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Steve Finch

Thinqi Ambassador

What does modern learning

look like?

If you were asked to present your vision of

modern learning, what journey would you

take in order to gain a greater understanding

of the subject? Would you order books online

or pop down to the library? Would you

discuss your views with a colleague or ask an

expert?

Chances are you'd fire up a browser on your

computer or mobile device (if you're not

reading this on your mobile already), tap the

term quickly into a search engine and scroll

through the relevant articles. It comes as no

surprise then that research by Google has

shown that 70% of employees will now use

search engines to learn what they need for

their jobs. Also, a staggering 91% of

smartphone users will turn to their devices for

ideas when completing a task.

Think about how many times you use your

phone in a day and the things you do outside

of texting and calling. Social media, e-books,

websites and apps are all there, providing a

wealth of information at your fingertips. In

recent years, technology has completely

transformed the way we learn.

What do modern learners need?

With those illuminating figures in mind, this

paints a pretty clear picture about what

modern learners expect in the digital age.

Fast-paced workplaces of today don't

accommodate the old framework of formal,

classroom-based learning as effectively as

before. Learners don't want to sit through an

hour of 'chalk and talk' style learning while

their workload continues to pile up.

Research by Deloitte reveals that a mere 1%

of a typical working week, is all the time

available to employees for training and

development. It is therefore neither time or

cost-efficient for businesses to pull workers

into the classroom for face-to-face training for

large periods of time.

Instead, today's employees need learning

that's accessible and available whenever and

wherever they need it. Take millennials, for

example - who, according to research by

PwC, will make up 50% of the global

workforce by 2020. It is this generation of

workers that is far more likely to:

• Turn to YouTube to learn how to do

something rather than consult a book

• Learn a new skill for work, such as a

language, via an app such as Duolingo

• Use cloud-based collaborative tools such

as Slack to communicate with colleagues

• Carry out work-based qualification

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