3DES Designing Learning and Development Activities

Introduction to 3DES

3DES helps learners develop skills and knowledge in learning activities, which is essential in understanding the differences in learners’ characteristics and development opportunities. Important issues to consideration include determining the employees’ learning needs and identifying ways of planning and achieving the learning needs.

Aim of the unit

The aim of this unit is to help learners:

• Learn the legislative factors that are essential in the designing of L&D activities which are;

Employees code of conduct. These ensures that ethical behaviours are well promoted in the whole organisation, which is essential in promoting development. Employment law is another legislative factor helpful in designing L&D activities. Forms of employer and employees relationship are frequently improved. Therefore, the employees Law protects workers’ rights and ensures that employees training is necessary for them to keep updated with changes.

• Learn organisational factors that are essential in designing of L&D activities which are;

Certainty, which when one is sure of the past, it is easy to predict the outcome in an organisation when designing L&D activities unlike when you are not sure. Uncertainty hinders smooth operation in an organisation hence false prediction of an organisation’s future. Complexity is an organisational issue through which operations in an organisation can sometimes become difficult affecting designing of L&D activities. This can be because of change of technology, economical changes, ecological changes and political changes.

• Learn the adult learning principles that are essential in informing of the process of designing of L&D activities.

The principles include Bloom’s taxonomy, which has six levels that were developed in explaining Bloom’s taxonomy theory. These levels are: 1) Knowledge where learners are able to remember specific information that might have previously acquired. 2) Comprehension where learners grasp, interpret and understand the concept of information that the learner has recalled. 3) Application where learners use the information previously acquired logics, rules and theories before making decisions. 4) Analysis where learners analyse all information acquired to come into a conclusion. 5) Synthesis where learners puts together all the information and comes up with an idea that is essential in solving different issues, and finally 6) Evaluate where learners develops judgements and authenticity in fair judgement.

The second principle or model is the Kolb learning theory, which was developed by David Kolb and has four development stages namely: 1) Concrete experience where learners gain experience, 2) Reflective observation where learners are subjected to actively thinking of experience and outcome. 3) Abstract conceptualization where learners gain ideas and concludes to modify existing abstract and finally 4) engage in active experimentation where learners puts their ideas into action to see the outcome.

• Learn the factors that are essential in learners to design relevant L&D activities.

The factors are self-concept, which evaluates whether the learners have self-drive to engage in L&D activities willingly. Motivation to learn is another factor to identify how to actively engage the learners  to embrace the learning culture. Readiness to learn factor determines the will of learners in getting into the learning process.

• Learn how to convert information into objectives.

For professionals to convert information into an objective you should first know the aim of learning, evaluate the performance and the outcome achieved after learning.  This helps to be able to know the results of designing of L&D objectives, which are making learners, understand and relate to self-concept issue, to help boast their self-esteem before commencing the training sessions. The information allows learners to examine the importance of L&D during the learning period to be able to successfully achieve goals and objectives. It allows learners to develop personal expectations and state their requirements in the new learning environment after the first training session. Learners also assess the results of their learning, examine their learning progress and the impact it has put on their behaviour change after the training sessions

• Learn the different training methods and where each is best suitable depending on learning objectives

The learning methods include on job training, which is done to employees at work with an aim to improve their skills for enhancing growth in an organisation and learn how to perform on specific projects.

External classes learning method is another and consultations done by staff members outside an organisation. In this case, staff members are normally sent out for trainings or consultations with an aim of helping them become more objective on specific issue that they are trained on.

Distance learning method is another form of training that is done online, outside an organisation, where the trainers and the learners do not physically met.

Video conference learning method is training done virtually where learners and trainers communicate and share information either via video or audio calls.

Learning objectives

The goal of L&D activities is to:

• Impact the learners with knowledge and information to enhance their work performance
• To improve the learners positive attitude for better work performance
• To develop a better behaviour in individuals or groups
• To improve learners skills
• To support talent at work and building of capabilities at work
• For career progression and professional development

Unit suitability

This unit is best suitable for:-

• Employees to improve on their skills and be in a position to carry out their tasks smoothly for better work performance.
• HR to be able to learn what the different types of trainings and their suitability
• The management team to be able to learn how best to run an organization
• The bosses to learn the significance of L&D activities in an organisation