Chapter 4

1. What learning condition do you think is most necessary for learning to occur? Which is least critical? Why?

2.What value would it be to know that you were going to be training a class of persons between the ages of 20 and 35? Would it influence the approach you would take? How?

3. How do instructional objectives help learning to occur?

4.Can allowing trainees to make errors in training be useful? Explain.

5.Detailed lesson plans have important information for trainers. List the different types of information found in a detailed lesson plan. Also, indicate the importance of each type of information for learning.

1. The learning condition I think is most necessary for learning to occur is Social Learning. Social learning emphasizes that people learn by observing other persons whom they believe are credible and knowledgeable. For me I tend to learn quicker if I am able to be around someone who already has the knowledge of what I’m learning. I sometimes find it difficult to understand certain things if I go into them with know guidance. I also feel better about what I’m learning if I have someone that knows about the subject telling me I’m doing the right thing. The least critical condition is reinforcement. Reinforcement emphasizes that people are motivated to perform or avoid certain behaviors because of past outcomes that have resulted from those behaviors. The reason I believe this condition is least critical is because I think that when you learn something it will be obvious that you will either get a good outcome or a bad outcome. I don’t really focus how I learn on whether in the end I’ll be ahead or behind.

2. If I was going to teach a training class of persons between the ages of 20 and 35 I would be more than welcome to do it. I would be in an age group that is growing up with me and should have some knowledge of what is the latest information they are trying to learn. It would influence the approach I took to some degree but not much. I would tailor the program to make sure everyone was on the same page. I wouldn’t think I would have to go into great detail about everything, but a little on some that I thought might not have reached everyone. After giving out a Needs Assessment questionnaire and knowing their skills I would be in a better place of deciding how much detailed information would be taught.

3. Instructional objectives help learning to occur by giving employees a positive learning environment or good instruction to perform the needed tasks the training program is suppose to do. An instructional objective give employees the objectives, tell them where it applies, gives them plenty of practice, and feedback. By the end employees should be able to get the most out of the training program.

4. I believe allowing trainees to make errors is one of the best ways to learn. Through errors trainees will be better at understand what to do and what not to do. Allowing errors will also help the trainees with troubleshooting when a customer gets the same error.

5. The different types of information found on a detailed lesson plan include learning objectives or outcomes, target audience, prerequisites, time, lesson outline, activity, support materials, physical environment, preparation, lesson topic, evaluation, and transfer and retention. The most important type is the learning objectives and outcomes. You want to know what the lesson is to accomplish and the best way to present the information for the best possible outcome. Next is the target audience because it will have with choosing meaningful examples, determining content, deciding on support materials, and building credibility. Prerequisites help trainees and instructors know who is qualified for the program and what needs to be done in order to participate. Time, lesson outline, activity, support materials, physical environment, preparation, and lesson topic can be categorized with equal important. They all are needed to make sure the program runs smoothly and the trainees get the most out of the program. Finally evaluation and transfer and retention close up a lesson plan be making sure everything is accomplished so that employees take the new knowledge and apply it to their job and remember that information for years to come.