(This is a repost of a story originally published on Medium on April 22, 2024.)
The learner should be actively engaged in the learning process.
- Malcom Knowles
I am a lifelong learner. At age 13, I learned how to code in Basic from my best friend and created an authentication program on my 286 computer. After that, I didn’t write a single line of code for 10 years.
Then, at 23, despite spending 5 years in college pursuing two business degrees, I learned how to build databases and applications using MS Access at my very first job. I ended up building and implementing a vendor management system for my employer.
At 35, after devoting 12 years of my life to the logistics industry, I left the industry behind. I dove into a brand new industry: digital transformation. This is where I learned about the software architecture of “legacy” technologies like DB2, Cobol, .Net, and JEE systems.
I returned to school to pursue a master’s in marketing at 28. Nine years later, I ditched my behind-the-desk marketing role for a presales one, where I learned how to sell enterprise software.
You might say, “Well, John… it seems like your passion has always been software, and you just returned to it.” I can’t argue with that observation, but what enabled this journey were the learning opportunities presented to me. Learning guided my professional life, and learning mostly took place in unexpected times and circumstances.
Upskilling and Reskilling in Corporate Environments Work (Period, No Question)
How I learned at ages 13 versus 35 was drastically different. The fact that I could learn very complex technical concepts at 35 still surprises me today. I’m not special. Whenever I learn new skills, I see people my age right next to me.
Reskilling and upskilling employees pay dividends if you do it right. In the last 5 years, I’ve trained a dozen young and not-so-young adults. My favorite success story is about two of my team members who are female, in their forties and have been top performers throughout their careers.
They had to learn how software is developed, sold, deployed, and maintained. At first, they were overwhelmed. We broke the training up into small bites. After just two weeks, they started to enjoy it because the knowledge helped them establish credibility and be better advisors to their customers.
You might say, “Well, how’s that digital literacy?” Ok, how about this? As part of their training, they learned to read, map, and design EDI, XML, and JSON data files, and they did it within four months of joining my team. (They now “educate” their customers’ developers for misunderstanding these electronic messages.)
Andragogy and Transformational Learning: How Adults Learn
No one on this planet can dissuade me that adults (even older adults) can learn new skills. Adults who seem unable to upskill or reskill were not provided the right support to learn. I was curious about how to optimize environments for adult learning. My research led me to andragogy and Transformation Learning.
Malcolm Knowles’ theory of andragogy is the most widely accepted approach to adult learning. Knowles highlights the importance of self-directed approaches focusing on the learner’s experience. He also theorizes that adults learn best when the content is relevant to their current experiences, a crucial point for technology training in corporate settings.
Jack Mezirow’s Transformational Learning theory complements andragogy by surfacing the effects of profound change in personal perspectives through learning. In the corporate world, this theory should inform upskilling and reskilling initiatives by promoting critical reflection — encouraging learners to question and reformulate their perceptions of technology and its impact on their work.
The Principles of Andragogy and Upskilling for Digital Literacy
We all know the importance of upskilling and reskilling for the future. How should companies offer learning opportunities effectively? You can’t just tell an employee: “Go learn about technology.” Here’s what andragogy’s six principles tell us about corporate education:
Autonomy: As an adult, the last thing I want is to be told to learn something by a certain date. Talk about demoralizing. Digital literacy programs should empower employees to learn at their own pace and explore technology through self-directed projects and initiatives.
Experience: My MBA wouldn’t have been worthwhile without five years of corporate grit. Leveraging employees’ prior knowledge and experience with technology can help contextualize new digital skills and make learning more relatable.
Readiness to Learn & Orientation to Learning: I’ve combined these two principles because they both mean one thing: applicability. Adults are more interested in learning about things that solve a current problem for their job or personal life. The outcome of any training should be immediately useful.
Motivation: For adults, internal motivations such as self-esteem, quality of life, and problem-solving are more potent than external motivators like promotions or higher salaries. Credibility and relevancy were great internal motivators for me, and likely for many mid-career professionals.
Need to Know: This is the “why”. Why should I get digitally literate? I wrote about the importance of digital literacy in the logistics job market recently. You can also find hundreds of articles about the importance of digital literacy online.
Transformational Learning Reinforces Digital Literacy Training
Two elements of Transformational Learning really spoke to me: Critical Reflection and Dialogical learning. I have experienced both of these and find them to be powerful motivators.
Critical reflection involves questioning preconceptions and examining one’s belief system to incorporate new information and perspectives. If I never questioned whether sitting behind a desk in a marketing role was limiting my understanding of enterprise software sales, I would have never leaped into presales. In the context of reskilling for digital literacy, critical reflection helps employees understand the impact of digitization in their roles. Reflecting on their interactions with technology can provide team members with a deeper understanding and acceptance of new tools and platforms.
Dialogical learning is about the importance of conversation and interaction as part of the learning process. I’ve had countless watercooler and happy hour conversations with teammates about new corporate systems. Dialog allows us to understand if people we trust share our feelings and have new perspectives. For digital literacy, this could involve collaborative learning environments where employees share their challenges and successes with new technologies. By talking it through in a semi-casual setting, team members can foster a culture of peer learning and support.
Conclusion
What is your experience with learning in your adulthood? Were you encouraged or disheartened? Were you given a choice? Did you see the connection between your learning and daily life?
Reflecting on my journey through the realms of coding, data architecture, and digital transformation, it’s evident that the driver of my professional life has always been the abundance of learning opportunities.
The theories of andragogy and transformational learning not only illustrate how all of us can take control of our career trajectories but also how similar strategies can be harnessed within corporate reskilling and upskilling programs. It’s not easy, but both employers and employees must be open to learning and make as many opportunities available as possible.