Understanding and Facilitating Learning: Advancements in Training and Development

Abstract

Training and development refers to systematic processes initiated by the organization that result in the relatively permanent changes in the knowledge, skills, or attitudes of organizational members. This chapter is organized around broad steps in the classic instructional systems design model: needs assessment, training design and delivery, training evaluation, and transfer of training. For each topic, we define the state of the art with respect to theory and research, and highlight key updates to the literature since Kraiger's (2003) chapter in the first handbook. Under design and delivery, particular attention is paid to technology-delivered instruction, team training, active learning methods such as error management training and adaptive guidance. New sections added since the prior chapter include training older learners and management development. Several themes emerge within the chapter. One is ongoing emergence of better theories that connect individual characteristics and organizational contexts to both training practices and the effectiveness of training. Another is that training practice often lags behind training theory. Keywords: training methods; needs assessment; transfer; training evaluation; management development