1- analyse to what extent concepts of training transfer have been included in the design of each training event; and

2 - discuss how these cases demonstrate the importance of adult learning principles in training implementation and why they have a significant impact on the learner experience

500-700 wor-ds learning materials

- Case 4 Jack goes to training Jack, felt a little nervous as he walked up the steps of the training centre. The training room was not at all like a schoolroom. No windows, no blackboards. As he entered the room, a nicely dressed man approached him and said, 'Hi, my name is Doug, welcome to the training centre. Have you ever been here before?' The name tag indicated Doug was the trainer. He seems like a nice guy, thought Jack. 'There's some coffee and doughnuts over there - help yourself,' said Dough. This might even be enjoyable, thought Jack, although he still felt a little apprehensive. With introductions out of the way and the objectives and agenda explained, Doug summed up by saying, 'So, at the end of the two days you will be expected to take a set of specifications and program them into the machine. Are there any questions?' 'So, there are no tests?' asked Jack. 'Well', said Doug, 'that is the test'. Jack was a bit confused. 'But that is what we do at work - I don't see it as a test. A test is where I have to write down an answer to some question you pose about all this stuff'. 'There are no paper-and-pencil tests, just practical tests', said Doug. Suddenly it was lunchtime. Jack thought, 'It's true, time does go fast when you are having fun. This sure isn't like school', All 23 trainees went to another room where lunch was served. 'I can't believe it. This is nothing like I expected,' said Ron. Ron was the participant who Jack had to interview and introduce to the group in what was called an icebreaker. That icebreaker sure did a lot to get me relaxed and interested in the training, thought Jack. Ron continued, 'I always did poorly in school and was petrified about coming here'. Jack responded, 'Me too.' Ron said, 'I like the idea of the mini-tests. It gives us an idea of how we are doing and provides us with extra help if we are falling behind'. 'Tests.... oh, yeah, I find it hard to consider them tests. They're hands-on, exactly what we will do on the job,' said Jack. At the end of training Jack thought, 'Wow, it's already over'. 'Nice job, Jack. You are now certified on this piece of equipment', said Doug. 'Hey Ron,' said Jack, 'do you believe how much fun learning can be?' Ron agreed: 'Doug was great. He kept getting our input and tying our experiences to the new stuff we had to learn. I never thought I would say this, but I would like to get more training like this'. 'You bet,' said Jack. Extract from Blanchard P and Thacker J, 2013, Effective training, Systems, strategies and practices, Pearson, New Jersey, p. 305.

Case 5 - Scranton Industries Bilal, a 43 year old machinist, had worked for Scranton Industries for 23 years. It seemed that the need to learn something new was constant, and Bilal was getting nervous about his job. The nervousness grew last week when he saw a new batch of equipment arrive. It looked something like the machinery he uses now, but it was hooked up to computers, Jill, his line manager, said, "It looks like you'll be going back to school for a couple of days, Bilal. You're going to have to learn how to program your work into the computer." Bilal smiled but felt sick to his stomach. He always had been good with his hands, but he had never done well at school. All Bilal thought about that weekend was the training he would be going to. He fell asleep Sunday night thinking about it. The phone awakened him at 7:00 am the next morning. It was Jill telling him about that training had been switched from the local training centre downtown to the local school because of a sudden strike at the training centre. The local school was the only place available on short notice. As Bilal walked up the stairs of the school, he felt sick to his stomach again. He entered the hall and then the classroom. Everything was similar to what he remembered about the school, except that now there was a computer on each desk. Even the smell was the same, and it brought back memories. Some were good (the guys getting together between classes), but most were bad (being yelled at, taking tests, and doing poorly). As he sat in the wooden chair in the back where he used to sit, he looked out the window and began to daydream, just as he had done in high school. The other 20 trainees were sitting quietly at their desks. All of them seemed as nervous as Bilal. Suddenly someone burst through the door. "Hi, my name is Jason Besson. I'm your instructor for this course. You're here to learn some basic computer skills and how to program the machines that you will be using at work. I realise that you come from different companies and will operate different machines, but the process for all of them is similar. First, I am going to show you how to get signed on and into the program you will be running...." Bilal was back from his daydream. Well, here we go he thought. At lunch, Bilal and his classmate Murray went to the local deli. Are you keeping up?" Bilal asked. "Are you kidding? Are we going to get tested on this stuff?" asked Murray. "I have no idea. If we are, I'm dead," said Bilal The afternoon went slowly. The trainer simply gave an instruction, and the trainees entered the information on the computer. Then he gave another and they entered that as well. "How are we supposed to remember all this?" Murray whispered. The second day was worse. On a few occasions, Bilal was jolted out of his daydream while starring out of the window. "Bilal" yelled Jason, are you with us?" At 3:00 PM on the second afternoon, Jason announced that they would be tested to see what they had learned. Bilal looked at the test questions. Was he that stupid? He did not even understand many of the questions. Would "he lose his job if he failed this test? He could almost hear his boss yelling at him, "You are fired! Get out, get out! Adapted* from Blanchard NP & Thacker JW 2013, Effective Training: Systems, strategies, and Practices, 5th Ed, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.