Learning Styles and Theories for Staff Training

Human Resource
Development

Contents
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 2
TASK 1......................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Comparison of different learning styles..........................................................................3
1.2 Explain the role of the learning curve and the importance of Transferring learning to the Workplace
................................................................................................................................ 4
1.3 Assess the contribution of learning styles and theories when planning and designing a learning
event......................................................................................................................... 5
TASK 2......................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Comparing the training needs for staff at various levels in the organization..............................5
2.2 Assessing the advantages and disadvantages for different methods of training..........................6
2.3 Use a systematic approach to plan training and development for a training event.......................7
TASK 3......................................................................................................................... 8
3.1 Prepare an evaluation using suitable techniques................................................................8
3.2 Carry out an evaluation of a training event......................................................................8
3.3 Review the success of the evaluation methods used...........................................................9
TASK 4....................................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Role of government with regards to training, development and lifelong learning.....................10
4.2 Explain how the development of the competency movement has affected the public and private
sectors..................................................................................................................... 10
4.3 Assessing how contemporary training initiatives introduced by the UK government contribute to
human resources development for an organization...............................................................11
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................. 11
REFERENCES............................................................................................................. 13
INTRODUCTION
Human resource managements have played an important role in the overall development
of employees working in an organization. As every organization need to have skilled and

knowledgeable employees who contribute their maximum efforts in achieving desired goals and
objectives within limited period of time (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2010). Thus it is important
for HR manager to develop and improve their skills and capabilities through conducting training
and development programs and motivating them by providing various incentives such as
compensation, bonus etc. It is essential for the HR management of company to maintain healthy
relationship with their staff members through making proper coordination with them so that their
employees’ feels motivated and perform well. The main purpose of preparing this report is to
provide the important elements that HR manager need to provide to their employees in order to
enhance their performance. The project also covers the role of government in overall
development of employees as well as an organization. Company named Marks and Spencer
(M&S) Ltd. is chosen for the purpose of preparing this report.
TASK 1
1.1 Comparison of different learning styles
As the employees working in an organization is different with each other in terms of their
skills and knowledge thus the style of learning of all employees is also different with each other.
Therefore it is the responsibility of HR manager to understand the differences in learning of an
individual through conducting research with the help of which they know that how the human
mind act according to the situations and the way they operate, receive and understand
information (Leigh and Blakely, 2016). So in order to understand them clearly there are different
learning styles has been introduced in the 1970s which are explained as under:
David Kolb’s model: It is a method: By using model the trainee can acquire skills and
knowledge through making new experiments which help them in learning new and innovative. It
can be classified into four learning styles such as Accommodator, Converger, Diverger and
Assimilator.
Peter Honey and Alan Mumford’s model: This learning style is done on the basis of
assumptions that acquiring preferences is not supposed to be one’s fixed personality rather
adaptable at will or changes circumstances. It can be classified into four learning styles which are
Activist, Reflector, Theorist and Pragmatist.
Gagne’s theory of learning style: This learning style believes that there are nine
instructional events which are helpful in learning effectively. Such events are receptive
capability of the learner, expectations must be known to the learner along with required
objectives, retrieval of previous learning, existence of selective perception, learners must be
provided with direction, eliciting of performance, provide feedback and reinforcement,
assessment of performance and enhancement of retention and transfer.
Comparison: As the people working in different environment adopted different working style
thus the peter honey and Alan Mumford model should be adopted rather than Kolb’s learning

style which consider only limited factor (Rondinelli, 2013). It is beneficial for the company to
first identify the behavior and attitude of employees rather than questioning them the way of
learning. As per the Gagne’s theory it must ensured that the managers need to involve in more
knowledge than they are taught. This will help in structuring a whole presentation through which
learning can be enhanced.
1.2 Explain the role of the learning curve and the importance of Transferring learning to
the Workplace
Figure 1: Learning Curve, 2016
Learning curve: It is a graphical representation which indicates that the knowledge and
learning of employees is improving while performing task. It is helpful in determining the
capability of employee to complete the given task within limited period of time. An n
organization should need to plan and conduct training and development programs in order to
understand the various learning styles of the employees. The learning curve may vary with the
performance of the trainees in terms of acquiring new skills and techniques.
Transferring Learning: It is the process of acquiring new skills and knowledge through
adopting different learning style. It transmits into the trainee through which they can perform
better. As transferring learning help trainees to use effective techniques to perform particular job
pr work. It is important for the trainer to transfer only material and useful information to its
trainee who helps them to making effective decision, problems solving and development of new
skills and qualities among the trainees (Bass, 2012). If the trainees perform as per the expected
desired result then it means the effective learning style has been transferred.
Importance of transferred learning:
There are various benefits the company gets while transferring learning to trainees. Some
advantages are as follows: