Week 10 Learning and Development

7/26/2019 Week 10 Learning and Development

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MGMT2718

Human Resource Management

Lecture 10

Learning and Development and

Training in Australia

Links to earlier (and later) material

Strategic Training a subset of SHRM

Eliminate non-strategic training > but training is also

an element of public policy > also broader issue of

workforce capability

Processes model: - training needs analysis (TNA)

Link to Job Analysis > Job Description and PersonSpecification

Recruitment and Selection > build or buy

Individual firm can buy but not ALL individual

firms!

This leads to market failure the starting point of

training policy!


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Lecture Structure

1. Some Basic Concepts

2. Strategic Training and the Phases of Training

3.Approaches to Learning and Training Delivery

Methods

4.

Training in Australia

1. Some Basic Concepts

Training

changing the behaviours and capacities of employees to

achieve relatively immediate business goals and needs of

the organisation

Development

is a longer-term process. It might also be mixed up with

goals ofpersonaldevelopment with a humanistic tone

Education

liberal arts model, in which knowledge is pursued for its

own sake

Skill

Outcome of learning

VET (Vocational Education and Training)


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1. Strategic Training and the Phases of

Training Key idea: training should be targeted on a firms

Strategic business needs

a strategic approach to training and development can bedepicted as one where all those involved are engaged ina connected, explicit and developmental purpose whichhelps to simultaneously fulfill an individuals learninggoals and the organisations mission (Mabey andSalaman 1995:132). =

Processes Model- to ensure training matches organisationalneeds

! Training processes: needs analysis, design, delivery, evaluation -ensure alignment

Systematic, Processes model of training

(Stone)


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LEARNING

THEORY:

- Transfer (principles)- Sequencing

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Training Needs Analysis (cont)

Task/Job analysis Output: precise description of the work activities,

including all the tasks performed by the employee,

and the KSAs required to complete the

Person Analysis

Compare performance to PD/PS

Are performance deficits due to absence of KSAs? (ieemployees dont know how to do the job?)

OR to (lack of) Motivation? Or something else?

Organisation Analysis

Check for congruence between organisational

strategy and proposed training

How important is the job?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifmZ6k8gggE

Training Design (and development)

Training needs (identified KSA deficits) are translated into

learning objectives

Writing Learning Objectives

behavioural terms emphasised

Behaviours

Standards

Conditions Objectives focus the training activity and make it visible

Utilise learning theory in training design: ie knowledge of

how people learn? (next section)

Basic idea: align training objectives to knowledge of how

people learn in choice of training methods

Output: Lesson Plan.


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Training Evaluation

Especially important for strategic training, because itestablishes effectiveness of training and devpt

Kirkpatrick Model: most widely used conceptualisation

Reactions

How do the trainees feel about the training? (Happysheets)

Learning

What did they learn? (Assessment)

Behavour

Did their behaviour change as a result? (Transfer) Results

Did the training fix the performance deficit?

Why do firms not evaluate training?

3. Approaches to Learning: Formal, Informal,

Social, Adult Contested field of theory and practice basic division

between Behaviourists and Cognitivists and mixes of

each.

Behaviourism: learning takes place when behaviour

changes

" Behaviour can be shaped by reward and punishment

(reinforcement)

" Learning ispassive: its something that trainers do to

trainees, by reinforcing behaviour

# Cognitivism:

" Tendency for the mind to seek (or construct) orderly

patterns

" Learner is active in construction of knowledge


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Cognitive Approaches to Learning

Knowledge isconstructed

, a

personal interpretation

An activeprocess; meaning is dependent on past

experience

Learning problem can be structured by the teacher so its

principles are easily accessible by student and well

organised

Presentation of material should move from simple to

complex, to create a meaningful whole

New material should fit intoexisting knowledge (so

Gestalts can be tuned, undergo accretion, or even

restructuring)

Aim: not rotelearning, but learning of and through

principles

Emphasis on principlesto aid transfer

Adult Learning Theory: Andragogy

# Amalgam of previous approaches: beyond steriledebatebetween behaviourists and cognitivists: each applies todifferent types of learning

# Malcolm Knowles:

# vs Pedagogy (teaching of children)

# Vs empty vesseltheory of learning (constructionist)

#Principles: Adult

needs

# The need to know

# The need to be self directing

# Greater volume and quality of experience

# Readiness to learn (motivation)

# Adults have a problem-solving orientation to learning(and different learning styles)


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Social Learning Theory

# People learn by observing others, and in social interaction

# Reinforcement Theory - via understandings of others

behaviours

# Learning can take place without any observable change in

behaviour

Communities of Practice

Collective knowledge contained in a community, rather than

canonical knowledge (declarative)

CoPs are repositories of knowledge and can beencouraged to generate innovation.

Communities of Practice (Cont)

Brown and Duguid: > work of Julian Orr

CoPs of photocopier repairers

Management - seeking to deskill and control > required

mechanics to use repair manuals which were no good

Necessitate working outside the manual

The breakfast was lost time but it was a source ofinnovation! And learning!

Learning takes place at work

Value of learning from a

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63rQ3S8EHoA


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Training Methods: Traditional vs New

Presentational Lectures - Videos

Hands On

On Job Training: Sitting Next to Nellie

Or Formalised eg through public training system and

CBT (next)

Self-directed learning

Role plays, modelling many others

Apprenticeships

Simulations - expensive Group

Adventure learning; Action learning

New Heavily Technology Dependent

4) Training Policy: Australia

Former stable training system based on regulated trades

apprenticeships, strong role for craftunions and state

authorities

# Constitution and Federal structure each State its own

training system

Reforms of 1980s: goals:

National training system with a Qualifications Frameworkallowing labour market mobility

Employers to contribute to training costs via a Levy

Qualifications for those excluded from the system,

particularly women, the disadvantaged

Skills-based career ladders and pay rises presupposed

skill recognition technology adopted Competence-

based training


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CBT as Outcomes-Based and behaviourist

Competence is a description of action, behaviour or

outcome in a form that is capable of demonstration,observation and assessment

ability to perform to standard expected in

employment (NTB, and many others)

It is assessed through observation of behaviour

Claims: valid and reliable assessmentmethodology

Shift from time-serving to demonstration ofcompetence

Permits RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)

Flexibility to trainees and learners viamodularisation (multiple entry and exit points)

transferable qualifications for flexible labour market.

(OECD)

Competence-Based Training: The Standards

Model

Competency Standards: Components

Unit (statement of activity/job description

Element (identify components of a unit)

Performance Criteria (the standards to which the job

elements need to be preformed)

Range Statement (specifies relevant components ofcontext)

Evidence Guide (specifies relevant components for

assessment purposes)

Bundled into Training Packages qualifications, pathways


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Critique of Behavioural Concept of Competence

CBT is reductionist - lends itself to deskilling andTaylorist work organisation

CBT methods, and standards atomise the workprocess, and abstract form the cognitive, andgestalt components of skill

Inhibits cognitive learning, and the transfer of skill

decomposition of work obscures connections

precise (behavioural) learning objectives inhibitincidental learning.

Produces graduates who can know whatto do, butnot why. [Problem when work varies, problemsolving, diagnosis]

Australia: Training Reform

Overall trends: implement training system based on market

design principles

Problems of assessment and training quality and

qualifications validity still with the system 25 years later!

Structure of the system

Federal Structure with separate State training systems

Skills Councils develop qualifications out of industryconsultations. They play no role in curriculum design,

which is left to RTOs

Only Registered Training Organisations can deliver and

assess Nationally Recognised Training materials

Attacks on TAFEs. Opened public funding to

contestability.

> Privatisation of training.


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Quality of Training and Assessment

Ongoing issue, since 2000 Senate Inquiry, and others

traineeshaving wages cut, used as cheap labour, yet

receiving qualifications, while RTO/Employer gets

taxpayer subsidies

Serious fraud by some, especially Employment Agencies

linked to RTOs

Extent not known and difficult to research bad apples?

Or systemic?

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (2008) policy

Concerns re unethical behaviour of some RTOs,

certifying competence inappropriately

Employers then may have to do extra training

Criticism of a training market: assessment standards get

driven down to the lowest common denominator

The Training Market

Varying degrees of marketisation in different states. Now

both Federal and most States accept market design.

Competition between training providers for contracts with

trainees or employers and government funding

Lowering of standards > race to the bottom

Some players had an obvious(Senate Committee)

conflict of interest, when they delivered and assessedtraining, as well requiring that training if they were

employment agencies as well

Existing employees were sometimes converted to

trainees (put on training wage), and giventraining

Often they did not see a trainer or assessor, yet were

deemed competent > degrading of qualifications

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/

s3583867.htm


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Conclusion

Examined training within the HRM processes model. But itsnot just a firm level issue, its a public policy issue

Serious challenges face Australian training policy:

Political structural

Conceptual

CBT and Skill Recognition and Definition; skill

levels, grades

Tensions with time servedfunding model

Assessment

No guarantee of integrityof manyqualifications

Market-based Reforms: really running into trouble now

Week 10 Learning and Development

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