Learning and Development

The ACADEMIC ESSAY will require students to carry out extensive research into key learning and development issues and produce a literature review based upon their findings. It is designed to encourage strategic thinking about learning, development and knowledge creation and management, and provide the basis of understand about how L&D contributes to HRM. Students are to choose research areas (at least three) from weeks 1 – 6 and will demonstrate through their essay a critical and analytical appreciation and comparison of these three key concepts, models and perspectives and their interdependency.

The ACADEMIC ESSAY will require students to carry out extensive research into key learning and development issues and produce a literature review based upon their findings. It is designed to encourage strategic thinking about learning, development and knowledge creation and management, and provide the basis of understand about how L&D contributes to HRM. Students are to choose research areas (at least three) from weeks 1 – 6 and will demonstrate through their essay a critical and analytical appreciation and comparison of these three key concepts, models and perspectives and their interdependency.

Students must be able to:

o Analyse, evaluate and compare issues associated with national and/or international learning and development practices
o Go beyond a descriptive account of processes and procedures
o Use relevant literature to develop an analytical framework
o Use literature search and review processes effectively
o Present work in an acceptable academic format using the Harvard Referencing System
Learning Outcomes
Academic Essay
Business Report
Describe three different approaches to engaging stakeholders in formulating learning and development (L&D) policy, strategy and plans that integrate L&D activity with wider HRM, Knowledge Management (KM) and Information Management (IM) policies X
Identify and evaluate the effectiveness of L&D processes and practice and its ability to meet specified organisational needs and legal, mandatory and ethical requirements X
Critically evaluate and advise on how to achieve a well-managed, appropriately skilled and value-adding L&D function that will help the organisation attract, retain and develop the ‘millennial’ (Generation Z) workforce X
Analyse and evaluate ways that L&D can contribute to the processes of recruitment, performance management and wellbeing, thus expanding the organisation’s overall capacity and competence, ability to manage change X
Explore and critically evaluate major theories relating to learning, development, training, organisational change and engagement at work and how these are put into practice X X
Contribute to the design and provision of effective L&D strategic plans utilising learning technologies and knowledge management principles, as appropriate X
Use and interpret data from a wide range of appropriate sources – professional and academic – in order to evaluate the impact and return on investment derived from L&D activities and communicate their findings effectively X