When I tell people what I do for a living, people often say, “Oh, you create the training that I have to take.” You get the sense that there is a particular feeling about training—that it’s mandatory and unwelcome. People see training as one more thing on their plate at work and they have no say about it. Learner autonomy can help reduce resistance to training by giving employees a sense of control and choice, making the learning experience feel less like an obligation and more like an opportunity. When employees can influence aspects of their own learning, such as when they learn, the order of topics, or their progress, they are more likely to approach training positively.
Here are a few ways that your organization can promote learner autonomy:
Create a Learning Culture
When learning feels imposed, it can hurt both motivation and morale. As mentioned earlier, it can also cause employees to dread all training and learning opportunities. Companies should embed learning into their culture by celebrating growth and improvement and recognizing employees who take initiative in their development. By framing learning as an opportunity rather than an obligation, organizations can shift mindsets and empower employees to take ownership of their personal and professional growth. Learning cultures come from the top down. When leaders actively engage in their own learning and openly share their growth experiences, they set a powerful example for the rest of the organization. Encourage leaders to participate in training sessions, pursue certifications, or discuss books and resources that have influenced their thinking. This demonstrates that learning is valued at every level.
Provide Choice
If the training addresses a skill gap or a specific business challenge, you may feel there isn’t a way to give employees a choice in their learning. However, you can lean into existing learning design elements to make the choice you need. The “A” in ADDIE, the popular acronym for the five-step instructional design model used to create training courses and learning experiences, stands for “Analysis” and comes first for a reason. Before anything else, an analysis must be completed to determine the training needs. Gather as much information as possible directly from the employees through surveys, focus groups, interviews, whatever you can get. This will ensure their voices are taken into consideration. If an employee knows they have contributed to the training in some way, it will help support a feeling of learning autonomy.
When creating eLearning, use techniques and principles that allow learners to control their learning pace. For example, consider Mayer’s Principles of Multimedia Learning. The segmenting principle suggests presenting information to learners in chunks and allowing them to control the pace of learning. A simple example is providing navigation that the learner controls, such as seek bars, and next and previous buttons. It may seem simple, but it provides autonomy for learners.
Offer Multiple Modalities
Utilizing different learning modalities is another way to provide learning autonomy and support a learning culture.
Here are some examples:
Drip learning delivers content in small, manageable increments over time, making it easier for learners to absorb and apply information. This approach aligns with learning autonomy by allowing employees to progress at their own pace, accessing new material only after mastering previous concepts. It also ensures that learning is integrated into daily workflows, promoting a sense of ownership. Drip learning can also be customized based on individual learning paths, providing a sense of choice and relevance (download our Drip Learning eBook to learn more).
Spaced learning involves revisiting material strategically timed to reinforce knowledge and prevent forgetting. This method supports autonomy by allowing employees to revisit content as needed, allowing them to focus on areas where they feel less confident. Spaced learning also battles the Forgetting Curve by encouraging long-term retention and mastery, empowering employees to self-direct their review processes. This modality ensures employees feel in control of their learning journey without being pressured to cram or memorize content.
Microlearning, which delivers concise, focused lessons on specific topics, aligns well with learning autonomy by providing employees with quick, on-demand resources. It allows them to learn when and where they need to, whether during a workday break or while addressing a real-time challenge.
Integrating these modalities into a broader learning strategy, organizations can create a supportive environment where employees feel empowered to learn at their own pace and in their preferred ways.
Conclusion
Shifting training from an obligation to an opportunity begins with fostering learner autonomy. By embedding learning into organizational culture, offering choices in learning design, and providing multiple modalities, organizations can create an environment where employees feel empowered to take ownership of their development. When learners have a sense of control, training becomes more engaging, relevant, and impactful.
Want to learn more? Check out “Long-Lasting Learning: Combining Drip, Spaced, and Microlearning” to learn more about the power of blended learning.