.svg)
.svg)
We likely don’t have to tell you about the value of teamwork in the workplace. After all, two – or more – heads are better than one.
The interesting thing for our purposes (and those of L&D professionals everywhere) is that this principle applies not just to day-to-day work, but also learning. “Team-based learning” or “Active learning” (a strategy that tests knowledge through group collaboration) has been shown to improve retention and actively help people learn more than traditional methods.
Just look at this study from Harvard, which found that students who participated in this method remembered more information than when simply listening to a lecture. We’re sure you’ll agree that this knowledge is very useful when it comes to workplace learning, so let’s dive a little deeper.
So what does team-based learning actually look like in a practical sense, and within the workplace?
Later in the blog we’ll run through how to apply this principle to your learning strategy, but as an overview: Team-based learning is a learning approach that sees people collaborate and learn from one another, discuss topics and work on projects to help them retain certain information.
It’s different from traditional learning methods like individual quizzes, courses or classroom sessions because it places a specific emphasis on teamwork and collaboration with a view to produce better outcomes (such as retention, productivity, and all the coveted results that L&D teams are after.)
Now, onto the important part: What concrete benefits will team-based learning bring to your organisation and people?
There are a lot of advantages to this way of learning, but today we’ll explore three key benefits.
As we saw with our Harvard University example, team-based learning is shown to improve knowledge retention. And there are further studies that legitimise this, including this research published in the International Journal of Emergency Medicine, which saw student marks improve after taking part in this method. From the study:
“[Team-Based Learning] as part of a blended learning environment facilitated improved knowledge-based performance in an emergency medicine clerkship following end clerkship and medical school exit assessments, suggesting [Team-Based Learning] stimulates long-term retention.”
The crucial element of this study is the focus on a blended learning environment, which we’re also big advocates for here at Thrive; blended learning programmes with multiple formats and types of training are shown to be more effective than a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Through a mix of discussion, repetition, and peer teaching, knowledge is more likely to be remembered.
The second benefit of team-based learning: Increased employee engagement.
It makes sense that social interaction and active participation leads to people feeling more engaged with their learning, and there’s also the crucial element of communication at play. As we’ve covered in a previous blog, communication is at the core of good learning experiences, and team-based learning exercises are a great way to flex this muscle. In turn, it strengthens relationships within the team, and boosts morale over time.
Soft skills have been quite a hot topic within L&D over the last couple of years, and with good reason. They are an incredibly valuable currency in the workplace, arguably weaving together and strengthening the hard skills within your team.
There’s a bit of a misconception that soft skills can’t be taught. Although they’re thought of as “innate,” we shouldn’t assume that (a) everyone already has them, or (b) there’s no point in trying to teach those who don’t.
In fact, you absolutely can teach soft skills – and team-based learning is an excellent way to do this subtly.
Through team learning, you can practically teach your teams the soft skills that will help them thrive in the workplace, without hitting them over the head with the lesson.
Instead of sitting through a course or clicking their way through a quiz, collaborating with one another in teams helps your people to improve soft skills like problem-solving, empathy, conflict resolution, and negotiation. Dipping into a diverse range of perspectives and knowledge is so helpful for building these skills in a well-rounded way.
Now that we’ve sold you on the benefits, we’re willing to bet that you’re ready to implement this method. Here are a few practical tips and strategies to help you do just that.
The benefit of this first exercise is that it contributes to organisational goals in a concrete, measurable way. Project-based learning sees teams work on projects like developing new services, conducting research or improving an existing process – sharing their perspectives and collaborating every step of the way.
Through working together on a common goal that directly benefits the team, your people will develop their teamwork and gain hands-on experience – thereby deepening their knowledge and skills.
When you think of the word “workshop”, perhaps your mind conjures up dull images of a whiteboard, flickering overhead lighting and bored faces. But workshops can actually be a dynamic, fun and productive exchange of ideas that results in long-term knowledge retention. There are a few elements that make up a fantastic team-based workshop:
Peer-to-peer teaching: Employees take turns to teach one another about various business-related topics like specific processes, products, or company news, thereby passing knowledge between departments and deepening their understanding of the wider organisation.
Problem-solving exercises: Much like a less intense “Model UN,” problem-solving workshops involve assigning a problem to solve within a certain time-frame. Teams get together to brainstorm, discuss potential solutions and reach mutual agreements together. This is a great way to develop problem-solving skills – and sets them up for real creative problem-solving when the need inevitably arises later down the line.
Role-playing exercises: Best for customer-facing teams or those who regularly take meetings with clients, role-playing exercises allow your employees to test their communication skills, increase their confidence, and feel prepared for situations that involve interpersonal skills. Through roleplaying exercises, your team can act out different roles in various settings – for example, a difficult customer, a sales negotiation, or a client meeting.
Case studies are another effective method of team-based learning. Through case study analysis, your employees can look into businesses similar to yours to discuss what they did right, what they did wrong, and how they can apply that knowledge to their own work. Have people split into teams to discuss, gather different perspectives and compare ideas.
We’re proud of the fact that at Thrive, our platform places a big emphasis on collaboration and connection between teams. Hopefully your learning platform facilitates this, because it’s an effortless, enjoyable way for your people to collaborate and engage in team-based learning.
This could be as simple as sharing User Generated Content (UGC) and having a lively discussion in the comments. Or, it could look like making use of your platform’s communication features to collaborate across departments. Perhaps you organise a company-wide broadcast, and encourage people to discuss what they’ve learned in the live-chat.
These ways of team-based learning are particularly effective because they are so similar to the ways in which your teams share content and ideas within your personal life, therefore removing any potential barriers.
If you’re looking for a platform that can help you achieve this – and more – book a demo with a member of the Thrive team today.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
%20(1).webp)
We likely don’t have to tell you about the value of teamwork in the workplace. After all, two – or more – heads are better than one.
The interesting thing for our purposes (and those of L&D professionals everywhere) is that this principle applies not just to day-to-day work, but also learning. “Team-based learning” or “Active learning” (a strategy that tests knowledge through group collaboration) has been shown to improve retention and actively help people learn more than traditional methods.
Just look at this study from Harvard, which found that students who participated in this method remembered more information than when simply listening to a lecture. We’re sure you’ll agree that this knowledge is very useful when it comes to workplace learning, so let’s dive a little deeper.
So what does team-based learning actually look like in a practical sense, and within the workplace?
Later in the blog we’ll run through how to apply this principle to your learning strategy, but as an overview: Team-based learning is a learning approach that sees people collaborate and learn from one another, discuss topics and work on projects to help them retain certain information.
It’s different from traditional learning methods like individual quizzes, courses or classroom sessions because it places a specific emphasis on teamwork and collaboration with a view to produce better outcomes (such as retention, productivity, and all the coveted results that L&D teams are after.)
Now, onto the important part: What concrete benefits will team-based learning bring to your organisation and people?
There are a lot of advantages to this way of learning, but today we’ll explore three key benefits.
As we saw with our Harvard University example, team-based learning is shown to improve knowledge retention. And there are further studies that legitimise this, including this research published in the International Journal of Emergency Medicine, which saw student marks improve after taking part in this method. From the study:
“[Team-Based Learning] as part of a blended learning environment facilitated improved knowledge-based performance in an emergency medicine clerkship following end clerkship and medical school exit assessments, suggesting [Team-Based Learning] stimulates long-term retention.”
The crucial element of this study is the focus on a blended learning environment, which we’re also big advocates for here at Thrive; blended learning programmes with multiple formats and types of training are shown to be more effective than a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Through a mix of discussion, repetition, and peer teaching, knowledge is more likely to be remembered.
The second benefit of team-based learning: Increased employee engagement.
It makes sense that social interaction and active participation leads to people feeling more engaged with their learning, and there’s also the crucial element of communication at play. As we’ve covered in a previous blog, communication is at the core of good learning experiences, and team-based learning exercises are a great way to flex this muscle. In turn, it strengthens relationships within the team, and boosts morale over time.
Soft skills have been quite a hot topic within L&D over the last couple of years, and with good reason. They are an incredibly valuable currency in the workplace, arguably weaving together and strengthening the hard skills within your team.
There’s a bit of a misconception that soft skills can’t be taught. Although they’re thought of as “innate,” we shouldn’t assume that (a) everyone already has them, or (b) there’s no point in trying to teach those who don’t.
In fact, you absolutely can teach soft skills – and team-based learning is an excellent way to do this subtly.
Through team learning, you can practically teach your teams the soft skills that will help them thrive in the workplace, without hitting them over the head with the lesson.
Instead of sitting through a course or clicking their way through a quiz, collaborating with one another in teams helps your people to improve soft skills like problem-solving, empathy, conflict resolution, and negotiation. Dipping into a diverse range of perspectives and knowledge is so helpful for building these skills in a well-rounded way.
Now that we’ve sold you on the benefits, we’re willing to bet that you’re ready to implement this method. Here are a few practical tips and strategies to help you do just that.
The benefit of this first exercise is that it contributes to organisational goals in a concrete, measurable way. Project-based learning sees teams work on projects like developing new services, conducting research or improving an existing process – sharing their perspectives and collaborating every step of the way.
Through working together on a common goal that directly benefits the team, your people will develop their teamwork and gain hands-on experience – thereby deepening their knowledge and skills.
When you think of the word “workshop”, perhaps your mind conjures up dull images of a whiteboard, flickering overhead lighting and bored faces. But workshops can actually be a dynamic, fun and productive exchange of ideas that results in long-term knowledge retention. There are a few elements that make up a fantastic team-based workshop:
Peer-to-peer teaching: Employees take turns to teach one another about various business-related topics like specific processes, products, or company news, thereby passing knowledge between departments and deepening their understanding of the wider organisation.
Problem-solving exercises: Much like a less intense “Model UN,” problem-solving workshops involve assigning a problem to solve within a certain time-frame. Teams get together to brainstorm, discuss potential solutions and reach mutual agreements together. This is a great way to develop problem-solving skills – and sets them up for real creative problem-solving when the need inevitably arises later down the line.
Role-playing exercises: Best for customer-facing teams or those who regularly take meetings with clients, role-playing exercises allow your employees to test their communication skills, increase their confidence, and feel prepared for situations that involve interpersonal skills. Through roleplaying exercises, your team can act out different roles in various settings – for example, a difficult customer, a sales negotiation, or a client meeting.
Case studies are another effective method of team-based learning. Through case study analysis, your employees can look into businesses similar to yours to discuss what they did right, what they did wrong, and how they can apply that knowledge to their own work. Have people split into teams to discuss, gather different perspectives and compare ideas.
We’re proud of the fact that at Thrive, our platform places a big emphasis on collaboration and connection between teams. Hopefully your learning platform facilitates this, because it’s an effortless, enjoyable way for your people to collaborate and engage in team-based learning.
This could be as simple as sharing User Generated Content (UGC) and having a lively discussion in the comments. Or, it could look like making use of your platform’s communication features to collaborate across departments. Perhaps you organise a company-wide broadcast, and encourage people to discuss what they’ve learned in the live-chat.
These ways of team-based learning are particularly effective because they are so similar to the ways in which your teams share content and ideas within your personal life, therefore removing any potential barriers.
If you’re looking for a platform that can help you achieve this – and more – book a demo with a member of the Thrive team today.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.svg)
.svg)