BBC opts for "blended" learning
The BBC is training its managers to move away from command-and-control leadership and towards a more facilitative style.
A total of 100 BBC managers have piloted two facilitative team-leadership skills e-learning courses, which show how teams can be more productive when managers use facilitation skills to clarify objectives and improve team relationships.
Some 75 per cent of the managers reported that they learned “a significant amount” from the courses, which they felt were a good cultural fit within the BBC. Around 80 per cent said the courses, supplied by blended-learning specialist Balance Learning, were easy to use and two thirds said the learning provided practical help and advice that they could readily implement, to improve their team’s performance.
“Blended” resources combine online learning courses, classroom resources and action-based learning activities.
“Leading Work Teams 1: Leadership and Teamwork” introduces facilitation and shows how leaders can use it to improve teamwork and meet objectives. The course examines what it takes to be a facilitative leader, how to adopt a facilitative style, how to improve group dynamics and develop team trust, and how to set guidelines for performance, establish clear goals and grow a team through stages.
“Leading Work Teams 2: Facilitating Team Communication” shows how facilitative leadership can make meetings and team relationships more productive. It develops a student’s ability to facilitate a team meeting,guide a team to resolve problems and make effective decisions. It also offers practical strategies for managing problems or conflicts between team members,handling difficult meeting situations and getting the best out of each individual in a meeting.
Designed to be viewed at the desktop through a web browser, the online courses have been accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management,under its Quality Assured award framework. Authored using Flash MX technology,they use minimum bandwidth and they do not require any additional course-player software. They can be hosted either externally, and accessed using the internet,or deployed on a corporate intranet. The BBC ran the courses on its online learning intranet, learn.gateway.
The accompanying skills-based classroom resources include a set of customizable PowerPoint slides, a trainer’s script in Word format,exercises, role plays and a choice of related media resources, such as short video clips that trainers can use to enhance a face-to-face session.
Balance Learning has also developed a new software system that “manages”the entire blended-learning process. The system provides a tool through which trainers can survey students and managers to understand their needs, monitor completion and success of the e-learning components, customise and edit classroom materials and schedule and monitor completion of post-course activities. The information provided through use of the system facilitates the trainer’s ability to provide thorough evaluation reports.
The BBC received a large number of applications to take part in the pilot,after issuing an open invitation to all its managers and team workers.
“We believe our managers will be more effective, and achieve greater buy-in from their teams, if they use a facilitative style of leadership, rather than a command-and-control approach,” said Louise Katz, learning executive responsible for delivery of all leadership and executive development at the BBC.“We are established users of online training, and our culture is conducive to desktop learning, so we were keen to test out the online elements of these blended programmes.”
The BBC has now selected Balance Learning as one of its preferred suppliers of online learning and blended learning resources. “The feedback was very positive,” Louise Katz continued. “The courses give a very good understanding of facilitative leadership and team dynamics. They are easy to navigate, convenient to use and they will enhance our training portfolio.”
Balance Learning subsequently demonstrated its full blended-learning approach to development advisers and executives from 14 of the BBC’s 17 divisions. The company ran an interactive workshop, showing how its complementary live training session builds on the online learning, and it also gave examples of its structured follow-on activities.
“Our development advisers and executives really liked the blended approach and thought it was effective,” said Louise Katz. “The workshops can be tailored to suit the needs of individual groups and they help to avoid the feelings of isolation that can result from online learning. The scheduled follow-up activities cement the learning messages and ensure the learning is actually put into practice.”
