There are many descriptions of traditional educational approaches to imparting knowledge to learners. In an earlier article, I used the classic term “Sage on the Stage” to define the role of the trainer. Knowledge banking highlights the overall process in a simpler more descriptive way.
Knowledge banking
“is an attempt to deposit knowledge into the learner’s head to be absorbed.”
Think of an ’empowering’ PowerPoint. Someone stands and delivers slides presenting “new” ideas, processes, skills… They may use pictures and videos, maybe data charts, and lots of colours. If you’re lucky the presenter might be able to muster some excitement in the captive audience. On a more serious note, there is an expectation that seeing or being told something once is enough. From this single exposure, the learner should understand, internalize, and recall it forever. The knowledge is deposited by the presenter, via the PowerPoint into the audience’s brains.
What are the issues with knowledge banking?
For many centuries, learning was viewed as imparting knowledge and wisdom from an elder on to the community. This is the essence of the idea of knowledge banking. However, the evidence shows this method can be very ineffective. The evidence has come from both learning psychology and advances in neurology. knowledge, skill, or process acquisition requires repeated and spaced repetition. Ideally, it requires active participation and engagement. All we can hope for from a knowledge banking approach is a few key concepts engaged into the short term memory. Neurology shows we can only handle about seven ideas at once. Physical, emotional, and environmental factors can help to reduce that further.
The knowledge banking approach assumes that everyone is on the same ability level. It assumes that everyone’s understanding of the situation is the same. It also assumes everyone’s experiences with the problem is the same. The truth is, that you’ll have people who’ve worked in the industry for one- day to 30 years in the same room. There is no single starting point that will engage all your audience. given the scenario, there is the possibility that the information is not new to everyone. In that situation, it can have the effect of consolidation and reinforcement. However, what if the ‘new’ information contradicts a participant’s lived experience? Chances are they’ve switched off and tuned out the speaker and disengaged.
Why do some people still think this is the right solution?
There are two key reasons, expectations, and perceived cost.
Expectations:
People think back to how they experienced education at school. They remember a teacher directing from the front of the classroom. They see this as the ‘model for education’ and expect it to be imparted in a similar fashion. Behind every PowerPoint presentation is someone who thinks it is the right solution.
The perceived cost-benefit:
It appears easier and cheaper to bring a trainer into an organization. Someone who will stand at the front of a large auditorium and preach to your employees below. They will deliver the agreed cooperate message, and it will be committed. If you spend just a few minutes checking the metrics, you’d see this approach has a limited effect. At its best, you may see a pickup for a brief period after the event. Eventually, the chances are things will go back to the status quo and do so quickly.
So, what is the solution:
Firstly, work with someone who knows what they’re doing in the adult learning space. You need to work with someone you trust who will help you identify the cause behind the issues. Then offer you meaningful approaches to address the issues.
What do we mean by the “cause behind the issue”?
If you’re looking to train staff, it often means there is a problem that you want to fix. You want to bring about change in the way something is done. First, it is a good idea to explore what is causing the issue to occur. Why are your staff not following the procedure? Why are they not performing as you would expect? Identifying the root cause will help lead to designing effective lasting fixes. Again, this is where working with the right person is essential. The right person is someone asking the right questions. The right person should be taking a holistic approach to finding a solution.
Here are some of the questions that I ask.
Environmental issues
• Do the employees have access to everything they need within their workspace?
• Does anything in the workspace prevent them from achieving the desired outcomes?
• Does everything in their work environment function in the way the employees expect?
Communication issues
• Has the idea or process been explained in a way that the employee fully understands the request? How do you know?
• Have the goals and reasoning behind them been clearly communicated? How do you know?
• How and when was the information communicated?
Management issues
• Who is this process or improvement for? Does it improve the employees’ working experience or is it for management’s gain?
• Are we addressing the root cause or avoiding the real issue?
Habit Issues
• Will the employee be using the process daily? Will it be a habit?
• Is this an infrequent process that they might need to know at some future date, dipping into it once every so often?
Motivational Issues
• Do employees understand the benefit the change will bring to them?
• How and why could they be resistant to the change?
• How could you help incentivise and motivate the change you want to see? [beware of the stick approach, the carrot is far more successful in the long term].
Skills issues
• What do they need to do, that they are not doing?
• How will this skill help them improve their daily work?
• Does everyone lack this skill? Is there someone who is demonstrating good practice?
• What does this skill look like?
Knowledge issues
• Do the employees need to know all the theory and background information? What is the minimum knowledge they need to know, to be able to function?
• What do they need to know to feel confident with that knowledge?
• How often will they be using the knowledge? Do they need to remember it by heart, or can we give them an aid to help them?
I normally help clients work through these questions. Then I am in a stronger place to begin suggesting meaningful solutions. This approach helps me deliver meaningful and lasting results to you.
Why is this approach more cost-effective?
I’ve already explored reasons why a knowledge banking approach is not cost-effective. Results from this approach are often short-lived at best.
My holistic approach to learning and development switches the focus to lasting results. The holistic approach helps find and address roadblocks that have occurred. Not all roadblocks need staff training to overcome them. There are many factors to consider before training is confirmed as part of the solution. When training is part of the solution it can be specifically targeted to those that need it. Training methods will focus on best practices from Neuroscience and Learning Psychology. This helps to ensure greater retention and in turn more impactful results.
A traditional knowledge banking approach may seem a cheaper, and quicker solution. My holistic approach will supply more sustained long-term improvements. It redress the balance and brings everything back into harmony. That alone makes it more cost-effective and sustainable.
