Micro-coaching as a blend to make e-learning more effective

• Main Author: NARAYANAN, Krishnan
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2019
• Subjects: E-learning; blended learning; learning outcome; effectiveness; coaching; mentoring; workplace learning; learning and development; corporate training; micro-coaching.; Educational Methods; Human Resources Management; Online and Distance Education; Organizational Behavior and Theory
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/etd_coll/216; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1216&context=etd_coll
• Institution: Singapore Management University

While e-learning has taken a stronghold as the de-facto training medium in knowledge intensive technology sector organizations, several factors have been hypothesized to influence the efficacy of training efforts, such as educator presence, interaction levels and individual motivation for development. This dissertation looks at one blended learning intervention that organizations can make use of to significantly improve the learning outcomes. The paper introduces micro-coaching, a new construct referring to brief coaching and mentoring interventions, that in conjunction with the e-learning sessions can improve cognitive as well as behavioral changes in individuals, which are key to improving learning and the resultant business performance. Initial insights for this dissertation were developed through a grounded theory research approach looking into the barriers to workplace blended learning adoption, inefficacies therein and how coaching interaction as a blend can help improve both the cognitive and behavioral aspects of such training. The importance and substantive validity of this issue was first explored and confirmed through a series of semi-structured interviews with six practitioners in the field that have responsibility for and experience with traditional face-to-face, on-line and blended delivery models in large international organizations. A field experiment was then conducted to test e-learning outcomes controlled for coaching and mentoring interventions. The results demonstrate support for the hypothesis that even minimalist coaching and mentoring interventions will not only improve cognition but also enhance retention and the participant’s motivation to learn further. The results are linked to on the job performance behavior. This dissertation contributes to the growing practice of workplace e-learning, blended learning and coaching by drawing attention to benefits of integration of training methods across the organization and suggests directions for further research. The practical results of the dissertation contribute to management theory by providing an effective option for organizations to convert line managers and internal subject matter experts into micro-coaches and improve e-learning effectiveness.