The LRN approach to ethics and compliance education

In the London office we have a brochure called “The LRN approach to ethics and compliance education”. It defines the following ten key features of LRN’s approach to learning:

1. Legally accurate content
2. Progressive learning approach (Awareness, Knowledge, Skill)
• Goes beyond the laws, from conceptual understanding to practical analysis
• Adds variety to learning experience
• Organisation can choose level of proficiency required
3. Learner-centred design increases effectiveness and motivation
4. High impact, engaging presentations using rich media and interactivity increases involvement and active learning
5. Realistic business world scenarios make learning relevant
6. Validated learning assessments measure effectiveness and increase learner confidence
7. Customised instruction capabilities enhance relevancy and engagement
8. Extendable and adaptable tools for offline and blended learning
9. Opportunity to add supplemental or complementary creative learning experiences
• E.g. Games, posters, and video scenarios
10. Leading-edge technological innovation
• E.g. Avatars (3D characters that lip synch), Text-To-Speech (TTS), mobile delivery, and serious gaming

Two theories on adult learning are quoted as influencing the design of LRN courses:

1. (Robert) Gagne’s Learning Theory
2. (Malcolm) Knowles’s Learning Theory

This is correct, and they are still relevant even though they’re 50 years old, but what we should also add, what’s new, is our latest understanding of cognitive neuroscience (what we know about the brain and how it works). This is presenting us with more solid evidence for why we should design one way rather than another. Topics include:

1. Overload – The brain has limited processing (7+/-2 rule); benefits of a visual approach; provide learning when it is needed, not before.
2. Retrieve – We never lose anything from Long Term Memory, just the ability retrieve it, which is a function of how you encode it (number of links provided).
3. Engage - Unlike classroom environment, learners can walk away from a PC; Grab attention – make exciting, surprising, fun
4. Challenge - Learning benefits from being a challenge – targets, rewards, unattainable