Maximize the Potential of Your Team: The Benefits of Cohort Learning

^{By DeEtta Jones}

For people keen on maintaining relevance and thriving in the ever-changing world of work, the prioritization of lifelong learning is undeniable. On the other hand, most of us are pretty busy. Our discretionary time is limited, and increasingly we are choosing more balance in our lives. Recognizing these factors, a cohort learning experience might be the right fit for you and your team.

What is Cohort Learning?
Cohort learning is a structured educational experience involving a group of colleagues. The curriculum is relevant to everyone in the group, and the design facilitates sharing ideas and practices. In this environment, colleagues connect in different ways than in their typical workday and have the added benefit of professional facilitators who can reinforce practices that support behaviors and principles that will be beneficial beyond the learning experience and, importantly, knowledge transfer.

“Learning in this cohort environment can increase student success rates due to interaction and accountability. Students also often have access to the instructor and can ask other classmates for help and collaboration, giving them a satisfying sense of community and purpose…”
- Forbes, 2021   

Adult Learning Is Different:
Children experience the world with eyes and hearts wide open. They take it all in, whether or not they understand what they are experiencing or see it as immediately important to them. Adults do not. We are much more discriminating. We seek information that is or appears to be relevant to us based on filters that have been carefully created throughout our lives. More than not, we skip over or discount new information that does not seem actionable in the near future, not because we are short-sighted but often because our minds feel too full already with other competing information and priorities.

“In a workplace that moves so fast, it was extremely beneficial to take the time for self and peer reflection to really see areas of opportunity for improvement - something everyone can benefit from.”    
- Dennis T., Well-Being and Morale course

Adults Learn Best When:

• We understand the relevance of the content and learning outcomes to our daily life
• We feel motivated and understand how to apply what we learn
• The structure of the experience is simple, well-designed, and responsive to various learning style preferences
• We can process what we are learning with others who have similar experiences as us and who can help us reinforce the application of the learning in our context

“It was good to come together with others in my organization and take time to grapple with issues of equity and inclusion.”
- Susan W., Reducing the Negative Impact of Bias in the Workplace course participant

The DJA Approach:

• Build a baseline of awareness of research-based concepts and language
• Link foundational concepts (re: culture and facilitation skills) to action
• Facilitate participants learning with and from each other
• Integrate experience-based learning for deeper processing and potential for impact

The DJA design and delivery are built on our decades of experience working with tens of thousands of working adults around the globe. We blend research-based concepts and adult learning principles and emphasize practical application in your workplace environment. Participants work with skilled facilitators and experts in their fields. The learning experience is multi-layered to meet a wide variety of learning styles, including:

• Video overview of main concepts
• Practical application/scenarios/case studies
• Discussion boards and chat
• Live interactive sessions

If you are responsible for talent development, human resources, equity, diversity, and inclusion, or any management or senior leadership function, contact us! We would love to help you maximize your team’s training experience by enrolling a cohort in any of our upcoming courses, mini-courses, or other custom learning programs.

“The Inclusive Managers Toolkit gave me concepts and tools, backed by research, that I was able to put to work immediately, and that resulted in improvements in the team and growth in myself.”
- Tiffany S., Inclusive Manager’s Toolkit participant

Your team, equipped with DJA’s content and expert facilitators, can move through the material together and help you practice and use new tools, techniques, and language in your work environment.