Let's face it: Boutique educational services are back in the spotlight. They are small, specialised, owner-led, agile, accessible, lean and personal. They are the way to go.
Decision-makers who think that large-scale (online) learning programmes will make their people fit for complex 21st-century challenges fast and efficiently may be very wrong. Recent developments in education and business show that established educational models and standardised curricula are a relic of the past. We have now entered the era of 'boutique', with individualised learning paths and customised programmes.
Human Vision for Education
Listening to learners from different professional, cultural and hierarchical backgrounds as well as trying out numerous creative formats and methods over the years has led me to conclude that it is the highly personalised learning environment and customised content, the trustworthy atmosphere, the element of surprise, and the professionally moderated peer exchange that motivates learners to permanently further develop their skills and practice. Luckily, technology now opens new possibilities and can help overcome barriers of time, space and access more easily if applied adequately. It should be pointed out though that boutique service is not something for decision-makers who want to scale the way they always did. The boutique approach targets visionaries who are ready to rethink learning and to motivate their people to walk the extra mile. It asks for experience, empathy, creativity, permanent reflection, good infrastructure and risk-taking - what we could call 'a human vision for education'.
Image by Lilian Holler for Poetry in Business