adult learning | training design | 70-20-10 model | competency models | learning transfer | facilitation | feedback
What You Will Learn:
- Write a learning objective as observable behaviour rather than as a topic
- Describe a competency using the critical incident method
- Design for the 70-20-10 split instead of designing only the ten per cent
- Build a development plan with barriers, measures of success and a budget
- Run a session where the group solves a real problem, not a training one
- Handle difficult participants and a session that goes off the rails
- Build the feedback loop that keeps new behaviour alive after the training
- Prove behaviour changed, using assessment rather than a satisfaction sheet
- Learn alongside Mike’s 1.6 million students from 185 countries
- Draw on the author’s work at Preply, Wargaming, iDeals and Alfa-Bank
Overview
Let’s be real for a moment: if you’re anything like me, you’ve sat through your fair share of corporate training that felt like a checkbox exercise – informative, perhaps, but ultimately forgettable. The promise of `adult learning` often falls flat because the `training design` misses the mark on what truly drives behavioural change and real `learning transfer`. This is precisely where ‘Adult Learning: Objectives, Activities and Transfer’ stands out. It’s not just another theoretical deep dive; it’s a no-fluff, pragmatic roadmap for anyone serious about crafting learning experiences that genuinely stick and measurably impact performance. Mike, whose insights come from teaching 1.6 million students across 185 countries and from his tenure at companies like Preply, Wargaming, iDeals, and Alfa-Bank, injects a dose of real-world applicability that cuts through academic jargon.
Prerequisites
The beauty of this course is its broad accessibility. You don’t need a specific technical background or years of L&D experience to benefit. It’s truly suitable for anyone from `beginner to advanced` who is invested in fostering growth and improving outcomes through education. If you’re a team lead, project manager, HR business partner, technical trainer, or simply someone who has witnessed the frustrations of ineffective training and wants to make a difference in `career growth` and team capability, you’re well-equipped. A curious mind and a willingness to critically examine traditional training approaches are your main entry points.
Skills & Tools
This course isn’t about passive listening; it’s about acquiring `job-ready skills` and frameworks that you can apply immediately. You’ll be armed with `industry-standard tools` for effective `training design`:
- Crafting precise, observable learning objectives that clearly define desired behaviour, moving beyond vague topics.
- Developing robust competency models using the critical incident method, ensuring they directly map to actual performance needs.
- Mastering the 70-20-10 model to design holistic development paths that extend far beyond formal classroom training.
- Constructing practical development plans that account for potential barriers, include measurable success metrics, and a realistic budget.
- Expertly facilitating engaging sessions where groups tackle and solve `real-world projects`, not just hypothetical training problems.
- Navigating challenging group dynamics and effectively handling `difficult participants` or sessions that veer off course.
- Implementing robust feedback loops crucial for sustaining new behaviours and ensuring lasting `learning transfer` post-training.
- Designing effective assessments that genuinely prove behaviour change and actual learning, moving beyond mere satisfaction sheets.
Career Benefits & Job Roles
The competencies you gain from this course are direct accelerators for `career growth` in various capacities. It’s invaluable for those aiming to excel as Learning & Development Specialists, Instructional Designers, Technical Trainers, Talent Development Managers, HR Business Partners, or even senior Team Leads responsible for internal skill-building. You’ll gain the confidence and capability to design impactful `hands-on labs`, drive tangible business outcomes, and lead `real-world projects` that show clear ROI. For anyone considering `certification prep` in the L&D space, the foundational principles taught here are incredibly strong.
Pros
- Uncompromising Practicality: Mike’s approach is refreshingly pragmatic. He strips away the academic fluff, providing clear, actionable strategies derived from his extensive experience at global companies. You learn to design for impact, focusing on observable behaviours and measurable `learning transfer`, which resonates deeply in fast-paced tech environments.
- Holistic `Learning Transfer` Focus: Unlike many courses that stop at content creation, this one deeply emphasizes how to ensure learning actually sticks. From designing `feedback loops` that reinforce new habits to using the `70-20-10 model` for continuous development, it covers the entire lifecycle needed to drive lasting behaviour change.
- Mastering Challenging Facilitation: Let’s be honest, `facilitation` can be tough. This course provides concrete tactics for handling `difficult participants` and steering a session back on track, transforming potential derailments into productive moments. This skill alone is a game-changer for anyone leading discussions or training sessions.
- Data-Driven Impact & ROI: For tech professionals, proving value is non-negotiable. The course champions moving beyond ‘feel-good’ satisfaction surveys, teaching you how to design assessments that rigorously `prove behaviour changed`. This emphasis on measurable outcomes and actual `competency models` allows you to demonstrate tangible ROI from your training initiatives.
Cons
While the course delivers an incredibly powerful framework for `training design` and `adult learning`, it’s important to understand that it’s not a magic bullet. Actually implementing the depth of the 70-20-10 model or designing truly effective, sustained `feedback loops` requires significant dedication, organizational buy-in, and ongoing practice within your specific context. It provides the robust roadmap and the powerful tools, but the execution and consistent application within your environment ultimately rest on your shoulders.