Learning Agility: Complete Guide for HR & L&D Professionals

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing workplace, your organization's ability to adapt quickly can mean the difference between success and stagnation. This is where learning agility becomes invaluable. But what exactly is learning agility? It’s the ability of your employees to rapidly learn from experiences and effectively apply those lessons in new, unfamiliar situations.
For HR and L&D professionals, understanding and fostering learning agility isn't just beneficial—it’s critical. Agile learners are adaptable, innovative, and consistently ready to take on new challenges. By developing learning agility, you ensure your teams can confidently navigate uncertainty, embrace change, and drive your organization's growth.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore what learning agility truly entails, its importance for businesses today, practical strategies for developing it, and how you can measure its impact effectively. Let’s dive in.
What is Learning Agility?
Learning agility refers to your employees' ability to quickly absorb new information from various experiences and effectively apply that knowledge to unfamiliar or challenging situations. It's more than just being a quick learner—it's about embracing uncertainty, experimenting with new approaches, and continuously refining skills based on feedback and outcomes.
To better understand learning agility, consider these five key components:
- Mental Agility: The capacity to rapidly grasp complex ideas and concepts, connecting insights across different contexts.
- People Agility: Skillfully navigating interpersonal relationships, working effectively with diverse teams, and communicating clearly.
- Change Agility: Comfortably adjusting to new environments, embracing change rather than resisting it.
- Results Agility: Consistently delivering high-quality outcomes, even in challenging or ambiguous scenarios.
- Self-Awareness: Having a clear understanding of one's strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth, enabling proactive learning.
Imagine a scenario where a manager moves from a technical role into a customer-facing position. An agile learner would quickly identify skill gaps, actively seek customer service training, adapt to new communication styles, and rapidly achieve positive outcomes.
By cultivating learning agility, HR and L&D leaders empower employees to become versatile, adaptable, and ready to excel in an ever-changing business environment.
Why is Learning Agility Important?
All of us are facing constant disruptions at workplaces—technological advancements, shifting customer expectations, regulatory changes, and global competition. Amid this landscape, organizations with agile learners not only survive but thrive. Here's why learning agility is increasingly crucial for your organization’s success:
Adapting Quickly to Change
Organizations today operate in environments of constant change. Whether it’s adopting new technologies like artificial intelligence or responding to sudden market shifts, your employees' ability to learn quickly determines your organization's adaptability. Learning-agile employees swiftly assimilate new skills, ensuring minimal disruption and maintaining productivity during transitions.
Accelerating Leadership Development
Organizations often face gaps in their leadership pipelines. Employees with high learning agility become effective leaders faster, as they can swiftly learn and integrate critical leadership skills. Agile learners naturally embrace feedback, continuously improve, and grow rapidly in leadership roles.
Enhancing Innovation and Competitive Advantage
Innovation demands curiosity, experimentation, and rapid learning—all hallmarks of agile learners. By fostering learning agility, you build a workforce capable of identifying creative solutions, experimenting safely, and quickly learning from successes or failures, thus driving innovation forward.
Increasing Employee Engagement and Retention
Employees who continually learn and grow at work experience higher engagement and job satisfaction. They feel more invested in their roles and see clear career progression paths. Focusing on learning agility creates an empowering environment, reducing turnover and boosting employee morale.
LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report indicates that employees at organizations prioritizing continuous learning and agility are nearly 50% more engaged and less likely to leave their jobs within three years.
Preparing for the Future of Work
The future of work will be marked by automation, artificial intelligence, and new skill demands. Employees who can quickly learn new skills and adapt their knowledge will be vital for organizational longevity. Investing in learning agility now helps future-proof your workforce.
Learning Agility vs. Traditional Learning
Understanding the difference between learning agility and traditional learning is essential to effectively integrate agility into your organization's learning culture. While both aim to equip employees with knowledge and skills, their approaches, objectives, and outcomes differ significantly.
Focus and Approach
Traditional learning typically emphasizes structured, classroom-based instruction or standardized e-learning courses. These methods focus on imparting specific knowledge and skills through pre-designed curriculums. It's often formal, instructor-led, and evaluated through standard assessments.
In contrast, learning agility emphasizes experiential and adaptive learning. Instead of relying solely on structured programs, agile learners proactively engage in hands-on experiences, feedback loops, and self-directed learning. They seek real-time knowledge application, reflecting, adjusting, and improving rapidly in response to changing circumstances.
Reaction to Uncertainty and Change
Traditional training can become quickly outdated in dynamic environments, making it less effective during rapid shifts. It often struggles to adapt swiftly to unexpected changes, leaving employees underprepared.
Learning agility, on the other hand, thrives in uncertain environments. Agile learners readily embrace change, leveraging adaptability and curiosity. They don't rely solely on predefined procedures—they actively innovate, experiment, and swiftly learn from outcomes.
Development and Measurement
Traditional learning is straightforward to measure—standardized tests, certifications, or attendance records can easily track progress. However, it doesn’t necessarily indicate employees’ ability to apply skills practically.
Learning agility is less straightforward to quantify but can be effectively assessed through behaviors, practical outcomes, adaptability to new challenges, and real-world problem-solving capabilities. Metrics such as feedback responsiveness, effectiveness in new roles, and adaptability ratings provide clearer insights into agility.
Long-Term Organizational Impact
Traditional learning can be effective for compliance training or basic skill-building. However, to achieve long-term adaptability, innovation, and resilience, organizations must prioritize learning agility.
Agile learning ensures employees continually refresh their skillsets, remain relevant in evolving roles, and proactively handle future uncertainties—directly enhancing organizational sustainability.
Key Characteristics of Agile Learners
To effectively cultivate learning agility within your organization, it’s crucial to understand the qualities that set agile learners apart. Employees who exhibit learning agility typically share several distinct traits, enabling them to navigate uncertainty, embrace change, and continually improve.
Here are the core characteristics you should identify and nurture:
1. Curiosity and Continuous Learning
Agile learners possess an innate curiosity. They actively seek new knowledge, ask insightful questions, and willingly explore areas beyond their comfort zone. Their genuine enthusiasm for learning motivates them to continuously expand their skill sets.
2. Comfort with Ambiguity and Uncertainty
In today’s fast-paced business landscape, uncertainty is unavoidable. Agile learners don't shy away from ambiguity—they embrace it. Instead of waiting for clarity or rigid instructions, they proactively navigate uncertain situations, swiftly adapting and finding practical solutions.
3. Rapid Adaptability
One defining trait of agile learners is their remarkable adaptability. They quickly absorb and integrate new information, applying insights effectively in different contexts. Their ability to swiftly transition between projects, tasks, and roles is invaluable in dynamic business environments.
4. High Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Skills
Agile learners excel at building strong, positive relationships with colleagues and clients. Their emotional intelligence allows them to empathize effectively, communicate clearly, and work collaboratively. These interpersonal skills enable them to learn from diverse experiences and teams.
5. Results Orientation
Despite being open-minded and flexible, agile learners maintain a clear focus on delivering results. They approach challenges strategically, quickly experimenting and adjusting to achieve their objectives. They thrive on feedback, learning rapidly from setbacks, and continuously striving for excellence.
6. Reflective Practice and Self-awareness
Agile learners consistently practice self-reflection. They regularly analyze their experiences, acknowledge their strengths, and actively seek ways to address weaknesses. Their heightened self-awareness accelerates personal and professional growth.
Identifying and fostering these key characteristics empowers your workforce to remain proactive, adaptable, and innovative, ready to tackle whatever challenges come their way. As HR and L&D leaders, your goal is to nurture and reward these qualities, creating a resilient and agile organization prepared for the future.
How to Assess Learning Agility
Assessing learning agility effectively allows your organization to identify, nurture, and leverage agile talent, thereby strengthening your workforce's adaptability and growth potential. Unlike measuring traditional learning—which primarily involves tests or course completion—evaluating learning agility requires a more holistic, behavioral approach.
Here are proven strategies and tools your HR and L&D teams can use to accurately assess learning agility in employees:
1. Psychometric Assessments
Psychometric assessments provide scientifically-backed insights into an employee’s agility and potential. These assessments typically measure traits like adaptability, openness to learning, comfort with ambiguity, and decision-making abilities under pressure.
Recommended Tools:
- Korn Ferry’s Learning Agility Assessment: Measures core agility dimensions like mental, people, change, results, and self-awareness.
- Hogan Assessments: Evaluates adaptability, openness to experience, and personal learning approaches.
2. Behavioral Interviewing Techniques
Structured behavioral interviews effectively uncover past examples of learning agility. By prompting candidates or employees to share concrete instances where they demonstrated adaptability, quick learning, or effective navigation of uncertainty, interviewers can accurately assess agility.
Sample Interview Questions:
- “Tell me about a time when you faced a challenge in unfamiliar territory. How did you adapt?”
- “Describe an experience where you had to quickly learn and apply new information. What was your approach?”
3. 360-Degree Feedback Surveys
360-degree feedback involves gathering perspectives from managers, peers, subordinates, and sometimes even customers to evaluate an individual’s learning agility. This multi-rater approach provides a comprehensive understanding of an employee’s adaptability, responsiveness to feedback, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Why it Works:
Employees might struggle to objectively assess their own agility, but feedback from multiple sources provides deeper, unbiased insights.
4. Job Rotations and Stretch Assignments
Observing employees as they take on new roles or challenging projects provides valuable insights into their learning agility. Those who successfully navigate these situations, adapt quickly, and deliver results demonstrate strong agility.
Practical Application:
- Assign employees to short-term cross-functional projects.
- Rotate promising leaders through various departments to assess how quickly they adapt and deliver results.
5. Simulations and Real-World Scenarios
Simulations mimic real-world situations, placing employees in unfamiliar scenarios to test how effectively they adapt, learn, and perform under uncertainty. Such assessments directly measure agility by evaluating an individual's immediate responses and adaptability.
Implementation Tips:
- Use role-play exercises during leadership training.
- Incorporate interactive simulations into onboarding and development programs.
6. Continuous Performance Monitoring
Long-term tracking of employee performance and adaptability in evolving roles provides ongoing insights into their agility. Advanced LMS or LXPs, continuously monitor employee learning behaviors, responsiveness to feedback, and skill adaptability, enabling real-time agility assessments.
Recommended Tools:
- Calibr’s AI-powered LMS: Tracks real-time engagement, adaptability to new skills, and responsiveness to feedback.
- Degreed or EdCast: Analyze employees’ continuous learning behaviors and adaptability over time.
Strategies to Develop Learning Agility in Employees
Once you've assessed the current state of learning agility within your organization, the next critical step is to actively develop and strengthen this skill among your employees. Creating an environment that cultivates agility doesn't happen overnight—it requires intentional strategies and continuous reinforcement. Here’s how you can foster learning agility within your teams:
1. Foster a Continuous Learning Culture
Building learning agility starts with promoting a culture that values continuous, lifelong learning. Encourage curiosity, reward proactive learning behaviors, and consistently highlight the value of staying adaptable.
Action Steps:
- Regularly communicate the importance of ongoing learning in team meetings, internal communications, and leadership messaging.
- Recognize and celebrate agile learning behaviors publicly, reinforcing their value.
2. Provide Stretch Assignments and Cross-Functional Projects
Offering stretch assignments pushes employees outside their comfort zones, prompting rapid adaptation and learning. Cross-functional projects further enhance agility by exposing employees to diverse perspectives, tasks, and skill sets.
Action Steps:
- Identify high-potential employees and provide challenging roles or tasks slightly beyond their current capabilities.
- Create opportunities for employees to collaborate across different teams or departments to broaden their skills.
3. Implement Reflective Practices and Feedback Loops
Encourage reflective practices that help employees analyze experiences, successes, and setbacks. Regular, constructive feedback loops are essential for agile learning, enabling quick adjustments and continuous improvement.
Action Steps:
- Integrate regular reflection sessions at the end of projects or tasks, prompting employees to identify key learnings.
Implement frequent, informal feedback sessions between managers and team members to reinforce agile behaviors.
4. Leverage Coaching and Mentorship Programs
Coaching and mentorship significantly enhance employees' agility by providing personalized guidance, accelerating skill development, and helping employees navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Action Steps:
- Establish mentorship programs pairing agile senior leaders with emerging talent.
- Offer coaching sessions to employees moving into new roles or facing significant transitions.
5. Integrate Technology-Driven Adaptive Learning Solutions
Utilize advanced learning technologies—like AI-powered Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs)—to provide personalized, adaptive learning paths. Such solutions automatically adjust learning content based on individual performance, preferences, and growth areas.
Action Steps:
- Adopt an AI-powered LXP (e.g., Calibr LXP) that offers personalized recommendations and dynamic skill mapping.
- Provide employees continuous access to microlearning modules, bite-sized content, and on-demand resources.
6. Support Risk-Taking and Safe Experimentation
Learning agility thrives in environments where calculated risk-taking and experimentation are supported. Encourage your teams to safely try new approaches, innovate, and rapidly learn from both successes and failures.
Action Steps:
- Create initiatives that celebrate creative experimentation, regardless of immediate outcomes.
- Establish guidelines for safe experimentation, clearly communicating the organization's tolerance for risk and failure.
7. Provide Access to Diverse Learning Resources
Make diverse and relevant resources available to employees, including industry insights, webinars, online courses, podcasts, and articles. Exposure to a variety of perspectives and resources broadens employees’ agility and adaptability.
Action Steps:
- Curate and share industry-specific and cross-disciplinary learning resources regularly.
- Encourage participation in external training, webinars, or industry conferences.
Challenges in Cultivating Learning Agility
While developing learning agility promises significant benefits, organizations often encounter specific challenges. Understanding these common hurdles—and how to overcome them—is crucial for HR and L&D professionals committed to creating an agile workforce. Here are some typical obstacles and practical solutions to address them effectively:
1. Resistance to Change
Employees naturally prefer familiar routines and proven methods, which can create resistance to embracing agile learning. Employees might hesitate due to fear of failure, uncertainty about outcomes, or simply the comfort of established processes.
How to Overcome It:
- Clearly communicate the benefits of agile learning, focusing on personal growth, career advancement, and adaptability in uncertain times.
- Share success stories of agile learners within your organization to illustrate practical, relatable examples.
- Gradually introduce agility-focused initiatives, ensuring a smoother transition rather than abrupt, wholesale changes.
2. Limited Organizational Alignment
A lack of alignment between HR/L&D objectives and broader organizational goals can hinder agility initiatives. Without executive sponsorship or support from management, fostering a learning-agile culture becomes challenging.
How to Overcome It:
- Gain buy-in from senior leadership by explicitly connecting learning agility with strategic organizational goals, such as innovation, growth, and competitive advantage.
- Align agile learning initiatives closely with measurable business outcomes, making them relevant and compelling to leadership.
3. Unclear Strategies and Objectives
Organizations often fail to define clear objectives, processes, or metrics for agility development. Vague goals or unclear expectations prevent employees from understanding the value and purpose of agility initiatives.
How to Overcome It:
- Clearly define learning agility objectives, expected outcomes, and associated metrics from the start.
- Consistently communicate the goals, benefits, and desired behaviors related to learning agility throughout the organization.
4. Limited Resources and Investment
Developing agile learners often requires investment in technology, training programs, and time commitments. Organizations facing budget constraints or limited resources might perceive these investments as challenging.
How to Overcome It:
- Leverage cost-effective digital learning solutions, such as microlearning, eLearning libraries, or affordable LXPs.
- Start with small-scale pilots to demonstrate the value and ROI of learning agility programs, justifying future resource allocation.
5. Inadequate Measurement and Feedback Systems
Without proper measurement frameworks, it's challenging to assess agility accurately, track progress, and adapt strategies. Employees might lose motivation if they cannot clearly see their progress and results.
How to Overcome It:
- Implement continuous feedback loops and clear, measurable metrics such as performance improvements, internal mobility rates, or success in stretch assignments.
- Regularly communicate results, celebrating progress and highlighting tangible impacts of agile learning efforts.
6. Lack of Personalized Learning Opportunities
Generic, one-size-fits-all training programs fail to address individual learning needs and skill gaps, limiting agility development.
How to Overcome It:
- Implement adaptive learning solutions like LXPs (Learning Experience Platforms), offering personalized learning paths tailored to individual strengths, interests, and development needs.
- Encourage employees to pursue self-directed learning projects aligned with their unique career goals and aspirations.
7. Fear of Failure and Risk Aversion
Many employees avoid experimentation and agile learning due to fear of failure, punishment, or career setbacks. Risk-averse cultures discourage employees from openly experimenting or adapting swiftly.
How to Overcome It:
- Promote a psychologically safe environment where experimentation and controlled risks are actively encouraged and failures treated as valuable learning opportunities.
- Recognize and reward employees who embrace calculated risks and experimentation, regardless of immediate success.
Role of HR & L&D in Enhancing Learning Agility
As an HR or L&D professional, you play a pivotal role in developing a learning-agile workforce. Your actions directly influence how effectively your organization adapts, innovates, and thrives amidst change. To strategically enhance learning agility, you should focus on these key responsibilities:
1. Integrating Agility into Hiring and Onboarding
Hiring individuals already displaying agile learning traits ensures you’re bringing adaptable talent into your organization from day one. Incorporating agility into your onboarding process also sets clear expectations around continuous learning and adaptability.
Practical Steps:
- Utilize behavioral interviews to assess agility traits during recruitment.
- Embed learning agility values and expectations into your onboarding curriculum, clearly communicating their importance to new hires.
2. Creating Targeted Training and Development Programs
Move beyond generic training programs and design tailored initiatives specifically targeting agility development. Use agile training formats like experiential learning, microlearning, job rotations, and interactive simulations to enhance adaptability.
Practical Steps:
- Offer experiential learning programs where employees actively practice new skills in realistic scenarios.
- Implement microlearning modules through LXPs to allow continuous, personalized skill-building.
3. Promoting and Supporting a Culture of Continuous Learning
Building a strong learning culture is foundational to fostering learning agility. HR and L&D should create an environment where continuous learning, curiosity, and experimentation are encouraged, supported, and rewarded.
Practical Steps:
- Regularly communicate the value of agile learning behaviors throughout the organization.
- Recognize and reward employees demonstrating high agility or proactively engaging in self-directed learning.
4. Implementing Effective Measurement and Feedback Systems
To successfully enhance learning agility, you must establish clear metrics and feedback mechanisms. Regularly measuring agility provides visibility into the progress of initiatives and helps refine future strategies.
Practical Steps:
- Track agility indicators such as responsiveness to feedback, performance in stretch assignments, and successful adaptation to new roles.
- Integrate ongoing feedback loops into performance reviews or continuous check-ins.
5. Leveraging Advanced Technology and AI-powered Platforms
Technology significantly accelerates agility development by delivering personalized learning experiences at scale. Advanced Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs) leverage AI and data-driven insights to provide individualized learning paths and real-time analytics.
Practical Steps:
- Adopt platforms like Calibr LXP to provide personalized content recommendations tailored to individual employee skill gaps.
- Use advanced analytics tools to monitor employee learning progress, quickly identifying areas needing additional agility-focused interventions.
6. Facilitating Mentorship and Coaching Opportunities
Mentoring and coaching significantly enhance learning agility by offering personalized guidance, rapid skill-building, and deep insights gained from experienced professionals.
Practical Steps:
- Create structured mentorship programs pairing experienced, agile leaders with emerging talent.
- Offer coaching sessions tailored to employees facing new roles or challenging situations requiring high adaptability.
7. Driving Executive and Leadership Support
To create sustained organizational agility, executive and leadership buy-in is essential. You must consistently engage and influence senior leaders, emphasizing the direct correlation between learning agility and organizational success.
Practical Steps:
- Regularly present agility initiative outcomes linked explicitly to strategic business results to executives.
- Ensure senior leaders actively champion and participate in agility-building programs to visibly demonstrate their commitment.
Future of Learning Agility
As businesses continue to navigate rapid technological advancements, digital transformation, and global competition, the significance of learning agility will only amplify. HR and L&D professionals must proactively prepare for the future by understanding and anticipating the trends shaping agile learning. Here’s an insightful look at what the future holds for learning agility in organizations:
1. Greater Reliance on AI and Personalized Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will increasingly personalize and scale learning agility development. AI-powered learning platforms will dynamically assess employees' real-time skill gaps, learning preferences, and performance data to deliver highly personalized and adaptive learning experiences.
What to Expect:
- AI-driven learning recommendations customized for every employee.
- Continuous, real-time skill mapping that dynamically adapts to evolving job roles and market needs.
2. Increased Adoption of Microlearning and Real-time Learning
Microlearning—bite-sized, easily accessible, and focused content—will become the dominant approach to support agile learning. Employees will increasingly prefer short-form, real-time learning resources directly applicable to immediate challenges, enhancing rapid skill acquisition.
What to Expect:
- Quick, focused learning modules directly embedded into everyday workflows.
- Real-time resources (videos, podcasts, short courses) accessed just-in-time as new challenges emerge.
3. Emphasis on Learning in the Flow of Work
Learning agility will increasingly happen seamlessly within the normal workflow, eliminating the distinction between work and learning. Technology integrations will enable employees to quickly access context-relevant resources and skills development opportunities within their daily tasks.
What to Expect:
- Seamless integration of learning tools into communication and collaboration platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Salesforce.
- Instant learning suggestions and real-time feedback directly within daily tasks and projects.
4. Accelerated Demand for Agile Leaders
Organizations will increasingly prioritize hiring and developing agile leaders who can effectively navigate complexity, embrace innovation, and swiftly respond to market disruptions. Leadership development programs will place greater emphasis on agility competencies.
What to Expect:
- Leadership training heavily focused on adaptability, emotional intelligence, innovation, and managing uncertainty.
- Use of predictive analytics to identify future agile leaders and tailor development programs accordingly.
5. Rapid Skill Transformation Through Internal Mobility
Internal talent mobility will play a central role in rapidly developing learning agility. Organizations will more systematically rotate employees across diverse roles and business functions, quickly developing broad skillsets and agility through diverse, practical experiences.
What to Expect:
- Widespread adoption of internal mobility platforms that allow employees to easily explore cross-functional projects and assignments.
- Use of AI-driven talent marketplace solutions to match agile talent with internal opportunities quickly.
6. Data-driven Decision-making in L&D Strategies
Future learning agility strategies will become increasingly data-driven. HR and L&D professionals will leverage predictive analytics and real-time data insights to proactively anticipate skills needs, precisely measure agility outcomes, and continuously refine learning strategies.
What to Expect:
- Increased use of predictive analytics to proactively identify emerging skill gaps and needed agility interventions.
- Continuous, real-time analytics guiding agile learning initiatives and tracking measurable business impacts.
7. Greater Emphasis on Psychological Safety and Inclusion
Psychological safety and inclusion will become crucial foundations for fostering learning agility. Agile learning cultures depend heavily on environments where employees confidently take risks, experiment, and learn openly without fear of criticism or penalty.
What to Expect:
- Initiatives explicitly promoting psychological safety, empowering employees to safely experiment and learn from mistakes.
- Increasing recognition of diversity and inclusion as vital components of agile, innovative teams.
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, learning agility is no longer optional—it's essential. By prioritizing agile learning, your organization can confidently navigate uncertainty, foster innovation, and maintain a competitive edge.
As HR and L&D professionals, your role is pivotal: embed learning agility into your culture, leverage personalized learning technologies, and proactively measure outcomes. By doing so, you ensure your workforce remains adaptable, engaged, and ready for future challenges.
Ready to build an agile workforce? Explore how Calibr's AI-powered solutions can accelerate your organization's journey toward sustained agility and growth.
FAQ Section
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you deepen your understanding of Learning Agility and how it applies to your organization:
Q1: What exactly is learning agility?
Learning agility is the ability to rapidly learn from experiences and effectively apply this knowledge to new, complex, and unfamiliar situations.
Q2: Can learning agility be developed, or is it inherent?
Learning agility can absolutely be developed. Through targeted training, experiential learning, and consistent practice, organizations can significantly enhance employees' agility.
Q3: Why is learning agility important for leadership?
Leaders with high learning agility adapt quickly, thrive in uncertainty, effectively navigate challenges, and are more successful in leadership transitions, making them invaluable for organizational growth.
Q4: What tools are best for assessing learning agility?
Effective tools include psychometric assessments like Korn Ferry’s Learning Agility Assessment, behavioral interviews, 360-degree feedback surveys, and AI-powered analytics platforms.
Q5: How can small organizations implement learning agility effectively?
Small organizations can foster learning agility through cost-effective methods such as cross-training, mentorship, microlearning solutions, affordable digital learning platforms, and promoting a culture of safe experimentation.