The Power of Interdisciplinary Learning in Corporate Training

What is Interdisciplinary Learning?

Interdisciplinary learning sounds intimidating but simply put, interdisciplinary learning is the marriage of knowledge and skills from a variety of subject areas! But what does that even mean?

In a corporate training or learning and development setting, it means taking valuable content and competencies that may benefit your organisation and creating a unique training module or learning experience that will captivate and educate your colleagues.

For example, a compliance module about occupational health and safety can become more engaging with the use of a scenario based learning activity (Drama, English language arts), or a graphic analysis (visual arts).

Benefits of Interdisciplinary Learning in Corporate Training

One of the primary advantages of incorporating interdisciplinary learning into corporate training is the development of critical thinking skills. When we engage with concepts from multiple disciplines, we become adept at analysing problems from various angles. This multifaceted approach encourages innovative solutions, essential for navigating today’s complex business landscape.

Critical thinking is a valuable commodity and will remain so in the future. This idea of being able to think outside the box, or solve problems on the fly can be strengthened through interdisciplinary learning.

Additionally, interdisciplinary learning promotes collaboration. Team members from different backgrounds and expertise can come together to tackle challenges. This teamwork not only enriches the training experience but this can also build rapport among diverse teams, leading to improved communication and increased productivity.

For example, an edTech company is looking at soft-skills training to improve communication. HR will be able to promote the most commercially correct way to communicate, legal will be able to communicate in an authoritative way, teachers will be able to communicate in a way that is easiest to understand. Bringing together all these strengths will develop new skills and methods of communication.

Implementing Interdisciplinary Learning in Corporate Training Programs

For organizations looking to implement interdisciplinary learning, several effective strategies can be considered.

1. First, identify areas within the company where diverse knowledge integration could be beneficial. For example, combining technical training with insights from psychology can enhance customer service training by fostering a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour.

2. Next, organise workshops or training sessions that encourage collaboration among employees from different departments. Encourage cross-functional teams to share their unique perspectives and experiences.

3. Additionally, designing projects that require input from various disciplines can stimulate a deeper engagement with the material, making learning more applicable to real-world scenarios.

4. Lastly, evaluate and adapt the training content continuously. Collect feedback from participants to understand what elements are most effective. An iterative approach ensures that the training remains relevant and meets the evolving needs of employees and the organization.

Conclusion

TLDR;

The takeaway is this: combining interdisciplinary learning and corporate training is a foolproof strategy for developing a skilled, adaptive and resilient workforce for your organisation. By fostering critical thinking, encouraging teamwork, and facilitating the exchange of ideas, companies can better prepare their employees. Embracing interdisciplinary learning will not only enhance individual employee performance but drive overall organisational success.

Interdisciplinary Learning

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