Learning and Development

Figure 1 – Learning & Development (Logran, 2016)

According to Armstrong (2011) Learning and Development strategies ‘are concerned with developing a learning culture, promoting organisational learning and providing for individual learning’. Also Armstrong (2011) describes some of the viewpoints behind the strategy;

• ‘Long term capacity- building’ rather than ‘short term fixes’
• Focus on ‘Learning’ rather than ‘Training’
• Focus on ‘Empowerment’ rather than ‘Supervision’
• ‘Self-Management’ rather than ‘Instruction’
• Encouraging ‘Discretionary Learning’

Once learning and development strategies take part in the strategic plan of any organisation it ensures that people in the organization acquire and develop the knowledge, skills and competencies. By doing this organisation get the benefit of it's people being effectively on the job and for their own career advancement. (Armstrong, 2009)

Related terms with variances;

TRAINING	Training can be carried out by the organisation which relates to job role or arranged special activity by an external provision. ‘A set of planned activities on the part of an organization to increase job knowledge and skills, or to modify attitudes and social behavior, to achieve specific ends which are related to a particular job or role’ (Henderoson, 2017)
LEARNING	Learning always based on organizational needs and should developed increasingly individually through his/her experience. ‘A relatively permanent change in knowledge, skills, attitudes or behavior that comes through experience‘(ibid)
DEVELOPMENT	Development always personal and straightly involve with the effectiveness of an individual related to the job ‘The ‘continuing improvement of an individual’s effectiveness’ in terms of their role or profession beyond the immediate task or job’ (ibid)
EDUCATION	Education is something beyond Training, Development & Learning.  ‘The ‘process of personal growth in abilities and attitudes’, which might take place independently of its application to work, and is therefore a broader experience than training or work-related learning and development’ (ibid).

Kolb’s Learning Cycle (1984)

 Figure 2 -  Kolb’s Learning Cycle (1984)

According to Kolb (1984) Learning Cycle, effective learning can only take place when an individual completes a cycle of the four stages;  

1.      Concrete experience – Doing / having the experience

2.       Reflective observation – Reviewing / Reflecting the experience

3.       Abstract conceptualization – Concluding /learning from the experience

4.       Active experimentation – Planning / trying out what you have learnt

Refer the below video clip for “Latest Learning and Development Trends”

Figure 3 – The HR Observer (2015)

References

Armstrong, M. (2017). Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice 10th ed. London, GBR: Kogan Page

Kolb, D. (1984) Kolb's Learning Cycle JOUNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, Vol 22 No.3, pp.304-319 Sage Publication,Inc

(Henderoson, L. 2017) Human Resource Management for MBA Students 2nd ed. UK: Cipd Publications

Video (2015) The HR Observer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjO9g_Pi1LQ [Accessed on 12^th May 2018 at 03:14am]

Bibliography

Leisester (2018). David Kolb . [online]. Available from: https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/doctoralcollege/training/eresources/teaching/theories/kolb [Accessed on 12th May 2018 at 03:04am]