LITERATURE REVIEW FOR

CAPSTONE PROJECT
Topic: Designing and developing fundamental skills using learning design and
technology among adult learners in the workplace to deliver enhanced
stakeholder experiences.

FALL 2021
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
By Mihika Basu
Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2

Key Concepts and Foundational Research ........................................................................................... 3

Using Learning Design and Technology Fundamental Skill Development in Healthcare .......................... 5

Using Learning Design and Technology for Fundamental Skill Development in STEM ............................. 9

Using Learning Design and Technology for Human-Centric Professions ............................................... 11

Criticisms of Using Learning Design and Technology for Fundamental Skill Development ..................... 13

Recommendations and Theoretical Implications................................................................................ 13

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 14

References ...................................................................................................................................... 15

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Introduction
The 21st Century workforce is developing fast, and adult learners from diverse fields, in different stages
of their career, are seeking growth and development opportunities within organizations. As
organizations continue their focus on technical skills, adapting, relying on, and using technology has
become a hallmark of progressive work culture. For the workplace to maintain pace and develop
comprehensively, an accelerated focus on developing, refining, and evaluating fundamental skills is
further needed.

Fundamental skills were traditionally referred to and perceived as “soft skills” or those that are easier to
acquire. However, this fallacy is being increasingly dispelled as organizations place enhanced value on
them. Calling these skills “soft skills” severely undermines the value they bring to organizations.

Fundamental skills are not just actively sought during the initial hiring and recruitment process but are
also re-emphasized during the development of an employee's career advancement programs. Today,
there is less of an emphasis on the word “soft” as it is being replaced by “fundamental”, a skill that is
transferable and valuable in delivering unparalleled stakeholder experiences. For this review and
because of their inherent ability to create positive organizational attitudes and behaviors, these skills
are referred to as fundamental skills throughout the scope.

As a variety of organizations build their stakeholder base, the importance of using fundamental skills as
an anchor for quality customer experience is undeniable. Stakeholders are both the internal (members
of an organization) and external (clients) recipients of fundamental skills. An effective workforce deals
deftly with external customer challenges and collaborates successfully with internal stakeholders. In
both cases, for the best outcome, the workforce should be prepared and trained to use fundamental
skills to maximize customer satisfaction and simultaneously improve internal employee engagement.

Stakeholder Engagement requires a high degree of technical skill along with robust development of
fundamental skills for an employee. Integrating learning design and technology for enhancing
fundamental skill development accelerates the growth of core competencies within the organization. A
symbiotic exchange between professionals like instructional designers, learning experts, and technical
content experts lays strong organizational and stakeholder foundations which lead to improved
outcomes. A successful continuum of improvised fundamental skills demands a learning infrastructure
and sustained training efforts. Companies can expect good Return on Investment and better alignment
on company vision and employee action.

This review is a starting point for organizations and individuals aiming to hone competitive professionals
who are success-ready, equipped with the fundamental skills advantage. Further, with $82.5 billion
being invested in training yearly in the US alone, the envelope for how we develop our employees needs
to be pushed mindfully (Freifeld, 2020). The flexibility of fundamental skill training makes it capable of
being customized according to organizational needs and people needs, across career levels. Though

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fundamental skills training is not an uncommon occurrence in organizations, the content, consistency,
and quality need to be more innovatively and critically developed.

Key Concepts and Foundational Research

Fundamental skills are not inborn, they need to be cultivated in an organized, purposeful, and consistent
manner. We can best define them as personal, social, and emotional skills that help us flourish in
personal and collaborative contexts. While they can develop in conjunction with technical skills,
emphasizing on cultivating fundamental skills can be a major driver in developing a high-quality,
desirable and transferable skill set that is used in organizations for internal and external engagement.
Sharma (2018), indicates that fundamental skill development can lead to an increase in the
employability quotient of graduating students who are seeking to join the workforce. Additionally,
fundamental skills are perceived to be 85% of the reason for long-term success in jobs (Rao, 2014).
Traditionally, fundamental skills were used and valued more in service-oriented professions, than
technically-driven professions. However, the current workplace demands these skills across a varied
nature of professions. Therefore, fundamental skills become an “enabler” to enter and stay abreast of
the demands in today’s workforce (Sharma, 2018).

Due to the varying types of fundamental skills, it is challenging to categorize them into water-tight
compartments. For the scope of this review, we will focus on the frameworks and employability skills
that Cleary et al (2007) have provided. They suggest that the groundwork for fundamental skill
development should be laid in higher education institutes and later accelerated in the workplace. Their
Employability Skills Framework (Cleary et al, 2007) is a defined list of skills, with different functions, that
are relevant across career levels, from entry-level to leadership. They can vary in complexity, usage, and
purpose. According to Cleary et al (2007), these skills are:

1. Communication skills that contribute to productive and harmonious relations between

employees and customers
2. Teamwork skills that contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes
3. Problem-solving skills that contribute to productive outcomes
4. Self-management skills that contribute to employee satisfaction and growth
5. Planning and organizing skills that contribute to long-term and short-term strategic planning
6. Technology skills that contribute to the effective execution of tasks
7. Life-long learning skills that contribute to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and
company operations and outcomes
8. Initiative and enterprise skills that contribute to innovative outcomes.

Further, Cleary et al (2007) define their framework by four elements:

● They are multi-functional and meet several different priorities and demands of daily life.
● They are relevant across multiple fields, from creative to scientific and professional to personal.
They help individuals develop a sense of social connectedness.

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 ● They address varying levels of mental complexity and foster an introspective, independent, and
yet interconnected approach.
● They are multi-dimensional and are bolstered by analytical, social, cultural, and communication
skills that are relevant to different career levels in organizations.

To further refine these skills, into their basic elements, we can define these as interpersonal and
intrapersonal skills. Interpersonal skills would include those skills that are mostly developed in social
settings, like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Intrapersonal skills are those that
are practiced and cultivated in a self-driven manner and can be used for personal and social and
professional settings. These broad groups are, therefore, not watertight compartments. They are areas
of fluidity and dynamic improvement. Diversity and inclusion are fundamental skills that organizations
need to train their workforce in, to advance towards more inclusive decision making (Towards more
Inclusive Organizational Decision Making, 2018). Inculcating a lens for diversity and inclusion in
organizational decision-making can support organizational success.

The following key themes and concepts are critical to this review:

● Learning Design- Purposeful learning curriculum designed for specific audiences. It is done with
specificity and measurability. Learning through design is an intended outcome of a planned set
of objectives and not a result of incidental learning.
● Learning Technology- Tools and technologies that are intended and purposefully used to aid the
learning design.
● Organizational and Workplace Learning- Learning that is aimed to address varying needs for
different levels of employees with different skills and fluencies within an organization.
● Fundamental (or essential) Skills- Skills that were traditionally called “soft” skills. However,
because of the value and transferability that they bring to organizations, calling them “soft”
skills would undermine their relevance.
● Multimedia Approaches- Approaches that use digital, audio, visual, tabular, and other
technological elements to aid learning processes in specific groups
● Self-Driven Learning-When learners navigate their learning from the initial stages (objectives) to
the final stages (evaluation and reflection).
● Connectedness- The ability for a learner to connect and contextualize the content learned.

In summary, as we develop content, training, and infrastructure for fundamental skill development, we
must also consider how we can effectively evaluate them. A robust fundamental skill program would
keep learning at the core, and use tools and technology to aid it.

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Using Learning Design and Technology Fundamental Skill
Development in Healthcare
The healthcare field requires professionals to be highly trained in a variety of technical competencies.
While technical training is an absolute non-negotiable in this industry, the development of fundamental
skills is imperative to fostering a workforce that is equipped to deal with both, the scientific, applied side
and the humane side of healthcare. From doctors, nurses, and paramedics who are directly involved in
the patient care side, to those indirectly involved, such as sales, research personnel, and other staff,
training and development of fundamental skills is essential across the board.

The “patient is the fulcrum around which the medical profession revolves” (Sharma, 2021). The patient
care experience is defined by the fundamental skills that healthcare professionals develop, and
therefore, patients are the primary recipients of these skills. Everyday essential work like the diagnosis,
prognosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients can be developed by an organized and sustained
learning program (Sharma, 2021). Furthermore, building trust among patients and creating an
atmosphere of understanding can lead to an increased reputation for medical professionals. This would
mean that both internal (medical staff) and external (patients) stakeholders in the healthcare field are
significantly benefited by the intentional, organized development and implementation of fundamental
skills.

A non-negotiable, fundamental skill in healthcare is compassion. We often assume that compassion is an

innate characteristic and not a learned skill. However, research suggests that compassion is an
instrumental skill that must be learned and developed through patient-centered programs and
initiatives. Compassion training is a structured and organized instructional method that is intended to
cultivate compassion among healthcare providers to enhance the patient experience. It is
predominantly used to reduce the distance between the healthcare provider and patient and is
currently commonly used for palliative care among patients with cancer, heart disease, and other
advanced conditions (Sinclair et. al, 2016).

In 2020, the palliative care market was valued at $11, 200B million and it is projected to grow to over
$25B, 200 by 2030 (Businesswire, 2021). Palliative care focuses on enhancing the quality of life for those
with advanced conditions through caring for their psychological and emotional needs in addition to their
medical needs. Fundamental skill development specifically for providers attending to palliative care
patients would mean the creation of instruction anchored in compassion, communication, empathy, and
problem-solving.
Compassion training is at the core of developing the human and interactive side of healthcare. Sinclair et
al (2016), conducted detailed qualitative research on compassion training, focussing particularly on
cancer patient perspectives. A group of patients in an urban hospital in Canada were interviewed in
private settings by a palliative care consult team. They received valuable inputs from patients on how
compassionate care can be elevated, even in instances of physical pain. Interviews were conducted

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using a list of insightful questions based on virtues and the development of compassion. Results were
classified broadly across three categories (compassion aptitude, cultivating compassion, and training
methods.). While it was identified that compassion is a baseline virtue, it was also established that
compassion can be taught and developed from a pre-existing base (Sinclair et al, 2016).

Delivering compassionate, patient-centered experiences and facilitating compassion in healthcare is

dependent on relationship building. These happen in situations where care providers view patients
beyond their condition, and as individuals with unique stories (Sinclar et al, 2016). Consequently, this
creates an emotional resonance and a human connection that elevates their care experience.
Additionally, for furthering the reach and impact of their care, healthcare providers must be exposed to
a non-prescriptive, non-didactic mode of instruction that anchors itself in addressing the patients’
holistic (spiritual, financial, emotional, social) needs through an emphasis on interpersonal
communication skills and dialogue (Sinclar et al, 2016). Examples of these include role modeling and
reflective practices to strengthen training and development. Role modeling and creating clinically
simulated environments are essential to creating prompt, customized, and proactive care. Reflecting on
experiences of patients suffering and dying can not only lead to personal reflection but is a powerful
tool for navigating highly distressing circumstances.

Overall, enriched communication skills with an emphasis on interpersonal communication, dialogue, and
compassionate communication should be considered major drivers in fundamental skills cultivation in
healthcare. While the healthcare industry has already started dedicated efforts to enhance the learning
of compassionate care in some places, it must become a widely accepted reality. Compassion training
programs grounded in clinical communication development, clinical simulation, and patient-centered
care are the way forward. A sustained focus on creating simulated e-learning content mirroring clinical
setups, integrating people-centric values into curriculum design, and consistently evaluating the efficacy
of these programs would solidify the importance of compassionate care among both care providers and
recipients.

Hernández-Martínez et al (2020), determined a direct relationship between simulated training and

anxiety levels of nurses dealing with critical patients and emergencies. The simulated training modules
included content that was relevant to both, technical and fundamental skill development. A group of
503 senior-level nursing students was studied during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. As
hospitals were overburdened with patients, and the staff was limited, nursing students were willing to
assist. They had little preparation for dealing with emergency scenarios and critical cases but took it in
their stride to serve their community. After being studied from March to April, it was found that over
27% of these students worked with no supervision and had no experience in critical care. Most students
had received both technical and fundamental skills training via computer-based simulation previously.
Fundamental skill training included building teamwork and collaboration between coworkers and
communication with patients and families receiving palliative care. Likert scales, questionnaires, and
anonymous surveys were used to extract both qualitative insights and empirical data that articulated
the benefit of training nurses for emergency scenarios. It was concluded that the nurses who had been
exposed to simulated training scenarios had reduced anxiety levels when dealing with emergencies,

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critical patients, and their families. The key observation here was that exposure to simulated versions of
emergency medical scenarios can aid the process of priming providers for real, unanticipated medical
situations. Simulations can alleviate anxiety levels and increase preparedness for future pandemics and
health emergencies. Additionally, if implemented in a disciplined way, on a large scale, it can also reduce
strains on national health systems while preparing students and trainees to assist in demanding times.

Mindfulness-based training (MBT) can encourage a more personalized, positive, and enhanced patient
care approach by equipping healthcare providers with the right tools, mindsets, and behaviors to
perform in mentally and physically demanding circumstances. We cannot have a robust healthcare
infrastructure without individuals who are psychologically equipped to address straining circumstances.
Spinelli et al. (2019) conducted a study to observe the effects of mindfulness training in healthcare
practitioners who are often exposed to distressing circumstances. Stress and burnout are directly linked
to poorer performance among healthcare workers, reduced clinical competency, and poorer quality of
patient experience. Therefore, a combination of meditation and rhythmic breathing was taught through
online programs, games, and facilitator-led training, aimed to increase alertness, reflectiveness, and self-
compassion in stressful situations. Using methods to psychologically prepare and relieve anxiety levels
through instructor-led mindfulness can be greatly beneficial to any high-stress workplace. This
contributes to the intrapersonal skill of self-management referenced in the Employability Skills
Framework by Cleary et al (2007). In this case, it can provide a better clinical demeanor, comfort with
patients, and increased collaboration among coworkers.

Persson (2016) emphasizes the use of a human-centered approach in training healthcare professionals
today. This approach is iterative, user-centric, and encourages user involvement in the design process. It
also includes a team of multi-disciplinary experts (from learning specialists to medical professionals) and
focuses on a variety of contexts. Several learning materials like games, simulations, and augmented
reality were used for different application areas such as surgery, anesthesia, maxillofacial surgery, and
critical care. It was observed that using a human-centered approach was vital in fundamental skill
development as it gave different stakeholders varied levels of power in the process. Because the design
process was interactive and collaborative, we can extrapolate that technical-focussed training should be
complemented with a human-centered approach to elevate both the learners’ development of
fundamental skills and the nature of care patients consequently receive. The human-centered approach
also fuels our intrapersonal skills, like initiative and enterprise skills because of the connection we
establish with the learning material.

As we continue to study the effects of learning design and technology, we continue to realize the
importance of web-based simulations not just for critical and responsive care scenarios that require
immediacy, communication, and self-management, but also in preventative scenarios that require
healthcare providers to educate and empower patients. Tong et al (2012) set up a virtual clinic where
healthcare providers were trained through various navigated scenarios to assist pregnant women to quit
smoking during pregnancy and beyond. An ideal example of human-centered design, this training
included simulations, lectures, and interviews that equipped healthcare workers to convince expectant
mothers about a huge lifestyle and behavior modification. An all-electronic simulation is the best way to

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proceed as live simulations have ethical implications attached. Because of ethical implications, while
conducting live simulations of critical patients, we have to navigate towards a more user-friendly, web-
based simulation, where we do not invade the vulnerability and the dilemmas that critical care patients
face (Beal et al., 2017). Therefore, it is becoming increasingly necessary to use web simulated
environments to train professionals in both technical and fundamental skills.

Lazarus (2013) advocates for the need to cultivate fundamental skills specifically among leadership in
healthcare. Due to the need for leadership to be responsive to crises, represent their teams, and be the
voice of their communities, they must be trained with fundamental skills such as communication.
Lazarus (2013) suggests that leadership gaps and challenges within the healthcare field must be bridged
by equipping early career physicians for leadership, using leadership training and coaching.

Healthcare extends beyond medicine. It is only when the humane element enters the picture, does it
transform the way healthcare professionals approach their patients. The nature of the healthcare field
requires promptness and responsiveness to both, emergencies and corrective situations. While the
healthcare industry has already started dedicated efforts to enhance the learning of compassionate care
in some places, it must become a widely accepted reality. Compassion training programs grounded in
clinical communication development, clinical simulation, and patient-centered care are the way forward.
A sustained focus on creating simulated e-learning content mirroring clinical setups, integrating people-
centric values into curriculum design, and consistently evaluating the efficacy of these programs would
solidify the importance of compassionate care among both care providers and recipients, while
strengthening both interpersonal and interpersonal skills.

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Using Learning Design and Technology for Fundamental Skill
Development in STEM
Engineering and STEM professions are demanding, requiring a fast synthesis of vast data, empirical
research, and innovation. STEM professionals must constantly engage with technology in a time-
sensitive, structured, and analytical manner to solve complex problems. They are faced with situations
that require immense use of both interpersonal and intrapersonal fundamental skills like planning,
collaboration, problem-solving, and communication.

Doran (2019) suggests that fundamental skills are the core differentiators in the AEC (Architecture,
Engineering, and Construction). They need to be valued, cultivated, and consistently evaluated in the
field. Fundamental skills impact the “bottom line” of any business and the lack of these skills cause a
variety of problems like lower profitability, customer service, budget issues, and delayed project
schedules (Doran, 2019). Using a planned and structured learning approach, aided by technology can
bring momentum and results to STEM professionals navigating an increasingly global world.
STEM professionals must hone their complex problem-solving abilities through acquiring fundamental
skills, like nuanced dialogue and communication. We need to deviate from traditional methods and
move towards the development of fundamental skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-
solving through more learner-centric tools and programs.

Grady (2001) studied technology integration in a group of engineers for 18 months. Efforts to integrate
technology into engineering education were aided by purposeful learning strategies like the
establishment of a Center for Excellence in Engineering Education, lunchtime instructional seminars to
incite exchange and collaboration, seminars to focus on instructional technology use, and a capstone
course in systematic instructional design (Grady, 2001). It was observed that instructional technology-
enabled active learning and dialogue, provided practical connections to content-based learning,
improved collaboration, problem-solving, and communication. Therefore, to navigate complex
engineering problems, one must be equipped with both interpersonal and intrapersonal fundamental
skills.
Hirudayaraj et. al (2021) emphasize that entry-level engineers need an augmented focus on
fundamental skill development, specifically in the area of interpersonal fundamental skills.
Communication is not just defined by speaking and expression, but also the need to actively listen and
comprehend to audiences. The Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) outlines
outcomes and skills that are critical to the success of entry-level engineers. As the workforce becomes
increasingly global and demanding, skills that are “nice to have” become “must-have” (Hirudayaraj et
al.,2021). The next step in STEM education, as identified by the STEM connector’s Innovation Task Force
(SITF), is to master the context that demands teamwork, leadership skills, business acumen, and an
ability to “navigate across global organizations” (Hirudayaraj, 2021). We cannot master working in teams
if we do not focus on creating instruction around group conflict resolution and communication. The
survey involved respondents (senior practitioners, managers, and recruiters of entry-level engineers)

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who measured the importance of a set of fundamental skills required for successful employees and
compared it with the proficiency needed. They were asked questions in both, a qualitative and
quantitative style, where they were to address questions on their organizational information,
proficiency of fundamental skills needed in engineers, the importance of fundamental skills, types of
engineers they are measuring (electrical, chemical, etc.) and add any additional qualitative comments to
elaborate. Communication was highlighted as the most essential skill, especially as the collected
perspectives were post-pandemic perspectives. As the need for client-centric communication increases,
and we move towards a more data-driven and digitized industry (Industry 4.0), engineers in different
stages of their careers should rethink the way they approach organizational challenges. As organizations
and learning specialists, we must strengthen the relevance and resonance of content that highlights the
expanded definition of communication, where communication is not limited to expression, but also
comprehension and reflectiveness.
Gale (2020) suggests that the key to effective cultivation of both technical and fundamental skills for
STEM-related jobs is contextualizing the learning. Intentional design of learning, aided by technology,
plays a key to contextualizing processes as it offers a high degree of interactivity and customization.
Contextualizing learning involves the juxtaposition of relevant content with field-related examples,
challenges, and authentic industry events (Gale, 2020).

Complex and layered problems are mutual features that are relevant across the fields of STEM. These
are usually marked by a lack of structure, unpredictability, and elements of surprise (Jamaludin and
Hung, 2017). Often, complex problems cannot be solved linearly, but require the learner/ player to use a
meandering path to navigate the problem. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games(MMORPG),
like World of Warcraft, (WoW) are examples of digital spaces that present narrativized problems that
require solutions. Jamaludin and Hung (2017), suggest that we should utilize MMORPGs in workplaces to
help learners navigate complex problems that require us to use complex paths and collaborative
practices while engaging with people from a variety of disciplines. Multidisciplinary thought and actions
that learners frequently see in MMORPGs are the stepping stone to understanding thought diversity and
increasing collaboration. MMORPGs give them the platform to perform beyond individual successes and
failures as multiple people collaborate. When multiple approaches, interpretations, and strengths
synergize, the digital space becomes a space for navigating the self and collaborating in a community. A
sense of sociality underlines the game playing experience and the consequence is not the sole focus.
MMORPG’s, more importantly, highlight the interdependencies between the process and the
consequence, therefore making the journey a more salient element of the gameplay process.
Questing is a more preliminary stage of the gameplay process and involves solution finding of semi-
defined problems. Conversely, raiding is a more competitive relationship among participants requiring
coordination, collaboration, and complexity to address a common problem. While both these styles
differ, we see that they both enhance the communication and collaboration skills of participants to
varying degrees as they can be applied to real scenarios (Jamaludin and Hung, 2017). Using them would
be helpful in team construction and coordination activities. Narrativized gameplay works on multiple
levels where our construction of self-identity and our sense of community flourish. While technology
cannot be the sole premise for fundamental skill development to serve our internal and external
audiences, it can be a crucial catalyst.

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Problem-solving and communication are both interpersonal and intrapersonal fundamental skills gaps
that need to be addressed for STEM professionals to thrive while engaging with stakeholders. The key to
creating e-learning opportunities, games, and learning experiences that develop fundamental skills in
STEM professionals is to put learners in control of their learning and provide them with a safe space to
experience their learning. When contextualized correctly, narrativized games, Virtual Reality (VR)
scenarios, and a well-defined instructional curriculum can lead to advancements in curriculum and
fundamental skill development for STEM professionals.

Using Learning Design and Technology for Human-Centric

Professions
As we examine a variety of the width of careers and occupations in this literature review, we cannot
undermine the need for developing educational resources to enhance fundamental skills in People to
People (or Human Centric) human-centric professions like hospitality and education. Effective human
interaction is a product of the right training, tools, and support that have been deliberately
amalgamated together to create an experience where interpersonal and intrapersonal fundamental
skills thrive.
E-learning programs have been considered to be helpful for training hospitality staff for compliance and
safety training, but their use in other training in the hospitality industry has been limited. Since
hospitality is a highly human-centered business that thrives on client-staff interactions and experiences,
delving into fundamental skill development for staff is key to enhanced workplace demeanor. On delving
deeper into the relevance of fundamental skills in the hospitality industry, Jungsun et al (2011) surveyed
employees working in Four and Five Star hotels in South Korea. It was seen that the extrinsic
(remunerations, promotions, etc.) motivators for training were more prevalent than intrinsic ones
(enjoyment, fulfillment, etc.). Technology anxiety was seen to be a hindrance when implementing
fundamental skills development in the hospitality industry ( Jungsun et. al, 2011). While technology was
the cause of anxiety among workers, it also worked as a solution when the staff was more consistently
exposed to it. Consistency helped alleviate technology anxiety and a wider acceptance of digital
learning. It can be concluded that a combination of purposeful fundamental skill development,
consistency in technology exposure, and an increased push on intrinsic motivation could reduce
technology anxiety and augment relevance to the hospitality field.

Zhu et al. (2020) point out that there are gaps in the emotional competencies and interpersonal skills of
hospitality staff. Due to the highly personalized and service-oriented nature of their jobs, they may
undergo emotional exhaustion and therefore, lack emotional competencies that are crucial in their
industry. Though technically trained, the lack of emotional competencies can cause high turnover rates.
Zhu et. al (2020) studied emotional labor concepts in a restaurant setting. They found that although the
graduates were trained, technically sound, and all practical practices and work setting experiences were

11
complete, the fundamental skills relating to the emotional quotient were underdeveloped. Developing a
fundamental skill-centered training where staff navigate virtual simulations, games and are given
autonomy over their learning, can possibly reduce their emotional dissonance. Connectedness is key.
Therefore, if they are given opportunities in e-learning to navigate scenarios according to their
preferences, it might reduce their disconnect with real-time guests and foster emotional connectedness.

Johnson et al (2019) highlight the importance of managing and developing talent within the hospitality
and tourism industry. They identify how and why this industry is unique and incomparable to other
industries. The service orientation and customer skills are described as unique because the product and
services rendered are intangible. Unlike other industries, hospitality thrives on service, the human
experience, and intrinsic memories created for guests. An emphasis on technology would result in
creating organized learning patterns and better outputs for the employees. Retention of talent,
development of skills across the board are imperative. Further, the server and the service are recognized
to be inextricably bound. Sufficient attention, training, and organizational encouragement need to be
given to the spectrum of staff, from managerial to unskilled workers (Johnson et. al, 2019). Digital
learning platforms and contextually simulated scenarios sensitize employees and can help cultivate a
range of skills from safety to compassion and empathy successfully. Nurturing talent through e-learning
and keeping the learning content relevant across the organization are likely to enhance thought and
vision alignment to create better value for staff and clients alike.
Education, another profession that flourishes on human interaction and service, can be benefited by the
rendering of organized fundamental skill training. Vuorinen et al. (2020) explain what training in
compassion can do for teachers as individuals and for organizations. They determine compassion to be a
verb that can be enacted as a noble emotion of kindness. Acting that compassion is the key determinant
in the stakeholder experience. In this case, their main stakeholders are students. Therefore the
development of a more “other-oriented” behavior like the practice of compassion in action can be
trickled onto the students (Vuorinen et al. (2020). The training ethos used for teachers uses detailed
research processes and steps that can be long but effective. In-person attendance and participation are
needed and they need to be trained in limited numbers with refresher training. However, despite the
exhaustive nature of this process, explicit compassion training can foster an infrastructure that is more
supportive to students and pedagogy, enhancing altruism, compassion, and empathy. A more digitized,
asynchronous learning approach will yield better results and more value if used to train teachers. By
optimizing time, being self-paced, and encouraging conversations through navigated scenarios, teachers
are likely to achieve more connectedness and effectiveness in their classrooms.

Overall, we cannot undermine the need for fundamental skills development in human-centered
professions. We cannot assume that the staff who are, by the very nature of their roles, expected to be
equipped with fundamental skills, do not face challenges. To counter their challenges like emotional
disconnectedness, developing an “other-oriented” approach, and staying consistently motivated, a
consistent learning plan must be consistently implemented. Therefore, augmenting interpersonal
fundamental skills is the pathway to a more successful exchange between the service provider and
consumer.

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Criticisms of Using Learning Design and Technology for
Fundamental Skill Development

Developing and implementing learning curricula and systems need companies to allocate consistent
budgets and resources. This may not fall under the primary lists of priorities for organizations. A budget
also means investing in utilizing services of learning experts who keep training at the core. Another
limitation is that companies focus on technical skill building and fundamental skills are not key priorities.
Further, technology usage is a challenge for some people and this in turn creates anxiety (Jungsun et. al,
2011). Manually done tasks are preferred and the anxiety of navigating through multiple instructions
and functions make this nature of Learning Design a source of worry for which budgetary allocations
make little sense. Moreover, lack of standardized evaluation structures and less standardized testing
practices makes this kind of learning evaluation appear less transparent and unnecessarily complex.

Recommendations and Theoretical Implications

It is imperative that we address these skills as fundamental skills, formally and give them a shift from
being known as soft skills. A significant part of the challenge posed can be addressed through how the
verbiage is communicated. This can elevate the importance and position of fundamental skills and help
distinguish them from the often loosely used soft-skills umbrella. Fundamental skills must be made
relevant across career levels and departments in organizational curricula, to yield positive outcomes,
align the workforce on vision and incite action. It is strongly recommended that adult learners in
organizations are enabled to have a certain degree of power over their learning. If they participate in
crafting their learning trajectories, organizations will be benefited from immediate qualitative and
quantitative feedback. Although it can occasionally be viewed as a challenge to assess and evaluate
fundamental skills, it is suggested to use various assessment and questioning styles to gain an
evaluator’s advantage. These include, but are not limited to Likert scales, ranking questions, open-ended
questions, etc. Importantly, fundamental skill content should be developed and reviewed by
multidisciplinary experts from learning, corporate and other departments to be most relevant and
valuable for audiences.
Both the ADDIE Theory ( Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) and the Agile
Scrum Cycle are methodologies to bolster adult learning. While ADDIE is more prescriptive and requires
the following of all the phases, the Agile Scrum Cycle is known for a faster, more agile and dynamic
approach (Battle, 2019). Creative theories like these that are responsive to user needs and feedback are
central to improved learning experiences.

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Conclusion
Although fundamental skills are not a substitute for technical skills they are more responsible for
people’s success within organizations. These skills are key differentiators for people with upward
trajectories in their careers. Keeping learning at the core and using technology to support it is the road
to enhanced learning at organizations. The biggest challenge companies face today is in solidifying the
value and cultivation of fundamental skills.
Therefore, as Organizational Learning professionals, we must aim to strengthen the articulation of this
value in our settings. Fundamental skills are a significant part of the fuel that enables organizational
growth, workforce alignment, vision alignment, and robust company culture. As we aim to address
opportunities that these challenges present, we must proactively take every step to use this fuel for
driving organizational change.

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