In an article in The Conversation, Cécile Dejoux explains how management through play can help people learn how to learn. Because nowadays all notions of learning are being turned upside down. So is digital acculturation through games effective?

Companies are in the process of acculturation and employees must keep pace

In particular, by coping with the rapid and complex transformations linked to digital technology.

As a result, managers' expectations are changing. Employees are now judged on their ability to learn. In other words, on their learning agility. This is defined by 3 main concepts:

  • The will to learn. To understand not only that in this new civilisation learning is an activity correlated with personal and professional success. But also that it is above all the responsibility of the employee and not only of the company;
  • The ability to seize any learning opportunity. Having the mindset and know-how to tap into new, transdisciplinary, international, targeted and innovative sources of information
  • The ability to know what to learn. After the phase of obtaining sources (sourcing), it will be necessary to know how to manage the infobesity of these sources of information. Whether they are internal (learning modules, collaborative social networks, etc.) or external (MOOCs, TedX, tutorials, etc.). In this context, knowing how to choose qualitative sources of learning thanks to the implementation of a curation or recommendation system represents a time saving.

Playing means accepting new rules

Playing is often synonymous with pleasure, not constraint. "By agreeing to play, we agree to learn new rules and therefore we learn to learn.

This notion of learning agility was developed by two researchers, Adam Mitchinson and Robert Morris. They derived the 5 key dimensions of learning from it:

  • the ability to innovate
  • to perform well
  • to take a step back
  • to take risks
  • to manage a conflict situation

Play is a technique that is increasingly used by innovation departments. Because it is by doing that we learn. The game allows us to train employees differently by giving them the opportunity to do things. It also develops their creativity.

We don't all play the same way

Learning happens by reusing information in a different context. One can learn in many ways: by doing, by sharing, by experimenting, by interacting with others. As everyone is different and has different learning methods, some learn without tools (conceptualisation is enough for them), but many need supports to learn effectively.

Digital acculturation through games thus makes it possible to adapt employee learning to the new challenges of transformation. Digital acculturation through games is faster, more effective and can cover a wider range of subjects. It is therefore important to implement gamification solutions in order to onboard your employees in your new strategic challenges.