Studying Learning and Development

Context, Practice and Measurement

Jim Stewart, Pat Rogers, Jim Stewart, Pat Rogers

• Publisher: CIPD - Kogan Page
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781843984146
• eBook ISBN: 9781843984603
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Human Resource Management
• Index: Business

Studying Learning and Development is the essential textbook for anyone studying the field in order to further their professional development, and HR practitioners wishing to extend their understanding of its background and practical application. With a clear layout that is easy to navigate, it takes you step by step through developing the knowledge and skills required for professional practice, understanding the broader context of learning and development - including the influential factors on achieving strategic objectives and developing policies that suit your organisational needs - and fully utilising learning and development data in order to build a business case for its value within your organisation.

Written and edited by experts in the field with a wealth of experience in teaching, writing and examining, Studying Learning and Development is the first and only text to map the unit learning outcomes of the three core modules for the CIPD Level 5 Intermediate level qualification. Its broad coverage means that it is also ideal for any students studying Learning and Development as part of a wider HR or business degree and wanting to gain a deeper appreciation for the knowledge, skills and planning required for the success of its policies and activities in practice. The additional resources available online, including multiple choice questions for self-assessment, web links to further resources, extra case studies and a glossary of key terms, as well as lecturer slides, guides and text banks, will enhance learning of the text and ensure thorough grounding in the theory. There are also six ebooks available to support the CIPD Level 5 Studying Learning and Development optional modules.

DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER 1

The Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required of Learning and Development Practitioners

RACHEL ROBINS AND PHIL BADLEY

CHAPTER OVERVIEW

• Introduction
• Context for Learning and Development
• Frameworks for Learning and Development
• L&D knowledge skills
• Putting the data to work
• Designing effective learning
• How to evaluate learning
• Effective communication for L&D professionals l Concept of CPD
• Summary

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

• summarise current practices, trends and emerging roles in learning and development
• identify the key knowledge, skills and behaviours required by learning and development professionals.

INTRODUCTION

The world of workplace learning and development continues to change and mature. This brings with it not just challenges and exciting opportunities but also the need for learning and development (L&D) professionals to develop their knowledge and skills continually to meet the demands of stakeholders. The role of the L&D function is evolving due to a number of factors. These include continuing developments in the understanding of learning, advances in understanding of how people learn, and the application of emerging technologies to support learning. In addition, learning strategies and tactics must continue to be sensitive to fluctuating business strategies that themselves are subject to financial pressures.

This chapter examines the professional knowledge required of an L&D practitioner to be effective in contemporary workplaces. Our discussion starts with an identification of the different typologies of the role that includes a focus on the CIPD Profession Map from an L&D perspective. Other frameworks that contribute to an understanding of the multi-faceted nature of the L&D role are also considered. The role is no longer limited to a provider of, or deliverer of learning. It cannot be seen in isolation as it must be integrated with other areas of people management practice. For example, with enhanced knowledge and skills, an individual might rightly expect an improved remuneration package, a revised performance agreement and raised expectations about future career progression. We then explore the knowledge and skills required of an L&D professional in a working environment.

Our discussion then leads to an analysis of how three of these L&D skills can be applied when faced with changing demands of different stakeholders. These skills are communication skills and styles; work-management behaviours, in particular self-management and –organisation; and working collaboratively with others. We conclude the chapter with an enquiry into the concept and the philosophy of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and provide models and the theory that supports the requirement for the professional development of L&D professionals.

Throughout the chapter we include reflection points and activities for readers to inform their own CPD records and to plan future careers.

CONTEXT FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

The context in which organisations operate reflects a range of issues – the economy, the influence of politicians and legislators, and the changing nature and expectations of society. When considering relevant learning activities, L&D professionals need to be mindful of these influences to ensure that knowledge and skills are relevant not just for current practice but support building capacity for the future.

The CIPD Research Report (2014) outlines the challenges for L&D in the future and challenges the function to be ‘savvy, affecting and aligned, versatile and ubiquitous’:

• Savvy, to not only be aware of an organisation’s context and its business model but to understand nuances and consider potential implications for L&D. To use an example from the construction industry, L&D professionals would research emerging changes in building methods and techniques to ensure an organisation had sufficient numbers of staff with relevant knowledge and skills.
• Affecting and aligned, to be proactive and contribute to any required changes in organisational strategy and culture. For example, L&D professionals would respond to an upturn in the economy by liaising with colleagues to implement staff retention strategies.
• Versatile, and be able to react quickly to changing business scenarios and adapt to draw on different perceptions of the role. Having delivered learning, for example, L&D has a role to play in ensuring new-found knowledge and skills are consolidated on the job.
• Ubiquitous, to retain a presence and profile in an organisation so that learning is not an ‘afterthought’, but a key player in maturing strategies and tactics. L&D professionals need to have the credibility to be invited to strategy and change forums.

An effective L&D function will be at the heart of an organisation interpreting changing business needs and developing the capability of the workforce to enable the effective delivery of products and services to the market or client base. For many organisations the definition of workforce extends beyond managers and employees and can include apprentices, agency workers and volunteers.

The positioning of the L&D function in an organisational hierarchy can vary for a number of reasons. The size of a business has a significant influence. In many larger organisations, the L&D function is often positioned alongside, or within, the broader Human Resources function. The growth of internal expertise in Organisation Development (OD) also provides a synergy with the L&D function in some organisations. In examples, the linkages between organisational design activity and organisational development activity form part of the OD function...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• List of figures and tables
• Contributor biographies
• Acknowledgements
• Walkthrough of textbook features and online resources
• Introduction
• Developing Professional Practice in Learning and Development
• Understanding the Context of Learning and Development
• Using Information Metrics and Developing Business Cases for Learning and Development
• Conclusions and Future Directions
• Index