Learning and Development

WHAT IS LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

 

                   

                                 Learning and Development strategies and practices as described in this part , aim to ensure that people in the organization acquire and developed the knowledge , skills and competencies they need to carry out their work effectively and advance their careers to their own benefit and that of the organization. 

The term ' Learning and Development '  ( L & D ) has largely replaced that of  ' human resource development ' ( HRD ) , at least for practitioners , Rosemary Harrison ( 2009 ; 5 ) observed that ;

The term human resource development retain its popularity among academics but it has never been attractive practitioners. They tend to dislike it because they see its reference to people as a 'resource ' to be demeaning. Putting people on a par with money , materials and equipment creates the impression of ' Development ' as an unfeeling, manipulative activity , although the two terms are almost indistinguishable.             

THE COMPONENTS OF L & D ARE  ;

• Learning :  The process by which a person acquires and develops knowledge , skills , capabilities , behaviors and attitudes. It involves the modification of behavior through experience as well as more harmful methods of helping people to learn within or outside the workplace.

• Development  : The growth or realization of a person's ability and potential through the provision of learning and educational experience.  

• Training : The systematic application of  formal processes to impact knowledge and help people to acquire the skills necessary for them to perform their jobs satisfactorily.

• Education :  The  development of the knowledge , values and understanding required in all aspects of the rather than the knowledge and skills retaining to particular areas of activity .                                                                                      

 

The process of Learning & Development 

You should able to define these key concepts should also understand.

• How people learn
• Learning theory
• The motivation to learn
• learning styles
• Learning to learn
• The learning curve
• The implications of learning theory and concepts
• Operant conditioning
• Organizational learning
• The learning organization
• Self directed learning                                                                                                                          

LEARNING STYLES  

              Learning theories describe in general terms how people learn , but individual learners will have deferent styles  - a preference for a particular approach  to learning. The two most familiar classifications of  learning styles are those produced by Kolb et . al  (1984 ) and by Honey and Mumford ( 1996 ).

 Kolb's Learning cycle ( 1984 )

1. Concreate  experience - this can be planned or accidental.
2. Reflective observation - this involves actively thinking about the experience  and its significance.
3. Abstract conceptualization - generalizing from experience to develop  various concepts ad ideas that can be applied when similar situations are encountered.
4. Active experimentation - testing the concepts or ideas in new situations. This gives rise to a new concreate experience and the cycle begins again.

 Learning styles  ( Honey and Mumford , 1996 )

1. Activists -  who involve themselves fully without bias in new  experiences and revel i new challenges.
2. Reflectors - who stand back and observe new experiences from different angles. They collect data , reflect on it and then come to a conclusion.
3. Theorists - who adapt and apply their observations in the form of logical  theories. They tend to be perfectionists .
4. Pragmatists  - who  are keen to try out new ideas , approaches and concepts  to see if they work.                                                                                                                                                                

However , none of  these four learning styles is exclusive . It is quiet possible that one person could be both a reflector and a theorists and someone else could be an activist / pragmatist, a reflector / pragmatist or even a theorist / pragmatist.

LET'S SEE THE TALENT DEVELOPMENT CAPEBILITY MODLE:

Henderson ( 2017 ) offers a digest of some common Learning and Development methods

• Action learning
• Blended learning
• Case studies
• Coaching
• Continuing Professional Development ( CPD )
• Corporate Universities
• E-learning
• Instruction
• Lecture
• Mentoring
• Outdoor training
• Role - playing
• Self  development
• Simulations / Business Games                                                                                                                          

A LEARNING ORGANIZATION 

• 'An organization which facilitates the learning of all of its members and ( theory ) continuously transforms itself'.        ( Pedler , Boydell and Burgoyne , 1997 )
• Senge ( 1990 ) describes learning organizations as those where ' people are continually learning how to learn together'.
• They engage in collective problem-solving
• Learning is perceived not as a set of  discrete activities but as a ' continuous process ' ( ibid )

A learning organization was described by Senge ( 1990 : 3 ) who originated the idea as one ' where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire , where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured , where collective aspiration is set free , and where people are continually learning how to learn together'.

A LEARNING ORGANIZATION'S  STRENGTHS

Garvin et al ( 1993 ) suggest that learning organizations are good at the following ;

• Systematic problem - solving , especially using quantitative fact - based tools
•  Learning from past experience ( based on the Santanya principle that ' those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it' )
• Experimentation
• Learning from others. Armstrong ( 2011 ) refer to the acronym of SIS : (  ' steal it shamelessly ' )
• Transferring knowledge quickly  and efficiently throughout the organization.

THE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The following definition of strategic HRD , produced by Walton ( 1999 ; 82 ) could serve equally well as a definition of strategic L & D .                                                                                                              

Strategic human resource development involves introducing , eliminating , modifying , directing , and guiding processes in such a way that all individuals and teams are equipped with the skills , knowledge and competences they require to undertake current and future tasks required by the organization.

Learning and Development strategies ' are concerned with developing a learning culture , promoting organizational learning ,and providing for individual learning '  ( Armstrong , 2011 )

Armstrong maps out some of the philosophies underpinning the strategy:

• ' Long term capacity- building '  rather than ' short term fixes ' 
• A focus on learning rather than training
• A focus on empowerment , rather than supervision
• Self- management rather than instruction
• Encouraging ' discretionary learning '

Harrison ( 2009: 8 ) defined learning and development  more broadly as follows;

The primary purpose learning and development as an organizational process through the collaborative ,expert and ethical stimulation and facilitation of learning and knowledge that support business goals , develop individual potential , and respect and build on diversity.

CONCLUTON

Strategic L & D aims to produce a coherent and comprehensive framework for developing people through the creation of a learning culture and the formulation of organizational and individual learning strategies . It exists to enhance resource capability in accordance with the belief that a firm's human resources are a major source of competitive advantage. It is therefore about developing the intellectual capital required by the organization as well as ensuring that people of the right quality are available to meet present and future needs .   

REFERENCES

Harrson , R  ( 2009 ) Learning and Development , 5 th edn , London , CIPD

Walton , J  ( 1999 ) Strategic Human Resource Management, Harlow , FT Prentice Hall

Honey , P ( 1998 ) The debate starts here, people Management , 1 October , PP 28-29

Honey , P and Mumford , A ( 1996 ) The Manual of Learning style , 3rd edn , Maidenhead , Honey Publications

Kolb , D A , Rubin , I M and Mclntyre , J M ( 1974 ) Organizational Psychology : An experimental approach , Englewood Cliffs , NJ , Prentice Hall

Senge, P  ( 1990 ) The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization , London , Doubleday