Zaid Nasser Al-Zaid
– Master’s in Human Resource Management
– Certified Professional Coach with 10 years of experience in career counseling and human resource development through training and program design
– Training program consultant for the Ministry of Human Resources, the Al-Wafa Healthcare Association, and the Regional Network Center.
One of the major companies invited me to attend a meeting to discuss my potential involvement in one of the learning journeys offered to a government ministry. The possibility of assigning me to design and facilitate a train-the-trainer learner eXperience was on the agenda. Interestingly, this learning journey had been conducted once before, and several challenges had been identified that hindered effective learning.
During an in-depth discussion about the challenges encountered in the first version of the journey, which hindered the achievement of the intended learning outcomes, I emphasized that the journey primarily focused on the training materials used to design and facilitate the learner experience. It also placed significant emphasis on pre- and post-assessment to measure the attainment of the learning outcomes. I brought to their attention the fact that the journey did not focus on the learner and failed to create an Active Deep Learner eXperience for individual participants.
After a round of discussions, we decided to conduct a one-hour learner experience in which FIRST-ADLX Framework is used to design and facilitate an Active Deep Learner eXperience. The date was set, and the topic, ‘Values and Skills in the Workplace,’ was chosen.
At the beginning of the design process, I conducted an analysis of the learners’ persona. They are employees in a major company with experience ranging from one to five years. They possess practical work experience and a high level of knowledge and education. They are interactive, have a strong sense of belonging, and are loyal to the company. In addition to that, they are eager to learn and explore new things.
Next, I identified the needs and desires in order to define the desired description of the learner eXperience. This included that the environment should align with their professional values, be professionally equipped, engaging, enjoyable, focused, and feature different clear deep learning activities.
Then, I moved on to designing the learning session itself, during which I learned a lot. With Allah’s guidance and what we learned, the session passed like minutes for both me, the facilitator, and the participants.
At the end of the learning session, I conducted self-assessment and reflected on the experience. I determined that prioritizing the note-taking process to capture the most crucial points raised by the participants during the facilitation was essential. Additionally, I successfully motivated the learners to establish connections between their real work environment and the learning activities and acquired knowledge. By sharing some of their personal experiences and relating what they learned to their reality, the learners were able to discover how to transform their learning into performance.
Implementing the “F” and “I” Domains of FIRST_ADLX Framework
Through the journey, the five domains of FIRST-ADLX Framework were implemented as follows:
Focusing on the Learner’s Behaviors
- Every single learner was provided with an opportunity to introduce herself, write down her name individually, choose a favorite symbol, and share the value she prioritizes.
- Each learner shared a work-related experience focusing on the importance of values, reinforced the distinction between values and skills, and answered questions about the impact of values on skill development.
- Each learner was given attention and appreciation, and each one was provided with an opportunity to share a story about overcoming the challenge of public speaking and personal development.
- The learners’ responses were carefully listened to and were used as a foundation for further discussion and exploration.
- While distributing them into groups, their years of service or experience was taken into consideration; starting from the most recently joined individuals and moving towards the ones who had been with the company the longest.
Interacting within Positive Group Dynamics
- Different opportunities for participation, interaction, and sharing experiences were provided, and the senior learners shared their insights about the factors contributing to their success of the company.
- The positive interaction between the learners was nurtured through continuous applause and exchanging positive constructive feedback.
- Each learner shared values that were present in their past experiences and values they wished to have.
- Many chances were given to the learners to share their feelings, thoughts and the impact of different experiences on them.
- The interaction between the learners was characterized by a high level of enthusiasm, positive spirit, and motivation to finish the tasks quickly.
- Appreciation gifts were distributed at the end (a book for each learner).
- Numerous words of encouragement, such as ‘Well done’ and ‘Great job,’ were used. Additionally, learners were applauded for remaining actively engaged in the activity and putting their mobile phones away to avoid distractions.
In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to SeGa Group and Mr. Mohamed Bahgat for giving us the opportunity to learn how to design and facilitate an Active Deep Learner eXperience using FIRST-ADLX Framework. As for the other domains, they have all been integrated into the design and facilitation, and I would be happy to share more details with you in the future.