Comments on: Labeling 70:20:10

By: The Institute for Performance and Learning | The 70/20/10 Model on our monthly Twitter Chat

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 19:36:09 +0000

[…] Clark Quinn […]

By: Amir Elion

Amir Elion — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 03:42:30 +0000

Hi Clark,
I understand what you’re saying about the numbers maybe causing uncomfort for people.
However, I actually think it’s good to use that title to get people’s attention. Otherwise they may dismiss the main assertion behind the model that we’re barking up just one tree when there’s a whole wood out there…
I am running a special session on 70-20-10 next month in a learning conference, trying to make it less of a 10% experience as of itself and waiting to see the reactions and understanding of participants who are less familiar with it.
Amir

By: Clark

Clark — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 16:34:36 +0000

Mark, I think the pushback is different than with Bloom’s. Bloom’s has been discredited (see Brenda Sugrue’s evisceration). The attacks on 70:20:10 are more about the numbers than the substance. They like the concept, hate the labeling (as I understand it).

Chris, yes, self-report is dodgy, but there’re a variety of converging studies that show roughly the same thing (Jay Cross documented a number in his book Informal Learning). But the numbers are the wrong focus! The point is that formal learning is valuable (when done right, ahem) *in the right place*: novices who don’t know what’s important or why. But L&D could and should also look at facilitating social interaction, performance support, coaching/mentoring, etc, and many don’t (see Towards Maturity’s latest report). So the source and accuracy of the numbers aren’t as important as the perspective to go beyond the course. And the fact that the scope is big, regardless of accuracy, is what we should be paying attention to, for the sake of our organizations.

By: Chris Rogers

Chris Rogers — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 20:20:40 +0000

It would be interesting to see polls on the formal/informal/trial-and-error question taken under different methods: face-to-face interviews; anonymous surveys; and observations. To the point: These methods have been shown to net disparate results because of their varying levels of objectivity, personal bias, and pride, and this could be the case whether you’re asking them for their political voting records or their favorite soft drink. If someone is interviewing me personally, I may be inclined to tell them what I *want* them to hear from me and think about me as opposed to what my true answer might be. It’s deep in the American cowboy spirit (and yes, I’m an American, I love America, and I love cowboys) to make a stand on “I did it myself,” or in this case, “I learned it myself, not from some class my boss made me attend.”

So … Might the survey methods have some influence on the numbers?

By: Marty King

Marty King — Mon, 13 Apr 2015 18:45:11 +0000

I like it too. I’ve used it to help managers and employees understand the role of the training department. 70:20:10 kind of reminds me of the 80/20 Rule.

By: Mark Sheppard

Mark Sheppard — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 19:12:51 +0000

I think 70:20:10 is suffering the same malaise as Bloom’s Taxonomy. Bloom himself is reputed to have said that his book was one of the most referenced and least read texts in Education. It’s a symptom of our rapid-in-your-face-information-age that we tend to glom onto something at a superficial level without taking the time to engage in critical thinking about whether or not it’s even right for what you need. Then, of course, people are “surprised” that it doesn’t work or look like the whole numbers in its title.

Perhaps you’re right and it shouldn’t be called a model after all. Of course, we have been saying that about ADDIE and it’s as zombie-like as Dale’s Cone.

By: Clark

Clark — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 17:41:25 +0000

I note that Charles Jennings has written quite a bit about his take on the model, and here’s a good post about what’s important in the 70:20:10 framework (disclaimer: Charles is a colleague in the ITA): http://charles-jennings.blogspot.nl/2015/01/702010-above-all-else-its-change-agent.html