If last week’s chat2lrn Twitter chat on ‘What #learners want’ is anything to go by, it would seem that L&D professionals are divided on what to call the very people they are supporting.
Below are some of the tweets from last week’s chat that show some of the views on the topic. So, who’s right? And does it matter? Please feel free to add a comment.
What’s in a name? Can I call you a ‘learner’?
Last week’s chat2lrn Twitter chat on ‘What learners want’ touched on the issue of what to call the people L&D teams are there to support. Here are some of the tweets on the issue.
Storified by Martin Couzins· Mon, Apr 08 2013 02:53:50
#chat2lrn @chat2lrn Don’t call them learners would be a start…Andrew Jacobs
a4) So why don’t we just stop calling them "learners" right now? Now. #chat2lrnpatti Shank PhD CPT
Q4 @charlesjennings – do you think L and D see their customers as learners or workers? #chat2lrnlaura Overton
@lauraoverton Many L&D professionals see their customers as ‘learners’ (or even ‘patients’ !) not ‘workers’, ‘colleagues’ etc. #chat2lrncharles Jennings
a5) going back to @charlesjennings point should we stop calling people learners and call them employees/workers? #chat2lrnlesley Price
Q5) Stop thinking of them as LEARNERS but as people who need to know how you can help them to do their jobs effectively #chat2lrnjane Hart (C4LPT)
Q5) LEARNERS implies they need to study or memorise something, when that is probably the last thing they need chat2lrnJane Hart (C4LPT)
@c4lpt always interesting to see how L&D folk frame power relationships (ie, "learner") chat2lrnJane Bozarth
@judithels @pattishank whats wrong with learner. its nice, its true, its respectful #chat2lrnhenry Stewart
Qwrap) Take-away: eliminating the term "learner" can change thinking in a productive way #chat2lrntom Spiglanin
qwrap) chat2lrn Education – school and university – has LEARNERS; the workplace has WORKERS (learning is just one aspect of working)Jane Hart (C4LPT)
@ColinSteed @pattishank @happyhenry Yes, we are all learners. I call people whatever is appropriate. The chat2lrn was about ‘learners’ :-)J Christian-Carter
Learning Styles"a testament to the gullibility of even well-informed individuals who should know better" goo.gl/HrzmS @guywwallaceCharles Jennings
[Picture credit: Billy Alexander]
