Managing People

Learning
Barras Stone

barras

agenda
1.

Training, Learning or Development?

2.

The Process of Learning.

3.

Learning at an organisational level

4.

Learning and society

5.

The Training Process

barras

1 Training, Learning or Development

Training is an instructor-lead and content-based

intervention leading to desired changes in behaviour

Learning focuses on the changes which take place in the

individuals skill, attitude or knowledge.

Development is usually an umbrella term and covers

both training and learning, covers long period of
enhancing skills, and knowledge through various
methods.

barras

Training, Learning and Development

Reasons why organisations undertake learning and
development (L&D)

Improve productivity.
Improve performance.
Improve knowledge development.
To retain key staff.

To give the organisation a competitive advantage.

barras

Training, Learning and Development

Benefits to employees:

Increased personal competence.

Increased adaptability.
Higher likelihood of continuous employability.

barras

Peter Senge (1990) asks

Does your organisation have a learning
disability?
Why, on average do organisations live only 40
years?

barras

Peter Senge (1990)

We are prisoners of our way of doing things ..

difficult accepting blame

how we contribute to our own problems
short term events
the boiled frog
learning from experience?
the team myth
what is my job?

barras

the link
The acquisition of and effective use of knowledge
Personal mastery
Organisations learn only through people who
learn
The essentially dynamic nature of managerial
work makes an ability to learn effectively a
fundamentally important competence for
managers.. Watson p444
barras

2 what is learning?
a relatively permanent change in behaviour as
a result of practice or experience ..

Knowledge

Skills
Attitudes

barras

Theories of learning

Behavioural theories
Cognitive theories
Theories of mental processes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFV6h6MXQkI&NR=1

Experiential theories

Self development

barras

10

. Classical conditioning

(Rollinson,2008, p175)

barras

11

operand conditioning

(Mullins, 2007), p 184

barras

12

experiential learning

best conceived as a process not just outcomes

continuous process grounded in experience
requires the resolution of conflicts between opposed
modes of adaptation
a holistic process
requires transaction between the person and the
environment
Kolb (1988)

barras

13

andragogy

adults have a tendency towards self direction

adults experience are a rich source of learning
adults are aware that real life generates
learning
needs
adults are performance centered
Brookfield (1986)

barras

14

and self directed learning

Climate
informal, mutually respectful, concensual,
collaborative, supportive
learning activities
inquiry projects, independent study, experimental
techniques
evaluation
by mutual assessment
Robinson (1979)

barras

15

learning stages
Gagne (1975) see Weightman (1999)

1 Motivation

2 Perception
3 Acquisition
4 Retention
5 Recall
6 Generalisation
7 Performance
8 Feedback
barras

16

Kolbs Learning Cycle

(Kolb, 1988)

barras

17

Learning Styles
since ~1900: theoretical & empirical
research in UK, US & Western Europe
71 models of Learning styles ..
Witkin - field dependence
VAK - visual, audio, kinesthetic
Gardner - multiple intelligence
Kolb
And Honey and Mumford
BUT very few robust studies for reliable
& valid evidence (see Collfield et al, 2004)

barras

18

Reflective Learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
ObQ2DheGOKA

barras

19

I learn best when choose the top 3 statements

1
I am offered new or novel experiences

2
I am allowed to watch then think over activities

3
I am offered part of a model or theory

4
I can see the link between the subject and a practical
way to use it

5
I can involve myself in 'here and now' activities

6
I am able to stand back from things

7
I am intellectually stretched

8
I am introduced to ideas that have a practical value

barras

20

Learning Styles
Experience ACTIVIST
Review experience REFLECTOR
Form hypothesis - THEORIST
Plan next steps PRAGMATIST
(Honey and Mumford, 1992)

barras

21

3 Learning at an organisational
level

barras

22

Knowledge Management
1. Using accessible knowledge from
outside sources
2. Embedding and storing knowledge
throughout the organisation
3. Representing the knowledge
4. Promoting knowledge growth
5. Transferring and sharing
knowledge
6. Assessing the value of the
knowledge

barras

23

Knowledge Transfer
conveying the knowledge from
one source to another source
transmission plus absorption
.. Both explicit and tactic knowledge

barras

24

The Learning Organisation

Burgoyne
A learning approach to strategy
Participative policy making
Internal openness and exchange
Sense of experimentation
blame free culture
Enabling structures
Adapted from Reid et al 2004

barras

25

Communities of Practice
Learning in a social context ..
.. (in)formal, self-organising networks of people
dedicated to sharing knowledge in an area of
common expertise or interest Gibb, 2008 p 268
The emphasis is on tacit rather than codified
knowledge

barras

26

Communities of Practice (CoP)

Traditional
Specifying the way tasks
are organised
Establishing routine
Orchestrating work
Assuming predictable
Explicit knowledge
Top down control

Gibb, 2008, p271

CoPs
Exploring the way tasks
are done
Being spontaneous
Improvising work
Responding to change
Tacit knowledge
Bottom up generation of
learning

barras

27

4 learning and society

Developing capital the three capitals

Identity capital
Human capital
Social capital

barras

28

barras

29

5 The Training Process

This is the basis of L&D .
1.
2.
3.
4.

Identifying Learning and Training Needs.

Devising a Learning Plan.
Implementing L&D Interventions.
Evaluating Outcomes.

barras

30

Identifying Training Needs

Identifying gap between job requirements and current

skill level of incumbent.

Ensure training is required.

Undertaken together with training needs analysis (TNA)

how to meet needs.

barras

31

Identifying Training Needs

Training needs can be identified at 3 basic levels.
1.
Organisational level. global review, job descriptions
used to highlight required competences and
performance.
2.

Job/Occupational level.

3.

Personal level .

barras

32

It is about identifying the gap:

The gap between desired and actual
performance
Is this gap worth closing?
What are the causes of the gap?
What are the potential interventions?

33
barras

33

How do we identify the gap? What sources

of information?

Organisation statistics .. Error rates, customer

feedback, time slippages, budget variations

Productivity measures
Benchmark data
Appraisals
. (plans?)

barras

34
34

Are gaps worth closing?

Whose performance is at issue?
What is the actual discrepancy?
What is the cost of the gap?
Is it a development gap?

d.

Do they already know .. Just need feedback? .. Or

refresher?
Are resources adequate?
Would task changes help to remove obstacles?
Are consequences appropriate?

Do they have the potential to change?

a.

b.
c.

35
barras

35

The 3 kinds of organisational level needs

analysis .. See Gibb 2008, p 23
goals

standards

objectives

implementing

doing things well

competence

improving

doing things
better

excellence

innovating

doing new things

pioneering

36
barras

36

Devising a Learning Plan

Involves determining aims, objectives, and targets.

Aims general.
Objectives - more precise.
Targets specifying desired outcomes.

Final stage is to select delivery method.

barras

37

Implementing L&D Interventions

Many methods can be used for L&D.

Must have a framework for selecting method.
Distinction between andragogical (self directed) and
pedagogical (trainer driven) approaches.
And between individual and group based learning.

On job or off job?

barras

38

Choosing the Appropriate Method

This is influenced by the following:

Costs and benefits.

Transferability of learning to work situation.
Size of learner group.
Profile of learner group.
Culture, individual and organisational.

barras

39

Evaluating Outcomes

Important as this ensures L&D is relevant, continuous, integrated

and aligned with organisations strategy.

5 levels of evaluation
1. Reaction level immediate subjective feedback, e.g. like or
not.
2. Immediate level measuring outcomes in terms of
knowledge, skills and attitudes.
3. Intermediate level assess impact of L&D on job
performance.
4. Ultimate level measure impact of L&D on organisational
performance.
5. Return on Investment.
barras

40

The learning and development models ..?

education
organisation

HRD

HRD

learner

learner
manager

manager

barras

41

alignment

barras

42

review

Some definitions of learning

Different theories of learning
Learning styles and individual learning
Knowledge management, learning
organisations and Communities of Practice ..
The benefits of learning in society
The learning and development process and
evaluation

barras

43

Some additional references

Anderson V, 2007, the value of learning, CIPD
Brookfield S D, 1986, Understanding and facilitating adult learning
Collfield, F., Moseley, D., Hall, E. & Ecclestone, E. (2004). Learning styles and
pedagogy in post-16 learning. A systematic and critical review. Learning and Skills
Research Centre, London.
Gibb S, 2008, Human resource Development, 2nd ed, Palgrave
Holbeche L, 2009, OD, whats in a name?, Impact, Issue 26, Feb 2009, CIPD
Kolb D A, 1988, Experience as a source of learning and development
Reid M & Barrington H,1999, Training interventions
Robinson R D, 1994, An introduction to helping adults learn
Senge P, 1990, the Fifth Discipline, Century
Watson T J, 2002, Organising and managing work

barras

44