TIPS FOR INTEGRATED AND IMPACTFUL LEARNING

AEI provides technical advisory services on monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning. Not only has AEI and its network of experts helped design multiple MERL systems, including research and learning agendas, but we’ve also coached clients through the process of holding high-level and high-profile learning events. These events—and learning in general—can elevate and even strengthen the reputation of the actor holding of the event. How you integrate and carry out learning is equally important as what you learn about. Some tips:

Integrate Learning

Very often, learning is carried out as a one-off report or event. Impactful learning requires integration throughout processes and at all levels of the organization. People’s positions and work should have time for reflection (think ‘what did you learn this week’ check-ins) and processing/adaptation (think ‘stand up’ pause and reflect sessions around specific topics). Learning is only meaningful if leadership members reflect on its importance to staff and share how they failed and learned.

Say Something New

For a learning event to be impactful and memorable, it must say something new. This could be done in many ways – either through a new topic, presenting an old idea in a new way (think infographics and implementation tips), or by carrying out the learning event in a new way (think small group discussion, joint presentations across actors, and so on). It’s important not to recycle existing ideas or carry out the same type of event as everyone else. Additionally, focus your theme on something current and relevant.

Showcase Others

There is a tendency to believe that learning must be internally focused, and any event only highlights the sponsoring organization. Our advice to clients is to showcase the work and learning of others and involve them in the publication/event/reflection. This builds goodwill and signals that the host is a convener focused on the big picture. Good will plus credibility as a convener lends itself to leadership. This way, an organization can go from simply hosting an event to becoming recognized as a thought and practice leader.

Leverage Your Learning

Learning can improve internal results and impact or establish technical leadership in a thematic area. In many cases, we’ve seen clients generate learning but fail to leverage it in either way. Leveraging internally requires making someone responsible for using the learning to adapt processes and approaches and holding them accountable for those changes. Externally, leveraging learning requires following up with interested parties, producing a document or report that is the next step in the iterative learning process, and communicating effectively.

Author:

Jocelyn Farrington is AEI’s co-founder and Senior Expert, renowned for her expertise in Strategic and Landscape Analysis and Technical Advisory Services, particularly in program design and learning. Her impressive track record includes over 20 years of executive-level experience in development organizations in West Africa, where she has successfully raised more than 500 million dollars for her clients.