Push Learning

A traditional approach to learning with information, which has been selected by someone other than the learner, being delivered to a learner, typically by a teacher or a controlled sequential online training programme.

The pre-selected information is what is considered by those choosing it to be the appropriate information needed to pass onto learners.

This type of approach is commonly taken within organisations wishing to evidence their employees have been exposed to training which involves regulatory, compliance or funding requirements.

For work-based situations the primary outcome is often a confirmatory tick in a box to indicate that this has been achieved.

The extent of any learning that might take place can be quite variable depending on the subject matter and interest of the learner. Quite often very limited learning takes place. However, as a primer to help start the learning process off for some learners this push approach might be quite effective, especially where it gives them the confidence to progress further.

To enable a depth of learning to take place, rather than sometimes for a learner to just to be seen to be going through the motions then there is a need to ensure a learner is able to make an emotional connection with what the subject matter.

Understanding learners concerns and needs, as well as organisation requirements, and designing a course which embraces a range of sensory stimuli will produce an improved learner outcome. This is in contrast to the more traditional approach of pushing pre-selected information, which is often presented in a dry, unattractive and unengaging way, to a learner: This person might be better seen as an attendee rather than a learner.See also Pull Learning.