So I need some help, friends! I need some THEORY help.
I'm not sure how to fit my findings into a theoretical framework. I think there's something in there about what people will say in confidence being different from what they'll type in a survey. There's also something about power in there: the resistance comes, I think, because the Powers That Be who make all of us peons take all these mandatory online training modules, they don't consider how many of the modules we have to take, and there's no coordination of who is taking training modules, when, or how often. I thought I was going to be talking about digital literacy but apparently that's not so much of an issue. I guess I could go at it from a grounded theory aspect, since I went in with specific biases and intent but I walked away with a very different perspective.
Any help you might be able to offer, or questions you could ask, would really help me with the theoretical perspective. Thanks!
Caitlin, I was just thinking about your project and how you mentioned that many people just skip the modules all together and go straight to the quiz. You could maybe theorize about how employees appropriate the text by technically complying with the requirements while subverting the discourse.
ReplyDeleteI also liked what you mentioned in your presentation about the other training module/test that caused people to respond positively because it was created by people who actually do the work rather than the training team, and therefore, it was more relevant. Do you think that one of the reasons that people are so resistant is because the material doesn't directly relate to what they do every day?
I think Rachel's idea is a good one. One of the adult learning principles is that the material needs to be relevant to them, and they like to build off of their personal work/life experiences. The required elearnings don't meet either of those needs. They just click through and take the same assessment each time (as is my experience too). Because of the repetition of the delivery, everyone already feels like they know the content. There's nothing new to be learned. What I find interesting is that we have to take 3-4 required Compliance CBTs each quarter as there are a lot of banking regulations on top of information and personal security. I believe the actual bankers have to take 9 Compliance CBTs a quarter. But I never think of it as a power struggle. Since everyone (no matter their title) has to take them, it doesn't feel like a "peon" assignment. I might look at what other factors in your work environment give you that feeling. Possibly it's a displacement issue. Or, another alternative, is that I'm told what to do so often that I don't even notice the CBTs as being different. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks to both of you, seeing this from another perspective is hugely valuable to me! Your advice is well-heeded.
ReplyDelete