may be a useful way of meeting learning needs. Exploring the application of learning and the actual skills developed will help decisions about the best qualification to choose.

Distance learning

Distance learning involves the use of learning materials delivered online. This makes it possible to provide large groups with consistent material, and access is flexible so that people can learn in their own time, if appropriate. Embracing distance learning via digital methods has benefits of scale and reach. It's important to support learners on distance learning programmes.

Effective distance learning engages learners in a forum or collaborative community, perhaps via interactive classroom or webinars, as well as through materials provided for self-directed learning.

Blended and ‘bite-size’ learning

Learning can have greater impact when used in a blended approach. For example, digital resources may produce more results when blended with other types of learning. A blend offers an effective way of moving learning away from reliance on formal training approaches.

MOOCs

Massive open online courses, or MOOCs, are free-open access courses available to anyone. They’re available in business or language skills as well as a vast range of other topics which can be good at getting adults back into the habit of learning. Organisations can connect employees to existing MOOCs or create bespoke corporate MOOCs. We offer three MOOCs available via Future Learn.

Gamification

‘Gamification’ is the process of applying game design theories to everyday situations. It can support L&D by enabling employees to build competence, however it needs to be in a safe environment. Gamification in both physical and online learning can encourage greater engagement and retention of knowledge. Gamified principles can be easily incorporated into offline and face to face learning, playing towards competitive human nature.

Contacts

Future Learn – free online courses

Open Learn – free courses from the Open University

Books and reports

Beevers, K., Rea, A. and Hayden, D. (2019) Learning and development practice in the workplace. 4th ed. London: Kogan Page.

Lancaster, A. (2019) Driving performance through learning. London: Kogan Page.

Nicholl, S. (2023) Learning Habits. London: Kogan Page. 

Overton, L. (2014) In-Focus: lessons from MOOCs for corporate learning [online]. Towards Maturity.

Parry-Slater, M. (2020) The learning and development handbook. London: Kogan Page.

Shackleton-Jones, N. (2019) How People Learn. London: Kogan Page.

Silvingham, N. (2013) Learning at Speed. London: Kogan Page.

Visit the CIPD and Kogan Page Bookshop to see all our priced publications currently in print.

Journal articles

Faragher, J. (2018) Why fresh approaches to L&D are presenting new problems. People Management (online). 25 October.

Van Dam, N. (2012) Designing learning for a 21st century workforce. T+D. Vol 66, No 4, April. pp48-53.

CIPD members can use our online journals to find articles from over 300 journal titles relevant to HR.

Members and People Management subscribers can see articles on the People Management website.

Podcasts

The Learning and Development Podcasts from Looop

Mind Tools podcasts from Emerald Works