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ATD Blog

How to Survive Any Training Change

Thursday, August 18, 2016
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“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

—Charles Darwin

The quote from Darwin is really all about reacting to and managing change. As we think about implementing a blended learning solution, we have to think about managing change as a crucial element. 

Think about who will be affected by a blended program: 

Learners: first and foremost, you are asking your learners to do something they may not be used to. Whether you are asking them to read articles, attend a webinar, or comment on a discussion board, it could be a very different learning experience than they expected. We have to think seriously about how we are going to manage the learners’ expectations of the program. 

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Facilitators: Many facilitators are used to being in a classroom from 9 to 5 every day for two days to teach a program. Now we are asking them to post online welcome messages, monitor discussion boards, facilitate in person, and do a webinar. 

Instructional designers and subject matter experts: These groups may not even work for the training department. Many times, they are borrowed resources who need to understand the reason for a change before they will embrace a new way of creating and delivering materials. They also need to be consulted early and often so they feel as if they are part of the change. 

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So how do we as learning professionals manage all this? By being ready for it! In ATD’s Blended Learning Certificate Program, you will be immersed in the blended instructional design process. This process can be used to keep all the moving parts working in harmony throughout any change. 

I look forward to seeing you in an upcoming program!

About the Author

Nancy Mikkelsen is passionate about the power of being positive and integrating that concept into everything she does. Nancy has over 25 years of experience in training and development in a variety of organizations ranging from large Fortune 500 companies to not-­‐for-­profit organizations. Her attitude, drive and skill at working at all levels within an organization and her ability to design, develop and deliver training has lead to positive results and a better bottom line. Nancy’s technical background led her to become a strong proponent of using the power of technology to transform learning. 

In addition to an engineering degree and extensive graduate work in Adult Education, Nancy has also been certified in a variety of educational tools such as the Kouzes/Posner Leadership Challenge and Career Coaching. She is also affiliated with Harvard Business Publishing delivering their Leadership Direct and Breakthrough Leadership Programs. 

Nancy is a National Member of ASTD and also served on several local chapter boards during her career. She also serves on several volunteer community boards. She devotes many hours to local community theater in Allentown both on and off stage.

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