Leveraging Technology in Learning & Development

Abstract

Abstract A Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) Learner's journey was driven primarily through the ‘traditional’ classroom environment, which is not conducive to modern learner learning needs. These face-to-face interactions have limited technology interfaces and do not meet the evolving demands of the present-day learner to upskill fast, improve employee engagements, and create efficiencies in Learning & Development. With PDO re-shapes its strategy to accelerate and evolve to energy efficiency, renewables, and decarbonisation, it is essential that employees also have the necessary skills to succeed. Therefore, PDO's Learning & Development (L&D) Academy had to re-shape its strategy on how it embraces innovations and technologies to serve modern learners best. Boost side-lined skills, so digital technology becomes part of the workforce's everyday working & learning lives. PDO's L&D provides a unique learning experience for each learner to cater for changes to the learning preferences of the modern learner, who not only want the latest learning programs to take place anywhere but also requires more personalised opportunities for engaging with their peers. PDO's L&D Academy has adopted a bifocal approach to create and sustain an innovative learning technology culture. The first part is the integration of PDO's Learning Management Systems (LMS) with other HR modules such as performance, and people analytics, which will provide PDO's employees with an integrated talent system. The second part is the transformation of PDO's Learning Technology Ecosystem, and this involves creating a pool of learning modalities leveraging technology to deliver immersive, contextual, and personalised learnings. PDO's L&D Academy has set up a Creative Multimedia Lab (CML) to introduce the various learning modes. The CML brings awareness to the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) to a broader population in PDO. It also provides the opportunity to demonstrate how can utilise these technologies to customise and enhance learning and the learner's experience. Developing these customised learnings will bring a superior experience to the learners and hence implant lifelong learning in the flow of work cultures in PDO in the long run.