April 17, 2023
Nobody loves undertaking training, CPD and assessments to remain compliant in their job. We do it because we must. Thankfully, learning, like many other areas of our lives, is subject to the growing contemporary customisation trend. Many different learning options are available to suit every learning style. The necessary training is accessible to everyone who needs it, and in a way that suits their preferences.
One of the biggest drivers in this kind of increased choice is the availability of information in this digital age. Not only can we quickly discover all the different learning options available for consideration, but we can also consume the actual training content this way if it suits our preferences. This article will compare only classroom-based in-person learning with e-learning options for MOT training and annual assessment fulfilment.
For MOT scheme providers, one of the main issues we hear from Testers regarding their annual training and assessments relates to the stress and anxiety this requirement causes them each year. As Dr Leah Lagos, a licensed clinical and performance psychologist, suggests, breaking down tasks which cause stress and anxiety: “into smaller, more manageable tasks is a key strategy for success. Small, achievable goals help to build confidence and momentum, leading to a greater sense of control and reduced stress and anxiety. Consistent, incremental progress is more sustainable and effective in the long run than trying to tackle everything at once.” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pressure-proof/202010/why-taking-small-steps-manage-anxiety-is-big-deal). Taking training in small manageable chunks throughout the year is the most effective way to reduce stress and anxiety associated with annual training and assessments for MOT Testers.
Another recent cultural shift in how we consume content has emphasised the passive consumption of quick, engaging, short-form content. Some would argue that there has been a notable impact on the length of our attention spans. At MOT Juice, we leverage this new trend by taking a multimedia approach, heavily biased towards bite-sized and relatable video content. Many people consider video content an easy-to-digest, accessible format for training content. It seems to positively impact long-term retention rates, particularly when used within a little and often framework, and even more so within communities.
Classroom learning has traditionally provided an arguably more interactive experience. Being face-to-face with a teacher allows the opportunity to receive a more personalised, customised learning experience with immediate and tailored feedback on questions. Engaging in group discussions offers expanded learning opportunities and prospects for industry networking. These aspects could benefit those who need greater learning support or who learn best through personal interaction.
An argument suggests that classroom-based learning in a community also promotes self-discipline and accountability. Attendance, punctuality and commitment are openly judged in these environments and completing training milestones on time is encouraged. However, many of these classroom-based advantages don’t apply to annual one-off training, more suiting ongoing training arrangements where consistent commitment is required.
One of MOT Juice’s values centres around building an industry community. We promote this by encouraging our Tribe to submit real-life questions and problem scenarios from the workshop floor, making our training relatable and practically applicable. We consider the different ways of approaching these scenarios in our training. Often, these discussions are extended within our client workshops as they evolve internal processes that encapsulate this learning.
One of the problems for MOT Testers is that the classroom learning offerings are likely formatted to cover a whole year’s worth of learning in a single day. Whilst some Testers love to wrap up their compliance training in a single day, others find that covering such a lot of material all in one day is counter-intuitive as they cannot easily retain much of it long term.
Access to resources used to be much greater in in-person learning environments than in study-at-home opportunities, but digital learning has flipped that on its head. At MOT Juice, our Tribe of dedicated MOT Tester learners can access all materials and teaching resources from all previous training. We also provide a growing range of free resources to take advantage of whenever you need them. These include:
> Our popular mock exam helping you feel well-prepared and less anxious about the final assessment;
> Our manuals library, which is growing on demand to meet your convenience;
> Our fast search testing guide and inspection manuals with accessibility panels for increased ease of access;
> And the incredible treasure trove of quick glance KPIs and comprehensive business data available within the paid system.
One cannot underestimate the convenience and flexibility of online learning when considering the logistical side of facilitating business learning. With the emphasis on learning at your own pace and a multimedia approach, learners find their engagement with the material is higher and retention rates better.
From the point of view of the business, classroom learning entails a whole host of expenses over and above the cost of the actual course. One must consider the likely additional expenses, such as travel and hospitality costs, the environmental impact of travel to and from the training centre, and the cost implication of employees being absent from BAU for a whole working day or more. If the average garage charges labour at £85/hr, over 8 hours that is a total of £680 in lost revenue just for one employee being absent for the day. A business can generate substantial cost savings by mandating employees train online in short, manageable chunks during day-to-day business hours.
At MOT Juice, we offer a bite-sized approach to training. We include as much video content in our training as possible, making consuming it quick, easy, and stress-free. Our CPD offering includes 15 minutes of monthly training, encouraging small but regular action. You can consume our annual training similarly and support it with other free resources like the mock exam, which as a stand-alone preparatory task. Why not use the MOT Juice mock exam to add an hour of curriculum training to your training?
At MOT Juice, what we recommend, and what some of our forward-thinking dealership clients do, is to follow along with the monthly training resources and then use this to ignite discussions within their teams to consolidate their learning, gain further clarity and evolve coherent well-informed business processes in line with new learnings.
On balance, everyone’s learning preferences will be different. The beauty of the digital age is that we can customise our learning based on our preferences. This results in more accessible education and better learner outcomes. E-learning is a beneficial and economical approach to training at work, which can leverage multimedia opportunities and techniques which make retaining information easier. The learning experience should, after all, be about accumulating new understanding, not ticking the right boxes at the right time. Consuming content in the way that works best for us will help us satisfy DVSA learning requirements in the most stress-free of ways.
MOTJUICE