Chapter 7 Reflection

I think the easiest way to make learning more powerful would be to follow the andragogical process design:
1. Preparing learners for the program.
2. Establishing a climate conducive to learning.
3. Involving learners in mutual planning.
4. Involving participants in diagnosing their learning needs.
5. Involving learners in forming their learning objectives.
6. Involving learners in designing learning plans.
7. Helping learners carry out their learning plans.
8. Involving learners in evaluating their learning outcomes.

Most of the models or methods that we are learning about in HRD seem to have a collective influence from all or most of the metatheories. to summarize this thought:
Behaviorism comes into play when a theory deals with conditioning or training and teaching for a response. Cognitivism is present when a theory presents that the adult needs to remember and recall information. According to cognitivism, learning is remembering and if this is the case, then any form of development uses this theory. The metatheory "humanism" is an underlying factor for most theories, but in my opinion is not emphasized enough. It has to be a main part because Human Resource Development's main subject IS humans! But is some theories, the emphasis is on improving humans as a whole, but rather preparing them for the good of the organization only. In dealing with social learning metatheory, I'd say this was more apparent in early times and theories, than later, however, it is back on the rise. Apprenticeship is an example of social learning, because the apprentice learns by working with a master and the times he/she learns from observing is a clear case of this metatheory. As on the job training continues to grow, I think this is coming back, however it is more structured. So structured social learning is sort of becoming the new trend. Lastly, constructivism is mainstream in all of our theories because it deals with development. It stresses that all knowledge is bound to other knowledge and individuals make meaning of what they learn (Bruner/Vygotsky). Binding new knowledge to old knowledge and furthering growth is learning as development. Therefor, all combined creating human resource DEVELOPMENT. :)

The andragogical in practice model can be applied by understanding your audience and target group. By using the first step to find out what the motivation of the learner is, you can tailor the rest of your training around that. In practice, everything is applied in the model and it gives you perspective to different reasons for learning. Providing knowledge for someone to learn can be challenging if these issues aren't addressed in the process. This model can be applied by assessing the learner based on the outer layers and then being sure to address the inside principles.

I believe that organizations are a sum of individual learning. This is humanistic approach and I feel that if this were not the case then the field of human resource development would not be on the rise so much, instead it would be organizational develop only. But humans make up organizations and that synergy they produce creates the organizations. There would be no CEO of a company without the development of that human. Organizations learn only because the humans within them learn.