HRD-LEARNING

BY

Prof. Lakmini V.K. Jayatilake

 DEFINE LEARNING
Learning is defined as a relatively permanent
change in behavior, cognition, or affect that
occurs as a result of one’s interaction with the
environment.
(John M. Werner and Randy L De Simone)
 WHAT IS LEARNING
• Proper training results in occurring of learning, which is the
process of acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes so as to
create a relatively permanent change in learner’s behavior.
• Learning is for changing.
• To demonstrate a change an individual’s capabilities must
change.
• To change capabilities, the individual must acquire new
knowledge, skills and attitudes.
 POSITIVE DIFFERENCE
• There must be a significant positive difference between the learner’s
previous state(before learning something) and the learner’s post
state (after learning something).
• Learning has taken place when the learner (trainee);
1. Believes in something which he/she has not believed in before.
2. Appreciates something which he/she has not appreciated before.
3. Feels differently about a thing/event/object compared with the
previous way of feeling.
4. Knows more than what he/she knew before.
 POSITIVE DIFFERENCE CONT….
5. Understands what he/she has not understood before and
6. Makes better decisions compared with previous decisions made.
 LEARNING CURVES
• A learning curve shows the relationship between level of learning of
an individual and time spent on learning.
• Learning curves indicate speed of learning of individuals,
• There are three typical learning curves.
1. Negatively Accelerated Learning Curve.
2. Positively Accelerated Learning Curve.
3. Skills Acquisition Learning Curve.
 LEARNING CURVES CONT…
1. Negatively accelerated learning curve.
• Learning occurs very quickly but as the individual masters the
learning material the rate of learning goes up in a diminishing manner.
• It shows the learning pattern of an individual who has a high initial
motivation to learn and also if the learning material is easy-to-learn
this type of curve more likely occurs.
 LEARNING CURVES CONT…
2. Positively accelerated learning curve
• Learning starts slowly but goes up in a rapidly increasing manner
when the learning materials is absorbed.
• It shows the learning pattern of an individual who has a low
motivation to learn and also if the learning material is difficult-to-
learn this type of learning curve more likely occurs.
 LEARNING CURVES CONT…
3. Skills acquisition learning curve.
• This learning curve indicates a state where learning comes to stop for
a time.
• After the learner learns some material initially, the rate of learning
levels off before he/she learns the rest.
• There is a plateau on the learning curve.
• Possible reasons for this plateau are
i) loss of motivation to learn further,
ii) the need for synthesis of the early material learns and
iii) the need to climate any incorrect learning that has occurred.
 LEARNING PRINCIPLES
• Learning principals are guidelines to be followed to develop a more
successful training programme.
• They are the guidelines to the ways in which people learn more
effectively.
• Education is a process of teaching and learning .
• Learning principals will direct to develop a better programme of
education.
• It is important to develop a training programme so that it includes
these learning principles.
 LEARNING PRINCIPLES CONT…
1. Participation
2. Repetition
3. Relevance
4. Transference
5. Feedback
6. Practice
7. Motivation
8. Reinforcement
9. Intensity
10. Follow-Up
Suggestions for Increasing the Chances, Training will Transfer Back to
the Job
1. Develop (and follow) clearly stated learning objectives for the training.
2. Maximize the similarity between the training situation and the job
situation.
3. Provide ample opportunity during training to practice the task.
4. Use a variety of situations and examples, including both positive and
negative models of the intended behavior.
5. Identify and label important features of a task.
6. Make sure trainees understand general principles.
7. Provide support back in the work environment, including clear goals,
checklists, measurement, feedback, and rewards for using the new
behavior on the job.
8. Provide ample opportunity to perform what is learned on the job.
 TRAINING ADULT AND OLDER
WORKERS
• Adult learning theory: Researchers such as Malcolm Knowles noted
that many principals of learning and instructional methods were
developed with and for children, and argued that teaching adults
requires using a different set of techniques.
• Pedagogy (PED a go gee) is the term traditionally used for
instructional methodology, and this has most often emphasized
educating children and teenagers through high school.
• Knowles proposed an adult-oriented approach to learning that he
called andragogy (AN dra go gee).
 ANDRAGOGY APPROACH
• Andragogy is based on four assumptions about differences between
adults and children.
1. Adults are self directed.
2. Adults have acquired a large amount of knowledge and experience
that can be tapped as a resource for learning.
3. Adults show a greater readiness to learn tasks that are relevant to
the roles they have assumed in life.
4. Adults are motivated to learn in order to solve problems or address
needs, and they expect to immediately apply what they learn to
these problems and needs.
 ANDRAGOGY APPROACH CONT…
• Andragogical Instructional Techniques.
• Joint planning
• Self-diagnosis
• Formulation of learning objectives.
• A collaborative teaching process.
• Involvement of students in the evaluation of success.
 ANDRAGOGY APPROACH CONT…
• Andragogical program used fifteen strategies including the following
Consider the audience (for instance, conduct a needs assessment).
Remember that adults need to be self-determining.
Use peer collaboration.
Include assessment to enhance course content.
Find clear applications for writing.
Rely on students’ experiences.
Include students in evaluation writing.
 CONTINGENCY MODEL
• In a different vein, John Newstrom and Mark
Lengnick-Hall developed a Contingency model
that assumes that ‘adult learners are a
heterogeneous group requiring different
approaches to training and development
depending on individual differences across
important characteristics.’
A CONTINGENCY APPROACH TO ADULT LEARNING:
DIMENTIONS FOR ASSESSING THE TRAINEE
1. Instrumentality-Degree to which the trainee is concerned with the
immediate applicability of the concepts and skills being taught.
2. Skepticism- Degree to which the trainee exhibits a questioning
attitude and demands logic, evidence, and examples.
3. Resistance to change – Degree to which the trainee fears the
process of moving to the unknown, or the personal effects of that
process.
4. Attention Span- Length of time the trainee can focus attention
before substantial attentiveness is diminished.
A CONTINGENCY APPROACH TO ADULT LEARNING:
DIMENTIONS FOR ASSESSING THE TRAINEE CONT…

5. Expectation Level- Level of quality (process) and quantity (content) that

the trainee requires from the trainer or the training.
6. Dominant Needs- Range of intrinsic and extrinsic individual needs that
currently drive the trainee.
7. Absorption Level- Pace at which the trainee expects and can accept new
information.
8. Topical Interest- Degree to which the trainee can be expected to have
personal (job relevant) interest in the topic.
9. Self Confidence- Degree of trainee’s independence and positive self-
regard, thus requiring high or low levels of feedback, reinforcement, and
success experiences.
A CONTINGENCY APPROACH TO ADULT LEARNING:
DIMENTIONS FOR ASSESSING THE TRAINEE CONT…

10. Locus of Control – Degree to which the trainee perceives that

training can be implemented successfully back on the job with or
without organizational support.
Thank You