Equipping the learning, training and development professional for work– lessons from two countries

1. Equipping the learning, training and development professional for work– lessons from two countries John van der Merwe, North-West University, South Africa John.VanDerMerwe@nwu.ac.za Martyn Sloman, Kingston Business School, UK m.sloman@kingston.ac.uk

2. The systematic training model

3. Changing skills at work “there has… been a marked and sustained increase in the proportion of people who report that computing is an ‘essential’ part of their job. This rose from 31% in 1997 to 40% in 2001, and then to 47% in 2006.” Use of ‘influence skills’ (communicating, analysing, persuading) and literacy skills rising most .” “we need to ensure that we supply the ‘right’ skills which effectively meet the changing needs and requirements of the labour market. This calls for a renewal of the commitment to ‘economically valuable’ skills.”

4. Training an instructor-led, content-based intervention, leading to desired changes in behaviour Learning a self-directed, work-based process, leading to increased adaptive capacity

5. Learning not training

6. Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP)

7. 1 2 3 Training: academic base or practitioner discipline An economy in transition and a political history Geography and distance The key issues

9. Programme informationBTD (Human Resource Development) • NQF level 7 • Credits: 436 + 12 (448) • SAQA approved – 11 August 2004 • T & L approach :- Blended Model of Learning with a • combination of limited contact, distance learning with assignments and portfolios of evidence (POE) • Multifaculty/inter-disciplinary approach • Started January 2006 with 9 students • January 2011 – enrolled 153 students • Legislation driving Learning and Skills Development

10. 2011 Student demographics • White = 39 • Black = 89 • Brown = 16 • Indian = 9 • Male = 123 • Female = 30 All 9 S.A. provinces, Namibia and Swaziland

11. Student profileAdults in full-time employment • learning and development specialists with minimum 3 years relevant L & D experience in the……….. • mining, chemical, ETD consultants, SAQA and seta personnel, production industry, national, provincial and local government, parastataland……….. • students represent more than 60 different organisations

12. Multifaculty/interdisciplinary

13. Programme evaluation • Internal Programme Evaluation 2009 – review of internal status • Canadian – 2010 part of international benchmarking • External Programme Evaluation 2011 – review of internal and external status

14. Curriculum layout • Average of 9 semester modules per year • Unit standard based – emphasis on theory and not so much skills - this must be practiced in the workplace and monitored by a mentor • Programme and module outcomes • Combination of training and development modules, human resource studies, philosophy of the world of work and academic literacy OBET – Outcomes-based education and training

15. Mode of delivery Vacation school model • 4 x 1 week sessions per year – 2 weeks per semester • 1st semester (Jan to June) January – registration and orientation April – vacation school • 2nd semester (July to October) July – orientation September

16. Vacation school format Orientation sessions at start of each semester • scoping of assignments for new semester in each module • discussions on time management, plagiarism, study methods, tasks and responsibilities as students and us as lecturing staff

17. Vacation school format Typical layout of school contact session • plot one module per day from 08h00 to 17h00 • write a class test on demarcated work • feedback on assignments completed • group work on typical case studies and scenario analysis of real workplace situations • each group selects a spokes person to present their findings on flipchart • examination papers are based on these discussions

18. Teaching and learning Blended model of learning combination of limited contact sessions and distance learning • combination of different approaches • self-regulating learning • self-directed learning • problem-based learning • assignments – combination of theory and practical workplace application and implementation

19. Assessment Assignments and/or portfolios making use of rubrics for allocating marks • index, introduction and conclusion; • body of theory based on academic literature; • technical aspects (structured layout, source referencing, academic writing style, bibliography, grammar and spelling. Examinations: a combination of a rubrics and a memorandum – students must always incorporate examples of practical implementation and application

21. Terms used in articles

22. The changing world of the trainer trainers must no longer regard their activities as the sun round which learner planets revolve

23. Thank you