Design Culture, Immersion, and Visuo-Spatial Learning: Re-Envisioning Training

Abstract

Scholars have long identified transfer of training as an important component in the model of training and development (Cascio, 2019). This phenomenon refers to the extent to which competencies learned in training can be applied on the job (Burke & Hutchins, 2008; Machin, 2002). Researchers have identified several problems that have not yet been fully overcome (Cheng & Hampson, 2008). These include training and post-training work environments that foster weak relevance for practice and, thus, fail to stimulate motivation (Liebermann & Hoffmann, 2008) as well as environments that de-situate learning and, thus, fail to foster engagement (Cheng & Hampson, 2008). We explore design culture as a means for embedding immersion and visuo-spatial experiences. Researchers have recently expressed interest in design culture since its collaborative, multi-constituency processes offer promising means for effectively framing and solving complex problems (Edgell & Kimmich, 2015; Kimbell, 2012; Martin, 2009; Moustafellos, 2014; Seidel & Fixson, 2013). Traditional training relies heavily on coded language. In contrast, design processes embody a robust mixture of immersion experiences, coded language, and visuo-spatial techniques which may overcome the twin problems of de-situated learning and weak relevance. Qualitative results from a series of educational initiatives that use design thinking pedagogy to teach collaborative design processes are analyzed. The results compare software analyzed text to a priori codes. We conclude by identifying particular aspects of immersion and visuo-spatial techniques which hold high promise in helping trainers to solve transfer of training problems.

Keywords: transfer of training, revisioning training, design culture, design thinking, training models, self-efficacy, transformation