CH6_Learning_Part2
Learning in Organizations
Chapter 6: 186-201
Organizational Behavior 261
Gabrielle Durepos
Outline
Towards an understanding of learning
Adult Learning Theories
Andragogy
Self-directed learning
Transformational learning
Learning theories in practice
Kolb’s learning cycle
Conclusions
Towards an understanding of
Learning
A relatively permanent change in behavior or human capabilities that results from possessing new:
knowledge
practice
experience
Adult Learning Theories:
Andragogy
Refers to the art and science of helping adults learn
Knowledge is actively constructed by the learner
Learning is understood as:
the construction of meaning through experience
Adult learning theories
Learning based MORE on needs of learner
Takes MORE into account the context of learning
Theories OFTEN assume learning as self-directed
Adult Learning Theories
:
Andragogy
According to Knowles adult learners are:
Independent and self-directing
Mature and experienced
Motivated by what they need to know
Problem centered
Intrinsically motivated
Adult Learning Theories:
Pedagogy and Andragogy
Pedagogy
Helping children learn
Learner is dependent
Learner’s experience is more standard
Learners learn what curriculum dictate
Learners see education as acquiring subject matter
Andragogy
Helping adults learn
Learner moves from dependency on teacher to self directness
Experience of learning is important, more participative
Learner targets what they need to know
Learners see learning as increasing their personal competence
** According to Knowles (Jarvis, 1987)
Adult Learning Theories: Andragogy
Criticisms:
No discussion of the impact of social structures on learning
Social
Political
Cultural
Is the learner unaffected by these socio-political factors?
How do socio-political factors impact or restrict the adult learner?
Adult Learning Theories: Self-Directed Learning
Learning process focuses / based on:
Self-development
Self-discovery
Human potential for growth
Acquisition of practical and pragmatic knowledge
Learner is encouraged to assume responsibility and move towards a state of self-directedness
Occurs incrementally
Does not occur simultaneously in all aspects of one’s life
Adult Learning Theories: Self-Directed Learning
Full state of self directedness occurs when the learner engages in:
Critical thinking / reflection
Questioning commonly held assumptions about their lived in world
Exploring alternative perspectives and meaning systems
A facilitator as opposed to a teacher
Specifies learning objectives
Facilitates learning
Negotiates content of what is learned
Empowers learners
Helps develop plans for personal growth
Adult Learning Theories:
Self-Directed Learning & the learning organization
Team based learning where:
Individuals are empowered to act
Are critical and self reflective
Monitor their own and others actions
Continuously enact cues from their environment
Change based on what is in the best interest of the organization
Very organic, continuous, self-directed
Criticism
Learning in line with adopting capitalist ideals?
Another managerial tool to increase the bottom line?
Adult Learning Theories:
Self-Directed Learning & the learning organization
Maple Leaf Foods – a “Learning Organization”
Maple Leaf and Western University partnership
HR emails list of courses available
Courses are offered to enable employees further develop work skills
Employees qualify if:
Based on performance (top 50% of organization)
Employees express interest
Long waiting list
Courses from 4 days to 1 week
Topics of course range from Leadership to …
Adult Learning Theories:
Transformational Learning
Refers to a learning process where:
Learners not only enact a stable change of behavior
Learner is SHAPED by the learning process
Learner is profoundly changed by the learning experience
Process can be:
Sudden or incremental
Formal (university), non-formal (workshop), informal (everyday – at work) or incidental (tacit)
A process which is liberating:
Learner becomes aware of how previously held assumptions and perspectives can act to constrain the ability to see otherwise
Learner is opened to other ways of seeing
Goal of transformational learning:
Learner gains a sense of agency over their life
Adult Learning Theories:
Transformational Learning
Three Core Beliefs:
1. Philosophical assumptions about the nature of human beings
Learner gains a sense of agency over their life
2. Beliefs about knowledge
Knowledge as a social construction
Knowledge as subjective and actively constructed by individuals
3. Ideas about the relationship between the individual and society
Individuals are autonomous individuals who learn and enact change at a societal level
Adult Learning Theories:
Transformational Learning
Criticisms:
Assumption that all have access to “shaping” learning experiences
Theory neglects how issues of:
Gender
Class
Race
Social context affect the learning process and the learner?
Learning Theories in Practice
Kolb’s learning cycle
Not an alternative theory but a holistic approach
Incorporates cognitive, behavioral, perception and adult learning theories
No beginning or end
CONCRETE
EXPERIENCE
Planned or actual event
REFLECTIVE
OBSERVATION
Actively thinking about what
Happened and its meaning
ACTIVE
EXPERIMENTATION
Trying out what was learned in
Other settings
ABSTRACT
CONCEPTUALIZATION
What was learned?
Implications for future?
Learning Theories in Practice
Kolb’s model emphasizes:
Experience is central to learning
Individual needs and goals are important
That learning occurs in various stages
Learning is active, passive, concrete, abstract
Conclusions
Vast array of learning theories
Today we looked at theories that view:
Learning occurring due to experiences
Knowledge as acquired through relationships with others
Learning as more organic
Next class we will look at traditional leaning theories:
Brain as a container of knowledge
Knowledge as easily codified and transferred
Learning theories modeled on how machines operate
Which one would you use to explain how you learn?
Are certain learning theories superior to others?
