Bite- Sized Staff Training

Bite-sized training

The State Library of Georgia is the lead organization for staff training for the state.  They are exploring the ways that libraries can offer training in order to respond to the evolving learning styles of library staff across the state. They began by asking the audience to identify the key barriers to staff training.  The majority of conversations revolved around time, or specifically lack there of.  Some of the challenges include:

- offering engaging training that fits in with busy schedules

- to quickly refresh staff skills, especially in areas of technology

- eliminating barriers to continuing education (do staff need permission to take training?)

- providing the time for people at all levels to do training

- ensuring training is appealing to all generations 

Small, bite-sized training seems to be the answer in Georgia. They identified that staff want training that is untethered, on-demand,  collaborative, and empowering.  

Not all types of training fit in with microlearning though.  Microlearning is small bite-sized training in small blocks of content.  For instance, tech skills, small, barely significant changes to policies, how-to type things, quick customer service tips, new library trends, "what's happening" in a specific department, etc. are all good types of small, microlearning (that could even be online).   Topics like leadership, emergency management, new policies, etc.  are not the right type of training in the microlearning format.   Some ways to implement this type of bite-sized training is to use existing content available but reconfigure it into small chunks, reconfigure content that is already available to meet the needs you have, and buy content instead of reinventing the wheel. 

There were some suggestions about how to support this type of learning including:

- creating content internally an post 2-3 minute videos on YouTube or intranet, etc.   

- making it everyone's job to create this content

- give everyone an extra 15 minutes on their break or lunch to do 15 mins of training.  

- focus on some online training so people can access anytime, when it's convenient for them

- start small - don't try to create huge trainings at first 

- begin by evaluating the type of training opportunities you have in place or have access to

- do your homework on what the barriers to training may be in your organization (time, resources, types of available training, equipment, etc.)

- tap into a few "evangelists" in your organization that are passionate about training and development to help move things forward 

- people need a reward for training like getting certificates, rewards, etc.  I agree with this to some extent (after all, we do want a trained workforce) but I also think it's important for staff to buy into this for themselves and take ownership of it.  We also need to want to be our personal best.  

- develop a learning culture.  I think this is a great idea, but not something that should just be a single bullet point on a PPT.  This is something that takes years to do. I personally think we have a pretty strong learning culture already but it can always grow and morph into something bigger/better.  

Overall I thought this session was good albeit a little pie in the sky. Having a focused, coordinated effort from the state to provide many of these trainings is a big piece of the pie. We have Infopeople which is great, but it is hardly bite-sized.  Basically, I think this is a role the library should take since we are an organization that is all about learning.  Do this citywide could be a valuable tool.