Training and Development First Edition Ian Anderson Test Bank Canadian Edition

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Training and Development First Edition Ian Anderson Test Bank Canadian Edition

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TEST ITEM FILE Holly Catalfamo Niagara College

For

Training and Development First Edition Ian Anderson Algonquin College

Toronto Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. This work is protected by Canadian copyright laws and is provided solely for the use of instructors in teaching their courses and assessing student learning. Dissemination or sale of any part of this work (including on the Internet) will destroy the integrity of the work and is not permitted. The copyright holder grants permission to instructors who have adopted Training and Development, First Edition, by Anderson, to post this material online only if the use of the website is restricted by access codes to students in the instructor’s class that is using the textbook and provided the reproduced material bears this copyright notice.


Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 1: Strategic Considerations

True/False 1. Employers who provide employees with new ideas, skills, and better practices will increase the confidence of their workers. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.1 2. Research has demonstrated that companies that invest more in training have more impact, accountable employees, and employees with better positive intrinsic motivation. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.1 3. Training and development helps build competitive advantage for a company by ensuring its workers are on the leading edge of industry advantage and building a brand for its products. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.2 4. Training initiatives help organizations with the development of performance programs that are a part of the overall organizational strategy including goals and objectives. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.2

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5. When an organization goes through a downsizing initiative, training is not necessary as there are fewer employees left to train. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.3 6. Top management’s dedication to organizational learning is important to help build a learning culture that will flourish and be maintained over time. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.3 7. Training organizational team members to appreciate differences and to be open-minded is an essential skill in the twenty-first century given the diversity of global workforces. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.4 8. Older workers have a major impact on organizations, however, given that the number of workers over the age of 55 is expected to decline, employers should focus on training younger workers and those who are new to the workforce. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.4

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9. A restaurant manager who receives repeated complaints from customers that a particular server has made mistakes on their orders may be dealing with a performance gap that needs to be addressed through a possible training intervention. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.5 10. The ADDIE model of instructional designs is criticized because it does not provide a linear approach to identifying performance gaps and solutions. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.5

Multiple Choice 11. There are many benefits to making training and development a priority. Which of the following is considered a benefit related to increased retention? a. Employees who make better decisions will lead to increased productivity. b. The company can expect higher revenues and profits. c. There will be increased productivity and growth within the company. d. Employees experience higher levels of satisfaction. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.1 12. Training and development is closely tied to performance management. What are the three main steps of the performance management process? a. Planning, review progress and provide feedback, evaluation b. Planning, implementation, review c. Gather feedback, meet with the employee, discuss next promotional opportunities d. Evaluate performance, provide feedback, plan for changes Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.1

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13. Which of the following statements best describes the difference between organizational development and training? a. Training is about developing employees for future job success whereas organizational development relates to ensuring employees are well-prepared to do their jobs. b. Training prepares an employee to master their current role and responsibilities through learning and organizational development focuses on organization-wide initiatives to improve an organization’s overall effectiveness. c. Training occurs first within the organization and, only after all employees are trained, should a company focus on organizational development initiatives. d. Organizational development is a different way of referring to training and development. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.1 14. Which of the following statements best characterizes the state of learning and development in Canadian workforces? a. Low unemployment rates mean that individuals are not looking for work and will therefore not require learning and development. b. Organizations are looking to recruit talent instead of investing in learning and development. c. Employees are interested in opportunities to learn which puts pressure on organizations to provide ongoing learning and development to their team members. d. Technology will make learning and development redundant. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.1 15. Agile learning is being integrated more into learning processes so that individuals can combine learning and work in a more seamless manner. Which of the following is an example of agile learning? a. Providing mobile phones that provide real-time learning in small doses. b. Giving individuals online learning workshops daily at the beginning of each shift. c. Ensuring that individuals are cross-trained, so they are more adaptable and agile. d. Encouraging informal learning whereby individuals self-direct their learnings experiences. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.1

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16. There are several training initiatives that may be viewed as strategic within an organization. If a company were to use training as a mechanism to reduce sexual harassment, what must the organization do that is related to training and development? a. Ensure that employees have the skills necessary to interact effectively with customers. b. Facilitate opportunities for informal learning. c. Reduce the time to develop training programs. d. Be certain that the work environment supports learning and transfer training. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.2 17. Training and development helps create competitive advantage for firms through human capital resources that include: a. the work-related competencies that employees possess. b. skills, intelligence, and judgment of the employees. c. the combination of external and internal talent that the company seeks. d. the education and work experiences of employees. Answer: B Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.2 18. The importance of a firm’s human resources includes the element of imitability which refers to the valuable and rare characteristics of a firm’s human resources. What should a firm do to ensure that this strategy is sustainable over time? a. Provide technical excellence in jobs. b. Provide ongoing manager training in feedback and communication. c. Ensure that other firms are not able to replicate these unique characteristics over time. d. Integrate training systems across the organization. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.2

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19. Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation includes four levels of evaluation. Identify the four levels of evaluation. a. Responsiveness, learning, transfer, and return on investment b. Reaction, responsiveness, transfer, and results c. Reaction, learning, behaviour, and results d. Reaction, growth, results, and return on investment Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.2 20. As an HR professional, you have been asked to propose a metric to demonstrate the effectiveness of your equity, diversity, and inclusion training program. Which of the following metrics will you recommend as being most effective? a. Instructor performance focusing on instructor’s presentation skills. b. Financial return on the investment you have made in the training program. c. Improved customers service measured by a reduction in customer service complaints. d. Decreased turnover with individuals who are members of designated employment equity groups. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.2 21. What are the most common obstacles faced by human resources professionals for training and development? a. No time for training and development, unmotivated employees, and poor trainers b. Lack of support from management, difficulty measuring return on investment, and a lack of training resources c. Too many training delivery choices, poor orientation, and an overly rigid organizational structure d. Poor learning space, outdated technologies, and poor supervisory training Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.3

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22. How does training and development effectively link to corporate strategy in a service organization? a. It builds the competencies and confidence of employees who are able to create unique and favourable experiences for customers? b. It provides structure that alters the tasks and responsibilities of employees and are aligned with the business. c. It ensures managers are focused on the bottom line. d. It focuses on long term growth strategies such as international human resources management. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.3 23. Supremo International is a large, multi-national organization with manufacturing facilities around the world. It recently purchased a small factory with less than 50 employees. How is training and development different at Supremo as compared to the newest small site it has acquired? a. Supremo’s training programs are more formalized and highly structured. b. Supremo’s training programs uses more on-the-job training because they have more employees. c. Supremo has less money to invest in training because of the acquisition. d. Supremo focuses less on future development because there is a steady supply of employees in a large organization. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.3 24. Which sentence most accurately describes the relationship between training and culture? a. A strong training program always results in a positive organizational culture. b. Culture and training have a circular relationship—culture influences training and training impacts culture. c. Training programs, like onboarding, typically weaken culture because supervisors do not live up to the expectations that have been established during the onboarding process. d. Values, beliefs, and assumptions of an organization are created by the training programs that are implemented. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.3

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25. The following factors are considered significant macro trends influencing training and development. a. Economic and legal impact, employee engagement, and labour market factors b. Technology, organizational change, and labour market factors c. Globalization, demographics, and labour market factors d. Globalization, economic and legal, and a focus on knowledge workers Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.4 26. Gamification is a recent technology trend in training and development. This trend may be found to be a very positive training approach because a. employees are now able to work and learn remotely. b. digital and mobile content is more critical when employees have time to attend training. c. learners can assimilate larger chunks of information while they are at work. d. learners report being more engaged which may increase their motivation for learning. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.4 27. Social media is increasingly being used for training and development purposes. Which of the following applications would provide employees with an opportunity to get to know one another prior to the actual learning experience? a. Mentoring and coaching b. Virtual onboarding c. Employee engagement d. Virtual icebreakers Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.4

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28. Finley’s Brewery has recently been dealing with a number of employee issues and low morale. What recommendation related to training and development should the HR team follow to improve overall employee engagement? a. Conduct a thorough evaluation of all training programs to diagnose the problems faced with Finley’s training and development programs. b. Be certain that all employees are thoroughly trained on company brands. c. Avoid all changes within the organization until the problem has been identified. d. Invest in an onboarding program which emphasizes the company’s vision, mission, and values. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.4 29. What process helps to identify whether an organization is facing a gap in performance? a. Formative evaluation b. Needs analysis c. Training design d. Needs review Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.5 30. Needs analysis helps to provide information about problems with organizations that may require training solutions. If training is not the solution, what could the challenge be? a. Poor mechanisms for feedback within the organization b. Lack of resources invested in training c. Too much time spent on training and development d. Highly motivated employees Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.5

Essay Questions 31. How would you go about making certain that training and development (T&D) within your company is aligned with the strategic direction of your organization? Answer: Align training goals with the big picture • Training goals aligned with company strategy makes it easier to gain buy-in throughout the organization.

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Training goals should follow the SMART framework (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) to have connections between goals and business strategy. Business strategy impacts T&D given that resource allocation and program development decisions are based on company strategy impacting the amount of training devoted toward current or future job skills. Strategic T&D helps organizations access the abilities of their employees to adapt to a changing work environment promoting innovation and stimulating greater productivity. Analysis of business strategies will help capabilities required to be more apparent and will be critical to develop and maintain through T&D. Training initiatives also support the development of performance programs and achievement of quality or continuous improvement.

Use training and development to gain competitive advantage • Utilize the VRIO (value, rareness, imitability, and organization) framework; use training to support development of competitive advantage. o Value: Provide cross training, integration of training systems, increase retention, and increase productivity. o Rareness: Leverage training to develop technical excellence in job and to develop a culture that values creative thinking and analysis. o Imitability: Through training, develop a shared culture, engage in team building, celebrate a diverse workforce, and focus on motivation and goal setting. o Organization: Provide specialized programs, implement manager training in feedback and communication, and develop methods and procedures Use metrics to evaluate organizational success • By using metrics to demonstrate organizational success, it is possible to demonstrate the valueadd of T&D for organizational outcomes. • Use of the Kirkpatrick model where four levels of learning will detail the reaction of employees to the training, whether learning took place, whether participants applied the new knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to their job, and the overall impact of the training by assessing whether outcomes were met (results can be best connected with organizational strategy). • Use of a balanced scorecard approach will help organizations focus on the vision and strategy of the organizations and evaluate how training has helped to yield results that focus on the customer (attracting new clients, increasing customer service, improve brand and culture); learning and growth (look at how training of employees and growth structures are supported by T&D); internal processes (optimization of training, design, and delivery, improving trainee performance); and financial indicators (profitability and financial goals). • Additional metrics to demonstrate training effectiveness may include: decreased turnover, increased sales, increased operational efficiency, improved customer service, internal scorecards, training costs, return on investment, revenue generation, instructor performance, and user satisfaction. Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.2

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32. Describe how organizational characteristics influence training and development within an organization. Answer: Strategy: • The goals and objectives of the company need to directly link with HR’s goals and objectives to ensure training and development (T&D) activities deliver results. • T&D can improve employees’ skillsets and training programs will relate to specific employee needs and overall company goals. • Training objectives specify behaviours or skills to be enhanced and how they relate to the company’s mission and vision. • A service organization needs T&D to build the KSAs and confidence of sales and service staff to help create unique and positive customer experiences. Company size and structure: • When structural changes occur within a company, this will alter the tasks and responsibilities of employees, creating a training need. • With new structures and increasing numbers of employees working from home, this has created new training needs which organizations must respond to in order to remain competitive. • Training differs between small and large organizations: smaller businesses use informal and onthe-job training, training is conducted by company owners or subject matter experts, and training focuses on KSAs required in current job and less on development, less money for training may be available; whereas larger companies have more formalized training, training is conducted by HR with support from managers and supervisors, and training is more structured with larger groups of employees. Organizational culture: • Training programs need to be consistent with an organization’s culture. • Culture helps to define how employees learn, how trainers do their job, what expectations are, and how communication happens during T&D. • The relationship between culture and training is viewed as circular; culture shapes and defines training activities and training activities, in turn, influence and redefine culture. • Onboarding can build the required social networks to help reinforce culture. HR practices and systems: • T&D is related to all other HR systems and functions including: recruitment, selection, performance management, compensation, employee relations, labour relations, HR planning, and technology. Role of management and employees: • Top management’s commitment and support is essential for organizational learning. • Leaders define values and set practices and policies that help build competencies. • Creating a learning culture starts at the top where KSAs acquired and applied are shared broadly throughout the organization that builds a sustainable and flexible organization. • Employees must be equipped with soft skills, such as resolving conflict and providing feedback, which leads to higher employee retention, improved leadership, and a positive cultural impact.

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Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 1.3 33. As an HR professional, you have been asked to prepare a document for the senior leadership team describing how factors in the external environment are influencing training and development. Discuss the factors that you will include in this report. Answer: Macro Trends: Globalization • Access to cheap labour has magnified the war for talent and brings access to knowledge workers all around the world; this requires companies to increase their diversity and cross-cultural training. • Workers from different backgrounds may have trouble connecting and collaborating with one another; therefore, training employees to be open-minded and welcoming of diversity and diverse views fosters an organizational culture that celebrates cross-cultural diversity and inclusion. Technology • Technology impacts organizations at all levels and can lead to productivity gains when employees are trained to exploit technology. • Technology plays a big role in harnessing new digital trends; digital and mobile content is more critical when employees lack time to attend training on multiple platforms, such as mobile and on-demand, which can help deal with time pressures. • Social media applications, such as virtual onboarding and real-time feedback, offer creative ways to use technology to support learning and development. Demographics • The aging workforce with increased retirements means that employers will have to work harder on retaining employees and may rely partly on training and development to do so. • There will be a higher proportion of new Canadians and training will be important to ensure that diverse populations are welcomed, and stereotypes are broken down. • Employees need training in communication skills to work effectively with individuals of different ages and cultural backgrounds. Labour market • The existing skills shortage will require organizations to hire individuals without necessary skills required for the job—requiring training. • There is an increasing trend towards use of “non-standard work” including self-employment, temporary employment, short-term, or “gig” work. Economic and Legal Impact • Employees who are not trained in recruitment and selection may cause harm to a company because they are in violation of various Acts and codes. • Training helps to prevent the breach of proprietary information and violation of corporate policies and procedures. • Training can help companies avoid punitive damages and criminal charges for violation of health and safety laws. Micro Trends: Organizational change Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 12


Organizational change is constant; training helps organizations deal with organizational change successfully. • Managers benefit from training on the change process itself; employees can benefit from training about change-ready behaviours. Employee engagement • Employee engagement contributes to organizational effectiveness; Onboarding welcomes new team members to the organization. Training as part of brand • T&D can strengthen a company’s brand as it is a part of each company’s value proposition and shows employees that the company cares about investing in their skills. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 1.4

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 2: Organizational Learning

True/False 1. Research demonstrates that knowledge loss begins immediately after training and that more than 50% is forgotten in less than a month. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1 2. Chunking information into small, useful groups during training is helpful to employees as it helps them to take in and remember greater quantities of information. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1 3. Learning outcomes are most useful at the beginning of a unit; however, they are not related to the assessment process. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1 4. Intellectual or procedural skills can be best described as muscle memory as they are complex performances of movements. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1

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5. A learning disability is a gap between a person’s capacity to learn and their actual learning achievement. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.2 6. A soccer coach praises the goalie when the goalie is able to stop a penalty shot in the first quarter of the game. Throughout the game, the goalie continues to stop all the subsequent shots. Cognitivist theory would suggest that the goalie’s behaviour is a result of the reaction to the praise. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.2 7. Adult learning theory is best associated with the term pedagogy. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.2 8. Sergio’s company has a management team that encourages employees to participate in learning and development events and has aligned learning goals with business goals. They are therefore viewed to be committed to creating a learning culture. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.3

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9. Explicit knowledge is knowledge that is gained by employees’ individual experiences and is difficult to formalize, whereas tacit knowledge is highly formalized and can be easily recorded in documentation or procedures. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.4 10. The terms learning and training are often used synonymously in workplaces because they are easily interchangeable and have the same relative meaning. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.5

Multiple Choice 11. Learning outcomes can be categorized into five areas including: a. verbal information, intellectual skills, motor skills, thinking skills, and attitude. b. verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, motor skills, and attitude. c. verbal information, intellectual skills, motor skills, social skills, and attitude. d. intellectual skills, thinking skills, motor skills, social skills, and attitude. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1 12. Which of the following sentences best describes the concept of “conscious competence”? a. The learner does not know that a skill gap exists. b. The learner is aware that they don’t know how to perform a skill and they put a plan in place to acquire that skill. c. The learner begins to acquire a skill but still requires effort and practice. d. The learner is at a level of expertise and can perform the skill without thinking about it. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2. 1

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13. Harneet prefers to learn by getting hands-on experience. Harneet’s preferred learning style may be best described by Kolb’s model as a. converging. b. assimilating. c. diverging. d. accommodating. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1 14. There are several learning theories that help us to understand how individuals learn in various settings. The learning theory that recognizes that all individuals are unique and suggests that people create their own knowledge based on their needs, goals, and contexts is known as: a. constructivism. b. andragogy. c. cognitivism. d. behaviourism. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.2 15. Which of the following learning processes can be most helpful in impacting employee attitudes? a. Mentorship and role models b. Face-to-face workshops and seminars c. On-the-job training d. Online webinars Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1 16. Motivation is very important in the process of instructional design as it has been found that a. motivated learners are more likely to be goal-oriented and focused on achievement. b. adult learners are just as curious as children. c. learners are usually equally motivated in training sessions; therefore, motivational theories can be equally applied. d. unmotivated learners should not be invited to participate in training. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.2

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17. Pengfei was struggling to find his “flow” which has been linked to increasing the retention, comprehension, recall, and transfer of learning. Pengfei’ s trainer recommended which strategy to allow Pengfei to achieve “flow”? a. Ensure that the tasks being attempted are beyond Pengfei’s skills in order to provide stretch learning. b. Provide feedback long after the training to build Pengfei’s confidence. c. Be certain that Pengfei has had a good sleep before the training session. d. Provide an environment that is free from distractions and clutter. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.2 18. An employee who prefers to read documents is likely to have the following learning style: a. aural. b. read/write. c. kinesthetic. d. visual. Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.1 19. If employees increase their effort, it will lead to improved performance and a desirable outcome. What is this theory of motivation known as? a. Goal-setting theory b. Flow theory c. Expectancy theory d. Effort theory Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.2 20. What are essential components of an effective learning culture? a. Communication, feedback, and a large budget to spend on training b. Feedback and a focus on labour relations to ensure the workplace doesn’t become unionized. c. Exceptional educational technologies and a strong training and development coordinator d. Communication, feedback, and an effective selection process to identify employees with a high willingness to learn Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.3 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 5


21. Which of the following statements best describes a laissez-faire learning culture? a. It is management driven and learning happens through lectures and job shadowing. b. It is employee driven and learning is on the fly using a variety of tools. c. It is employee driven and technology-enabled learning allows users to share. d. It is management driven and employees are given a complete immersion on more than job skills. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.3 22. What advice would you provide to a leader who is trying to establish a positive learning culture within their workplace? a. Stay focused on performance at all times and hold managers accountable for the actions of all their direct reports. b. Provide opportunities for team members to experiment and allow for failure as a learning opportunity. c. Allow employees to drop everything to learn whenever they feel inspired. d. Save feedback for formal performance management conversations so employees will be focused during the discussion. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.3 23. Which of the following statements best describes an experiential learning culture? a. It is driven by employees and learning is an ongoing expectation. b. There is a lack of formality and employee drive. c. Learning happens through lectures and job shadowing. d. Employees are given a complete immersion on more than job skills and it is management driven. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.3 24. When employees have knowledge that is gained by experience and is difficult to formalize, what is this known as? a. Tacit knowledge b. Explicit knowledge c. Informal knowledge d. Undocumented knowledge Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.4 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 6


25. Which of the following is a benefit of effective knowledge management processes? a. Knowledge management provides easy access to information for external stakeholders. b. Knowledge management processes enhance organizational learning through employee development and engagement. c. Knowledge management allows companies to beat competitors to market with new products. d. Knowledge management keeps trainers accountable by ensuring all training programs are evaluated. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.4 26. Why is knowledge management, and retaining knowledge, of particular concern to Canadian employers in contemporary society? a. Workers are working from home more which makes it more difficult for companies to retain knowledge. b. Companies are doing an excellent job in harvesting knowledge through sophisticated databases. c. Many Canadian employees are close to retiring and organizations are not sufficiently prepared for the loss of critical knowledge. d. There are too few employees available to deal with the significant amount of paperwork that knowledge management systems require. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.4 27. What does the 70:20:10 model suggest in terms of workplace learning? a. 70% of learning takes place through formal and structured learning; 20% takes place through social connections; and 10% takes place on the job. b. 70% of learning is informal and takes place at work; 20% is social learning that occurs with others; and 10% is formal and planned. c. 70% is social learning that occurs with social interactions with others; 20% takes place on the job; and 10% is formal and structured. d. 70% of learning is informal and takes place on the job; 20% is formal and planned; and 10% is social and takes place through interactions with others. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.5

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28. How can employers harness the benefits of informal learning? a. Encourage employees to share knowledge and experiences with coworkers. b. Encourage employees to sign up for workshops facilitated by the best trainers. c. Plan formal opportunities for employees to debrief training programs and evaluate their effectiveness. d. Informal learning is not helpful, therefore, employers should not encourage it. Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.5 29. How would you best describe formal learning to a newly hired training and development coordinator in your organization? a. It consists of going to an educational institution, like a college or university, where a degree or diploma is provided upon successful completion of a program. b. It is learning through social networks that is established through a workplace. c. It has structured learning activities targeting the development of specific knowledge, skills, and abilities. d. It must have a test or an assessment to measure success. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.5 30. How would you best overcome some of the challenges experienced in workplaces related to sharing knowledge? a. Make certain that technology does not dominate learning processes as it tends to be a distraction to learning. b. Ensure that knowledge is maintained by a select few “knowledge leaders.” c. Minimize face-to-face events which are disruptive to organizational operations. d. Formalize “informal learning” through organizational sponsorship. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.5

Essay 31. Discuss Kolb’s learning style theory and comment on the significance of learning style theory for learning and development professionals? Answer: • People differ in how they think and feel about learning; these preferences are known as learning styles and they are directly linked to key areas of their brain. Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 8


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One of the most famous theories is Kolb’s theory that describes perception as either feeling (concrete experience) or thinking (abstract conceptualization) and processing which happens as watching (reflective observation) or doing (active experimentation). Kolb suggests that this happens in a sequence and although people may have a preference, they can learn best by using all four styles. Kolb also combines all four components: o Thinking + Doing; Converging; Problem solving o Thinking + Feeling; Assimilating; Process information o Feeling + Watching; Diverging; Generating alternatives o Feeling + Doing; Accommodating; Hands-on experience There is some debate as to whether learning styles lead to greater learning, or that we actually learn more when taught by a method compatible with a learning style. Advocates believe that if you align your training with learning styles, instructors may achieve better results, learning will be easier, and you will be supporting diverse learning populations. Those against learning styles would argue that timely feedback would have more impact, learners are unlikely to have only one style, and that learning styles theory lacks scientific evidence.

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 2.2 32. You have been promoted to Training and Development Manager at a large manufacturing facility that has not invested in learning and development over the years. What steps would you take to ensure that you build a positive learning culture? Answer: • A learning culture is a culture that supports an open mindset, an independent quest for knowledge, and shared learning directed toward the mission and goals of the organization. • Organizations have different attitudes and polices towards learning that shapes their learning culture. Therefore, there is more than one “correct” learning culture. • Building the right learning culture requires finding a fit with the organization’s overall culture. • Organizations should determine the strengths and weaknesses of their own learning culture to make better training decisions and to find the appropriate fit. • If there is a strong fit, employees know what is expected of them and are open to using the learning tools available to them. • If there is a poor fit, they may feel lost or unprepared for their roles. • Oftentimes, training and development takes a back seat to other business priorities; however, continuous upskilling is needed to ensure ongoing workplace transformation. Companies need to nurture a learning culture that recognizes learning as a strategic asset, driving business success and providing competitive advantage. The following recommendations can help in the creation of a positive learning culture: •

Gain senior executive buy-in on learning and development and devote time and energy to promote it. Leaders serve as visible champions explaining why investment in learning pays off. Ensure learning goals are aligned with business goals. Encourage workers to experiment and foster a culture where it is acceptable to fail and learn from one’s mistakes.

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Encourage strong communication and feedback mechanisms as they are essential to a highperformance, high impact learning culture. Workers need to understand the value learning offers to them as an individual and the organization. HR needs to market offerings in a clear way. Feedback must be meaningful, constructive, and frequent. Learning must be viewed as a part of ongoing growth and a part of the daily routine. Select employees with a willingness to learn as well as those with traits such as openness to experience, critical thinking, and a high tolerance for ambiguity as these traits unlock creativity in employees leading to higher motivation for learning. Focus on behaviours by teaching employees which behaviours are desirable and which are not. The culture promotes improving knowledge, skills, and abilities, and it communicates that skills are to be continuously updated.

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.3 33. Describe how you would go about incorporating the 70:20:10 model in your workplace. Answer: • The 70:20:10 model is a common model for workplace learning that suggests that 70% of learning is informal learning that occurs on the job; 20% is social learning that occurs through interactions with our social connections; and 10% is the formal learning which is structured and planned. • Formal learning can be implemented in the workplace by: structuring learning activities targeting specific competencies through organized curriculum; ensuring that there are measurable outcomes, such as tests and certification; and implementing the design and delivery of content by instructional designers and training. • Formal learning can be implemented in the classroom at workplaces and it can also include reading books and using online sources such as self-paced online learning, MOOCs, podcasts, video clips, or live online webinars, and virtual training. • Informal learning can be implemented in the workplace by: using hands-on informal training to develop employee skills; using social networks to learn through observation, feedback, and sharing insights; plan informal opportunities for employees to share knowledge and learning experiences with co-workers; using subject matter experts from across the organization; providing flexibility in content development and consumption; using technology to create convenience for learners who can select content they care about and access when they need it; encouraging informal learning in all areas at work, even when employees aren’t necessarily “on the job”. • Informal learning should also be measured (similar to formal learning). Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 2.5

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 3: Needs Analysis

True/False 1. The purpose of a training needs analysis is to determine whether performance-related issues are related to a training gap or some other organizational problem. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.1 2. A learning needs analysis is a term that can be used interchangeably with a training needs analysis because they will both lead to training when there is a performance gap. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.1 3. If a manager in an organization wants training programs to be offered very quickly and you don’t have time or resources to complete a full needs analysis, you may consider using a just-in-time needs analysis. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.1 4. The OTP needs analysis model investigates training though three levels including organization, time, and performance. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.2

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5. As the training coordinator, you begin your needs analysis by examining performance within the organization. You will include analysis of the strategic direction, mission, goals and objectives of the organization. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.3 6. A task analysis requires looking at the nature of the tasks to be performed on the job which helps to determine what employees must learn. This leads to a determination of what types of training is required at a high level. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.3 7. A person analysis looks at the tasks a person is doing to perform their job and whether these tasks are based on knowledge, skills, or abilities. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.3 8. There are many ways to conduct a needs analysis. Questionnaires are a popular method because they are easily administered, and they don’t require time consuming team meetings. a. True b. False Answer: Ture Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.4

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9. Your manager has asked you to conduct a needs analysis related to the current knowledge of equity and inclusivity in the workplace. They want to gain a deep understanding of individuals’ views and do it in the most sensitive way possible. You determine that a focus group is the best approach. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.4 10. Because workplaces are becoming increasingly reliant on higher-level skills, such as innovation and strategic thinking, a competency-based approach allows us to distinguish between average performers from high performers. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.5

Multiple Choice 11. Your company has received an increased trend in customer complaints. As a training manager, your immediate response will be to a. provide customer service training to all front-line employees. b. conduct a needs analysis to determine the source of the problem. c. discipline all employees who have received a complaint. d. consider a new supplier because the problem is related to faulty goods. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.1 12. Training needs that stem from the organizational level arise from many sources including a. specific rules and requirements at the departmental level with standards and objectives for employees to meet. b. tasks that employees are required to perform. c. the specific performance of individuals within an identified department. d. comparing what other companies are doing in the same business or field. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.1 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 3


13. Which of the following questions will help you best develop learning outcomes for a training program? a. How much money is available within the budget to spend on training? b. What technique will we use to evaluate the outcome of the training? c. How can we tie job performance to the organization’s vision, mission, and strategy? d. Are we able to invest in new equipment instead of offering training? Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.1 14. A PESTLE analysis can be a very useful tool to help understand external pressures faced by a company. A PESTLE analysis will examine a. political, economic, social, trade, engineering, and legal forces. b. predictable, emerging, secured, trends, economizing, and legislative factors. c. political, economic, security, taxation, environmental, and legislative factors. d. political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal forces. Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.1 15. The first step in a needs analysis process is to identify organizational objectives and drivers. The purpose of this step is to a. restrict your scope to one or two areas in order to manage your resources effectively. b. identify the immediate gaps to gain a quick win. c. gain management support and clarify their expectations in terms of timing, costs, and results. d. bring potential trainees on board early in the process. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.2

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16. Which are the sources of data that can be most helpful to you in the needs analysis process within the shipping department of your unionized organization? a. The opinions of supervisors is generally viewed to be the most reliable data, especially when you have little time to do a comprehensive analysis. b. Multiple sources of data that includes grievances and exit interviews. c. A high-level employee opinion survey that summarizes the feedback from the entire organization. d. Go directly to the trucking company that deals with the shippers on a daily basis because they will have a clear idea of the problems. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.2 17. During the needs analysis process, performance problems are often found to be coming from which three main areas? a. A lack of motivation on the part of team members, a work impediment or barrier, and a lack of knowledge, skills, and abilities. b. A lack of competency in a specific area, a supervisor who is causing disruption in the workplace, and a lack in time to get jobs completed properly. c. A lack of motivation on the part of team members, poor compensation packages, and incomplete job instructions. d. Poor judgment on the part of the trainees, a lack of understanding of the task at hand, and a lack of motivation to get the job done. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.2 18. When developing action plans for training, as a part of the needs analysis process, a trainer needs to first address which of the following? a. Determine the training benefits versus the costs and the return on investment. b. Examine what kind of training is appropriate. c. Break down competencies to knowledge, skills, and abilities. d. Answer the question, who needs the training? Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.2

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19. Which of the following statements best describes the external environment which impacts the operations of many organizations in Canada? a. Hiring standards may need to be lowered by some companies due to the shortage of individuals with specific skills. b. Training existing employees to take over skilled positions is too costly and time consuming— international recruitment is a better strategy. c. Customer preferences are stable which has led organizations to training fewer individuals because there are fewer new products being introduced into the marketplace. d. There are many highly skilled individuals in the Canadian labour market; therefore, little training is necessary when companies hire new staff. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.3 20. Which of the following statements best describes the benefit of assessing cognitive ability? a. Proficiency in cognitive abilities can make individuals unsuitable for training programs. b. Reading and writing skills are not overly important for jobs that require strong motor skills (e.g., a fork truck driver). c. Employees who lack skills in verbal comprehension, math ability, and reasoning, may not be successful in their training program. d. Employees who are very confident may not be successful in training because they don’t take the time to listen to the instructor. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.3 21. The Government of Canada identified which skill as the ability to find and evaluate information in order to make rational decisions or in order to organize work? a. Reading b. Computer use c. Thinking d. Document use Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.3

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22. Which of the following is the essential skill that the Government of Canada identified as the ability to participate in the ongoing process of improving skills and knowledge? a. Reading b. Working with others c. Thinking d. Continuous learning Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.3 23. Current knowledge suggests that when conducting a needs analysis, using more than one method will be more time-consuming but it will also provide a broader picture of training needs. Triangulation is said to occur when a. a needs assessor gets three different answers from multiple sources. b. different methods yield similar responses. c. three different sources are used to collect data. d. questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews are used. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.4 24. What is one of the challenges of using documentation as a needs analysis method? a. It is not disruptive to employees. b. It is sometimes difficult to interpret technical language. c. It provides objective evidence. d. It is costly to maintain and update. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.4 25. What is one of the benefits of using interviews as a needs analysis method? a. Interviews take a lot of time to be done correctly. b. Some interviewees may provide answers that they think the interviewer wants to hear. c. Interviews provide the opportunity for spontaneous feedback. d. It can be difficult to quantify results. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.4

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26. There are many different sources of needs analysis data. As a training coordinator, which source is best able to provide you with data regarding the strategic direction of the company? a. Departmental managers b. Front-line employees c. Subject-matter experts d. Executive team members. Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.4 27. Which sentence best describes competency modelling as an approach to needs analysis? a. It provides a method of identifying the skills and behaviours needed for successful job performance. b. It provides a method to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by employers. c. It focuses on current job needs and does not consider future needs as a more comprehensive process that should be considered. d. It provides the basis for determining poor performance on the job by focusing on the skill-gaps of individual employees. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.5 28. The critical success factors concerning competency models include which of the following? a. The model should only look at competencies critical for success now. b. Proficiency levels must be subjective and objective. c. Examples must be sufficiently complex to adequately describe successful performance. d. The model must look at proficiency levels and provide examples of behaviours that correspond with each competency. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.5

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29. How does training and development best align with performance management? a. Performance management systems are generally poorly implemented; therefore, training provides a useful safety net for supervisors. b. Performance appraisals are a tool used most frequently to identify training needs. c. Training helps to determine performance bonuses that take place after a performance appraisal. d. Job design has been determined to be ineffective; therefore, employees need training to determine the best possible way to figure out their jobs. Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.5 30. As a training manager, you have been asked to conduct a needs analysis using the interview technique to determine the learning needs of the Joint Health and Safety Committee members who will be conducting workplace inspections. Which of the following questions would you consider asking? a. How often have you been involved in a workplace accident? b. Why do you think management is reluctant to deal with health and safety in our workplace? c. What are the most important things you need to know to conduct workplace inspections well? d. What can we do to make the training program entertaining? Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.2

Essay Questions 31. Describe the six steps in the needs analysis process. Answer: A needs analysis is a process for determining performance gaps that can be resolved with training. The six steps in the needs analysis process include: 1. Identify organizational objectives and drivers • Clarify expectations. • Gain management support and determine management expectations in terms of timing, cost, and results. • Identify the drivers that are specific to your organization. • The business plan and strategy will identify the KSAs and behaviours required to achieve competitive advantage and what new capabilities may be required due to industry changes to technology, markets, customers, globalization, compliance requirements from new regulations or legislation. 2. Identify the scope, time frame, and information sources • Determine if the needs analysis needs to dive into all three areas (job, person, organization) or if you need to restrict the scope to one or two of the three areas. Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 9


• • • • • •

What is your time frame: current, future, and historic? You may need to frame your analysis against only one or two of them. Immediate gaps often get more attention as they are needed to ensure your company is competitive. To move into new areas or adapt to trends and changes, the focus may be more into the future. Historic needs are rooted in areas that the employees or companies have always been poor performers. Gathering informational sources, sampling the population, and gathering data is a part of this stage.

3. Consult stakeholders and create partnerships • Seek and gain more specific cooperation with different organizational levels; consider setting up a committee with potential trainees—with support from their managers. • With stakeholders, develop precise objectives for the needs analysis. 4. Collect and analyze the data • Collect data to identify performance, training, and trainee needs. • Examine desired and current performance with job descriptions and performance appraisal documentation; be willing to challenge assumptions, bias, and validity. • Analyze all the collected information against the objectives set earlier to identify any performance or skill gaps. • First, look at themes by job, person, or at the organizational level; then, find themes by current, future, or historical scales; and finally, look specifically at competencies to ascertain current vs. desired levels. • Patterns, relationships, trends, and themes will emerge from the interview notes, questionnaires, and secondary reports. 5. Decide if a training solution in warranted • The analysis identified symptoms, which you must distinguish from causes; deciding between training and non-training responses for any gaps. • For a training response, identify a potential training solution (if cost is greater than the risk, the performance problem may not be significant); look at training methods, training delivery, transfer of training, and training evaluation. • Non-training solutions may include removing obstacles, redesigning the job, or re-engineering the work environment; motivational issues may involve feedback and the use of rewards and/or punishments. If a non-training solution is warranted, provide your recommendations of how to fix that and possibly incorporate a training solution as a part of the plan, if appropriate. 6. Recommend an action plan and training strategies • Determine who needs the training: the number of trainees; their education level; learning-style preferences; and any previous training they have taken. • Determine what kind of training is appropriate—breakdown the competencies to be learned according to KSAs. • Determine how the training will help by looking at the benefits versus the costs and the return on investment (ROI). • Decide where and when training will take place.

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As learning objectives are developed, consider how the training will be designed and delivered, training prerequisites, course materials, estimated costs, and any pretraining or competencies required of participants.

Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 3.2 32. You have decided it is necessary to examine the training needs of individual employees within your customer service department. Which type of analysis would be best suited for this and what factors need to be considered? Answer: • The best analysis to examine the training needs of individual employees within the customer service department would be a person analysis because it allows for an examination of KSA changes that would be required to improve performance or prepare an individual for future roles within the company. • A person analysis will determine how well employees are doing their jobs through output measures or self-assessment. • Output measures include performance data, such as productivity, customer complaints, performance appraisal results, work sampling, role play case studies, and job knowledge tests. These measures can provide data related to performance deficiencies. • Self-assessment is also helpful because employees are aware of their weaknesses and performance deficiencies which puts them in the position to identify their own training needs. • When performance is below standard, the analysis will determine if there is a training solution required. Factors for Consideration • Readiness for training is a factor that can be looked at through individual characteristics and elements of the work environment and can include: cognitive ability, reading and writing, selfefficacy, and self-awareness. Also, to be considered is motivation, as well as values and goals, and the work environment which includes situational constraints, social support, consequences and feedback. o Cognitive ability considers an individual’s verbal comprehensive, math ability, and reasoning. Deficiencies in these areas can make individuals unsuited for training programs. o Reading and writing skills are important for trainee success. o Employees who lack confidence will not be successful in training (employers need to clarify the purpose of training as beneficial and non-threatening, provide detailed information about the training, and show trainees that they will be supported during and after the training). o Self-awareness is important so trainees can recognize their weaknesses and understand the link between improving those weaknesses and the training itself. o Trainees must also have the motivation to learn training content and apply it on the job (companies must be clear about the benefits of training in order to increase motivation). o The unique values and goals of individuals must be considered within the constraints of their organizations; people activity seek to satisfy their own personal needs which Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 11


o

differs from person-to-person; these differences may affect how an individual perceives a training program’s potential to help them attain their goals. If employees don’t see the potential, money spent on training may be wasted. Other non-training interventions may be more effective in enhancing their value perceptions. The work environment must provide adequate tools and equipment, resources, financial support, and time for employees to successfully apply training content to their job. Social support from managers and peers can help trainees be successful in applying new KSAs. Norms and culture must be examined to determine if it supports training and development. Benefits, rewards, and negative consequences must be in place to ensure motivation is high.

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.3 33. You are going to conduct a needs analysis for your new management development program, and you are considering three methods: questionnaires/surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Assess each of these techniques by considering the advantages and disadvantages of each. Answer: Questionnaires/Surveys • Questionnaires/surveys are excellent for collecting numerical data and can be done easily on sites like Fluid Survey or Survey Monkey. Respondents select numbers on a scale to answer questions but can also answer open questions. • The advantages of questionnaires/surveys are: they are inexpensive; can draw from a large source; the data is easily summarized and reported; and they can also be completed anonymously. • The disadvantages of questionnaires/surveys are: they require significant development time; there is a risk of low return or being ignored if overused; may lack detail; and may include employee information that is inaccurately recorded (elevated ratings, misunderstood questions). Interviews • Interviews are very time intensive but yield excellent data by allowing the interviewer to explore ideas, opinions, values, or other points of views. In an interview, it is possible to develop a strong rapport, which can be helpful when it comes to implementing training solutions and also when exploring sensitive topics. They allow for flexible, open-ended questions. Interviews can be done well with subject matter experts who possess knowledge that is crucial for the interviewer who may not have the same breadth and depth of organizational or industry knowledge. • The advantages of interviews are: they are good at uncovering the details of the training needs, causes, and solutions of problems; they allow for exploration and clarification; they look at behaviours and attitudes as well as KSAs; they allow for spontaneous feedback and encourage participants. • The disadvantages of interviews are: they are time consuming; it may be difficult to analyze and quantify results; an experienced interviewer is needed; people may provide the answers they think you want to hear; and the interview may be derailed by other agendas.

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Focus Groups • Focus groups are essentially group interviews and yield similar data, even though they are structured and led differently than interviews; beyond reaching more participants, focus groups are useful for generating discussions, and refining ideas; exploring topics more deeply; and creating buyin for problems and solutions. You need an experienced leader to manage group dynamics and potential conflict that may arise. • The advantages of focus groups are: they can help with complex or controversial issues; they allow interaction between differing viewpoints; and they help to build consensus and enhance buy-in. • The disadvantages of focus groups are: they are time consuming to plan; group members may be reluctant to participate; they can produce highly qualitative data; and they can create conflict. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 3.4

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 4: Training Design

True/False 1. Designing a training objective is the first stage of the needs analysis process. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.1 2. Industry professionals generally prefer to use the term “learning objectives” when referring to the content of a training program. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.1 3. Learning objectives serve the same purpose for all stakeholders, including managers, trainees, and the trainees’ managers. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.1 4. Trainee characteristics can impact the trainee’s ability to learn and also should impact training design. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.3

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5. Meta-cognitive strategies help trainees understand the particular ways that they can learn which is an important intervention during training. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.3 6. A “training type inventory” will help a trainer understand best how to structure their content to match the organizational goals. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.2 7. When designing training programs, it is important to provide feedback during and after the training program. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.3 8. Limited access to those with subject matter expertise who may serve as a constraint during the design process. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.3

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9. When determining whether to purchase or design your training program, you must consider factors such as budget, protection of privacy, and the available subject matter expertise in-house. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.3 10. Curriculum mapping outlines the details of what will be taught during a training program, how it will be taught, and what resources will be used. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.4

Multiple Choice 11. As a trainer, you have been asked to develop learning outcomes for your training program on customer service. Which of the following statements describes why you think this is a good idea? a. Writing learning objectives is hard work; however, you have free time on your hands, so you are willing to do so. b. Good learning objectives help you as the trainer by minimizing time spent on developing training material. c. The objectives help the supervisors argue that the trainees deserve a reward after the training. d. It saves time in the long run because you will no longer have to measure the effectiveness of the training experience. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.1 12. How can training objectives help trainees during the training process? a. Clarify a clear goal for the trainee that they will be able to achieve. b. If there are objectives established, the accountability rests with the trainer and not the trainee. c. Objectives create anxiety for the trainee which creates more pressure to succeed. d. When objectives are challenging, it leads to lower task performance. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.1 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 3


13. What are the three components of an effective learning objective? a. Performance, clarity, and conditions b. Pre-training, during training, and post-training criteria c. Performance, conditions, and criteria d. Prediction, performance, and evaluation Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.1 14. The “performance” component of a learning objective describes what the employee will be able to do after training. It needs to be specific with respect to a. when and where the behaviour is going to occur. b. how well the trainee is going to perform, and how it describes performance standards. c. the specific performance standards such as quality, quantity, accuracy, and time. d. who is going to perform the desired behaviour and what behaviour needs to be demonstrated. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.1 15. What do the conditions of performance in a learning objective describe? a. When and where the behaviour is going to occur. b. How well the trainee is going to perform and how it describes the performance standards to be met. c. How well the specific performance standards such as quality, quantity, and accuracy are met. d. Who is going to perform the desired behaviour and what behaviour needs to be demonstrated. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.1 16. You have been asked to coordinate an emergency spill response training for the chemical factory that you work for. Who do you think will be the best possible trainer for this training? a. The plant manager so that they may demonstrate their commitment to the training. b. An external vendor with specialized expertise and equipment. c. Members of the joint health and safety committee who are passionate about safety. d. Members of your training department as they have excellent presentation skills. Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.2

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17. Which of the following is a primary consideration of whether to send team members to external training or whether to develop the training in-house for delivery on site? a. The cost of sending team members to external training b. How your team members will behave when they don’t have supervisors to watch them c. Whether your in-house experts will feel disgruntled that they were not selected to design the training d. Whether your management team is supportive of training Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.2 18. What is the best description for training type inventories? a. Assessment techniques to understand which training methods are being used by all those conducting training within your organization b. Evaluation tools to determine how team members learn best so that they may select the training programs that best reflect how they learn c. Assessment techniques to determine how to calculate the return on investment for each training type d. Evaluation tools that assist trainers to understand their own learning styles so that they are able to evaluate how they influence others in a learning setting Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.2 19. Which of the following training will best support a trainee before their learning journey begins? a. Provide activities to the trainee to help build their confidence. b. Incorporate adult learning principles into the training programs. c. Formulate training strategies with the trainees’ managers. d. Provide post-training homework, assignments, and job aids. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.2

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20. Which of the following will best support a trainee during their training? a. Explain the purpose of the training to the trainee. b. Prepare trainees for methods of delivery. c. Provide quality content. d. Formulate transfer strategies with their managers. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.2 21. Which of the following will best support a trainee after their training? a. Deliver content to facilitate training. b. Provide quality learning interventions. c. Providing trainees with the ability to form learning groups and share knowledge. d. Meet with managers to prepare content design. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.2 22. You are preparing a new training program for your company focusing on equity, diversity, and inclusiveness. As a seasoned training professional, you are prepared to anticipate a number of possible challenges including which of the following? a. An abundance of time to plan and prepare the training program b. Too many subject matter experts on staff c. A sufficient training budget and the ability to spend it all before year-end d. A lack of clear communication of training goals throughout the organization Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.3

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23. Which of the following statements best describes the status of the outsourcing of training in Canada? a. The majority of training and development activities are outsourced in Canada. b. Many companies partner with postsecondary institutions, like colleges, to provide skills training because it is more challenging to design. c. It is always more cost effective to purchase training which is why most companies outsource a large proportion of their training. d. External vendors have experts on staff that are always more knowledgeable than in-house experts. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.3 24. Which of the following factors about trainees impact training design? a. Motivation, expectations, and readiness to learn b. Manager feedback, promotion opportunities, and time on the job c. Trainer competency, location of training, and manager follow-up d. Length or probationary period, wage rates, and expectation of promotion Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.3 25. You have been asked to incorporate Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction into the design of your next customer service training program for new associates. Which technique will you use to elicit the best possible performance? a. Clarify learning objectives so trainees understand why customer service is so important to the company. b. Develop icebreakers to gain the attention of the trainees. c. Design role plays to allow trainees to practice their customer service skills. d. Ask trainees to complete a survey to evaluate the training after it has concluded. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.3

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26. When applying conditions of practice as a way of helping trainees convert knowledge into skill, which intervention would be most effective prior to the training? a. Creating the condition of overlearning which leads to automatic behaviour when the practice continues beyond initial mastery. b. Sequencing tasks by finding logical sub-tasks. c. Providing specific feedback about training performance. d. Providing trainees with information about what will occur in the practice sessions. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.3 27. When applying conditions of practice as a way of helping trainees convert knowledge into skill, which intervention would be most effective during training? a. Breaking the training down into parts that can be learned in any order and practiced separately and combined later. b. Helping trainees understand the way that they learn. c. Setting learning goals based on previous performance. d. Establishing roles and responsibilities of a team prior to the training session. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.3 28. You have been asked to design an asynchronous training program for new employees on the topic of occupational health and safety. What will you include in your design of this program? a. Real-time instructor led sessions with questions and answers b. Narrated PowerPoint slides and case study assignments to be submitted online c. Video chat with a subject matter expert examining safety risks at your facility d. YouTube videos with assigned questions and an online discussion with the instructor after the videos have been viewed Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.4

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29. Why is using a lesson plan helpful for trainers and trainees? a. A lesson plan provides the company with the assurance that the trainers will stay “on-script” during a training experience. b. A lesson plan provides the company with an overview of the costs of training. c. A lesson plan is a detailed overview of the learning experience and provides learning outcomes, activities, and evaluation. d. A lesson plan guarantees that learning objectives will be achieved. Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.4 30. As a trainer, you are trying to plan the most effective way to end your training session and to support application of learning in the workplace. Which technique will be most effective? a. Tell a funny story related to the training; something that they will remember. b. Provide a multiple-choice examination which tests trainee recall. c. Be certain that there is a lot of material in the session so that the trainees get the most out of the session. d. Provide a link to future training objectives so they can make larger contextual connections with the learning. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.4

Essay Questions 31. As an HR professional, you have been asked to develop a training program for your workplace and your manager has directed you to “get it done, and get it done quickly.” But, you want to take the time to develop strong learning outcomes. Prepare your arguments for taking the time to integrate the use of learning outcomes in the development of your training program by demonstrating how it will benefit all stakeholders. Answer: • •

Learning outcomes are defined as the content or material that will be covered during an assignment, activity, class or course. They differ from learning objectives (although the term is often used interchangeably) because learning outcomes focus on what the learner should know and be able to do by the end of an assignment, activity, class or course; whereas, learning objectives focus on the content of the material that will be covered during an assignment, activity, class, or course. Objectives organize the topics or activities that will ACHIEVE the outcomes.

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Benefits to Stakeholders • The use of learning outcomes will benefit all stakeholders including trainers, trainees, and the managers of the trainees. • Benefits to trainers: Reduces time spent on developing training content; ensures the trainers stay focused on the gaps discovered in the needs analysis; helps the trainer make adjustments during the actual training based on how well the trainees are meeting the objectives; serves as the basis for evaluating the training program, the learning that occurred, and the benefits to be expected by the organization; and, helps the trainer to clarify the choice of training content and methods with clear and specific training objectives. • Benefits to trainees: Clear objectives ensures the employees develop skills that can be used in the workplace; provides clear goals to achieve; helps trainees to know the importance of the training and how they will be held accountable for the learning that should occur due to the training when there is a performance gap; reduces anxiety on the part of the trainee and helps prevent a waste of time and energy; helps the trainee focus attention on relevant topics and to use strategies to organize and retain information; and, helps lead to higher task performance. • Benefits to trainees’ managers: Objectives provide managers with behaviours expected at the end of the training; managers will know what the trainee has learned and what new knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they possess, which they can then support and reinforce; managers can encourage trainees and provide them with the time they need to apply their new KSAs on the job; mangers can tie training objectives to the broader performance management framework so trainees know their performance expectations and accountabilities. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.1 32. The characteristics possessed by trainees can influence the design of training programs. How will you incorporate your knowledge of trainee characteristics into the design of effective training programs? Answer: • •

Trainees possess various characteristics that influence the design of training programs. These characteristics include motivation, expectations, and readiness to learn and can be assessed by conducting a pre-evaluation, quiz, or questionnaire prior to learning.

Motivation • Determine what motivates trainees as it is critical for trainee engagement. • It is important for learners to be motivated about taking the program, maintain motivation throughout the course, and keep it up when applying concepts on the job. • Use motivation theories to design inspiring and persuasive training (e.g., intrinsic motivation theories, flow theory to get trainees in the “zone”). • Promote and sustain motivation by using strategies to gain attention, provide relevance, inspire confidence, and deliver trainee satisfaction. Expectations • Positive expectations are linked with motivation.

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• • • • • •

If you discover negative expectations during needs analysis, take steps to reverse those expectations. If negativity is due to low self-efficacy, show the trainee that they have the ability to successfully complete the training. Emphasize the learning outcomes and how the training will help them in their jobs. Point out that the positive outcomes they seek are more likely to happen after training is complete. Have pre-training meetings or workshops to show the many advantages they will gain through the training. Using the expectancy theory practice, determine the attractiveness (valence) of the outcome, the likelihood (expectancy) of that occurring; this will show the trainee the positive outcome of the training for them.

Readiness to Learn • Trainees need to also have the KSAs to take place in a training program. • Training will be ineffective without the necessary background and experiences and, in some cases, remedial training may be required as a first step. • Competency is related to competence; training relies on learners being confident in solving their real-life problems. • Self-motivated trainees absorb and internalize more efficiently than those who approach a problem with negativity. • Trainees need autonomy which empowers them to take responsibility and participate throughout training. Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 4.3 33. Describe the interventions, known as conditions of practice, that should be used prior to and during a training program to maximize learning and retention for your trainees. Answer: •

Conditions of practice are implemented before and during training.

Before training • Pre-training interventions are helpful for gaining attention, setting expectations, informing trainees of the objectives, recalling prior knowledge, and activating memory. • Practices include: o Providing information to trainees about the process or strategy they could use to optimize learning during practice (attentional advice). o Helping trainees to understand the particular ways they learn (meta-cognitive strategies). o Providing a framework to help trainees build on what they have learned and how to integrate that with learning still to happen (advance organizers). o Setting learning goals based on previous performance (goal orientation). o Providing trainees with information that will occur in the practice sessions (preparatory information).

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o

Establishing roles and expectations as a team prior to team practice sessions (pre-practice briefs).

During training • During training, practices include: o Deciding if the content is conducted in a single session or in short sessions over a longer period of time (massed or distributed practice). o Deciding if the material is presented all at one time or if the training can be broken into parts that can be learned in any order and practiced separately and later combined (whole or part learning). o Continuing practice beyond initial mastery leading to automatic behaviour (overlearning). o Finding logical sub-tasks and timing for content (task sequencing). o Providing specific feedback about training performance (providing feedback and knowledge of results). o o

Practice before and during training can improve accuracy and speed of performance for cognitive, perceptual, and motor tasks. It must be targeted at improving skills and performance with planned repetition and immediate feedback.

Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 4.3

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 5: Traditional Training Methods True/False

1. Lectures are a type of on-the-job training that allow trainers to convey large amounts of information in a short time to large groups of people. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1 2. Demonstrations can improve learning because there is often increased attention and retention from rehearsal and replication. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1 3. The highest level or top tier of Bloom’s Taxonomy is when trainees are able to create. This means that they are able to implement, solve, or demonstrate a skill. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.1 4. The discussion method of training works best when trainees feel comfortable and they are in a safe environment. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1

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5. The case study and case incident training methods are virtually the same, it is just another way of describing the same approach to training. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1 6. You are developing a training program for fork-lift truck drivers and you will be relying heavily on teaching manual skills. You decide the best training method will be mentoring. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.2 7. You are returning workers to the workplace after the business has been closed due to an extended period of time. You need to train workers on proper sanitation procedures, including handwashing. It is for this reason; you decide to introduce a performance aid. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.2 8. Apprenticeship programs are very valuable for workers, companies, and the Canadian economy. This is the main reason there has been an increase in apprenticeships since the early 2010s. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.2

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9. Action learning is a form of training that requires individuals to reflect individually on their own strengths and weaknesses and identify actions to overcome them. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.3 10. One of the advantages of video learning is related to the fact that average business loses 12% of its workforce annually and video training is an efficient way to provide training. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.4

Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following is on off-the-job training method used by many organizations? a. Mentoring b. Coaching c. Discussions d. Performance aids Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1 12. Which of the following is an advantage of the lecture technique of training? a. Lectures convey a large amount of information over long periods. b. Lectures provide consistency when they are repeated to different trainees. c. Lectures provide trainees with the opportunity to practice skills. d. Lectures are effective at changing attitudes. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1

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13. Which acronym of FLIP helps illustrate the key components of flipped learning by the Flipped Learning Network? a. Flexible environment; learning culture; intentional content; and professional educator b. Fluid instruction; learning success; interesting delivery; and professional experience c. Foresee learners; learn to learn; instill values; and process improvement d. Flexible learning; learning to learn; interesting delivery; and predictive success Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1 14. As a trainer, you have decided to use the discussion method of training to develop critical thinking skills for your trainees. In order for your discussion to be successful, you need to a. be spontaneous so that creativity can flow during the experience. b. have firm control over the discussion and allow people to speak only once with your permission. c. frequently use a lot of humour to lighten the mood. d. be certain to provide a clear objective and process throughout the activity. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.1 15. Illustrative case studies have which of the following characteristics? a. They are useful for pilot projects where readers analyze what to expect in larger investigations. b. They bring together past studies in a general sense to avoid new, expensive research. c. They are very descriptive and try to simplify complex concepts. d. They introduce familiar concepts to enable readers to develop a common language about a topic. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1 16. Behavioural modelling incorporates which of the following four concepts into principles of learning? a. Modelling, rehearsal, reward, and training b. Modelling, rehearsal, reinforcement, and transfer c. Modification of behaviour, reminders, rewards, and transfer d. Modification of behaviour, rehearsal, review, and training Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1

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17. You are planning a training program for HR professionals on interview techniques during the talent acquisition process. You decide to use which of the following techniques as the best method of skill application? a. Roleplay b. Lecture c. Case incident d. Job instruction training Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.1 18. You work in border protection services as a training officer. You propose to your superior that investing in a simulation would be a valuable training technique for your new recruits. Which argument will you use to convince the organization to provide you with the financial resources for this investment? a. Trainees lose confidence and can learn from the mistakes that their peers make. b. Simulations guarantee that a trainee will pass their certification exams. c. Simulations always replicate people’s reactions in actual environments. d. Because the job has dangerous elements, this technique can prepare a trainee in a safe environment and then transfer those skills on the job. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.1 19. Which of the following is a challenge associated with game-based learning? a. The emphasis on competition can create unfocused behaviour during training. b. Off-the-shelf games are usually of very poor quality. c. Games ensure learners stay engaged; however, most people don’t like games. d. Games are not really a safe environment to learn new material. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.1

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20. Which of the following is considered an on-the-job training method? a. Simulations b. Demonstrations c. Coaching d. Games Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.2 21. Which of the following statements best describes job instruction training? a. It provides professional instructors a method to train on job sites. b. It is very useful for teaching trainees manual skills or procedures at work. c. It is helpful in professional jobs where tasks are non-routinized. d. It is an unstructured method of encouraging workers to perform tasks well. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.2 22. There are many different types of performance aids in workplaces. Which of the following is one of the most common? a. A training guide b. An instruction manual c. A production report d. A checklist Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.2 23. You manage training in a manufacturing facility and, historically, you have had great difficulty in recruiting and keeping skilled tradespersons, such as electricians. You propose which of the following training approaches as a way of dealing with this challenge? a. Increasing the use of performance aids at your plant. b. Combining behavioural modelling and on-the-job training. c. Identifying coaches in the workplace to support new recruits. d. Implementing an apprenticeship program. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.2

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24. Which of the following is true of the mentoring-coaching relationship? a. Mentoring is a form of coaching and can help to change an employee’s attitudes. b. You must first be coached in a workplace before you can be mentored. c. Mentoring helps to improve performance; coaching provides advice to a junior employee. d. The terms mentoring and coaching are actually interchangeable. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.2 25. Many progressive companies are using a training technique known as reverse mentoring. What do they hope to accomplish by using this approach to employee development? a. They are hoping to use reverse mentoring to ensure that younger employees benefit from the ideas and perspectives of experienced workers. b. They are using reverse mentoring to overcome generational barriers. c. They hope to overcome technology gaps because older workers struggle with technology. d. They know that reverse mentoring is an exceptional public relations tool that helps companies to recruit the best and the brightest. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.2 26. Many organizations are recognizing the clear benefits of self-directed learning. Which of the following is a clear benefit of self-directed learning for the organization? a. It overcomes resistance when employees do not have the willingness or ability to learn on their own. b. It is better for those employees who can’t get along with their peers. c. It saves the organization time and money. d. Self-directed learning provides external reinforcement and accountability. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.2

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27. As a training manager, you have become very excited about a new training technique—action learning—that you have recently experienced while you were away on a leadership training program. You have decided to implement this technique in your “New Managers Training Program” at your company. How will you go about integrating action learning into your program? a. You will have trainees develop teamwork skills by participating in mentally and physically challenging tasks. b. You plan to provide real-word organizational challenges for learning groups to solve. c. You will ask trainees to develop stretch goals for them to achieve in the next 3–6 months. d. You will immerse them in team trust-building experiences such as trust falls. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.3 28. It is difficult to achieve meaningful results from team training activities. Why does this seem to be the case? a. There is too much emphasis on having fun and getting to know one another. b. Team training focuses on tasks that mirror everyday work and trainees need time outside work to develop their skills. c. Individuals are generally not able to select their teams; therefore, no amount of training will help overcome team resistance. d. Team training doesn’t allow for sharing feedback and leads to an absence of trust. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.3 29. Why would your organization benefit from integrating videos in your learning programs? a. Videos are cheap to produce and easy to update. b. Videos can be easily made by subject matter experts within your organization. c. It is quick and easy to find content on the internet; therefore, you can save money on trainers. d. Videos can be very helpful for refresh learning and review content covered in training at a later date. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 5.4

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30. What is the best recommendation for making video content engaging during a training session? a. Use video segments that showcase celebrities to catch the attention of learners. b. Wherever possible, add animation as it is usually entertaining. c. Use exercises such as pausing to answer questions to keep the trainee involved. d. Don’t create your own videos; they will look unprofessional and unpolished. Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.4

Essay Questions 31. You have been asked to develop a training program and you will be using off-the-job training techniques because your program will be taking place off-site. What training techniques will you consider and describe the advantages of these techniques? Answer: Lectures • Lectures occur when trainers present content to trainees. • Advantages of lectures: Large amounts of information can be conveyed in a short period of time to a large group; all trainees hear the same material, and the key points can be repeated and emphasized; lectures are most effective when the instructor is a subject matter expert who controls the timing and the delivery; useful for recall and declarative knowledge; optimizes explanations for what will happen in other training methods, such as videos or demonstrations. Demonstrations • Demonstrations are a visual display that illustrates how something works or how to do something. • Advantages of demonstrations: Once the demonstration is given, the trainees are given an opportunity to complete the task and describe what they are doing which provides an opportunity for learners to practice and for instructors to clarify and give feedback; demonstrations can improve learning due to increased attention and retention from rehearsal and replication. Flipped Classrooms • Direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the instructor guides students as they apply concepts and engage creativity in the subject matter. • Advantages of flipped classrooms: By sharing information in advance, face-to-face time focuses on interaction; can be cost effective and time efficient for instructors and learners. Discussion Method • The use of forums for open-ended, collaborative exchange of ideas between individuals • Advantages of discussion method: Trainees develop critical thinking skills and enhance social and interpersonal skills.

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Case Study • A method of simulating decision making that may happen in a workplace by analyzing a real-life situation or event that contains a problem. Case studies document how situations are addressed, but the real learning occurs in applying concepts and methodologies to understand the pros and cons of various alternatives. • Advantages of case studies: Builds critical thinking skills when learners apply concepts and practices from cases to new situations in workplaces; by synthesizing experiences firsthand, the learner gains an understanding of complexities faced in management situations and empathizes with the dilemmas faced by the organization; allows trainees to assimilate concepts and ideologies applied; builds teams among trainees; and enhanced communication and interpersonal skills may result. Case Incident • A shorter version of a case study to examine a specific problem, issue or concept often presented in a few pages or less. Case incidents look at unique situations. • Advantages of case incidents: Trainees can participate without a lot of advance preparation and they may encourage the use of current knowledge as opposed to research and analysis; may lead to livelier discussions as trainees may be more confident; useful for answering cause and effect questions; they can be used anywhere in a training session and can be adapted to smaller and larger groups and individuals. Behavioural Modelling • A training method that focuses on changing behaviour on the job by incorporating modeling into four principles of learning (attention), rehearsal (retention and reproduction), and reinforcement and transfer. • Advantages of behavioural modelling: can be an effective training method for skills and behaviours in a variety of contexts including technical training, motor skills training, and skills including supervision, negotiation, and communication; trainees are able to first understand desired behaviours and then obtain the chance to participate actively and obtain the practice needed to develop skills—leads to higher retention; training is well organized in a step-by-step process from simple behaviours to more complex; flexibility is encouraged and it can work for almost any kind of interpersonal situation. Role Play • A training method that allows learners to act out various roles in realistic situations by interacting with other participants acting in similar or different roles or as observers; it can be used as a part of behavioural modelling technique or on its own; it may include how to act or what to say and can be based on or related to their current and future roles; they are able to develop expertise and can try different strategies in a supportive climate by acting out the scenario or switching roles to learn about the opposite perspective; learning occurs through the scenario itself, but, especially after reflection and discussion about the interactions. • Advantages of role play: Can be used for skill development for stressful and dangerous scenarios for the first time in a safe environment; builds skills and confidence that can help trainees in their dayto-day roles; can be used to enhance skills such as decision making, leadership, conflict management, and team building; helps to develop listening skills as participants are required to pay attention to body language and nonverbal clues; builds creative problem solving skills and allow learners to integrate both theory and practice.

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Simulations • Simulations can be instructor-guided but are often self-paced, recreated situations in virtual or manageable physical environments; users practise solving authentic issues that are relevant to their work environment but without costly mistakes. • Advantages of simulation: Provides hands-on knowledge and use of equipment and tools which leads to increased confidence and faster mastery of needed job skills which may also result in lower overall training costs; allows employees to test out and experiment, understand how systems work, and encourages creative problem solving. • Lower risk of mistakes as employees gain confidence and learn from previous mistakes; where jobs have dangerous elements, simulations can help train for life-threatening situations and then transfer their skills on the job. • Simulations provide rich training data that builds credibility for the training department and shared throughout the organization and as a part of employee assessment. • Increases the likelihood of learners passing certifications or practical exams because of the multiple practice opportunities. • Provides a “learning by doing” kinesthetic approach which allows employees to emulate processes or procedures they will perform on the job. Games • Game-based learning is the application of gaming principles to real-life settings to engage learners; games feature a set of rules, principles, and relationships, as well as scoring, uncertainty, competition, active involvement, and a simulated environment; learning games allow learners to “construct” their knowledge base through the decisions they make and the interactions they have while in the group; learning occurs by interacting with others and taps into both the cognitive and affective domains. • Advantages of games: Employees who play games retain more knowledge, show greater understanding of the KSAs for success at work and have higher self-efficacy; games ensure learners stay engaged while meeting learning objectives; games create an emotional connection based on competition, rewards, surprises, pleasure, and even disappointment; as difficulty increases, the learner’s interest stays captured; they provide a safe environment for employees to learn from their mistakes and reinforce the content. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.1 32. You are in charge of training at a company that manufactures car parts. They have never had a training manager before. You have decided to introduce job instruction training for new front-line employees. Outline the steps that you will use for job instruction training at your facility. Answer: •

Job instruction training is a technique to provide nonprofessional instructors with a method to train others on job sites. It is especially useful for teaching manual skills or procedures but can also be used for specific job tasks at any level of the organization. It is a structured method that has four steps: preparation, instruction, performance, and followup.

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• •

Preparation: Break down the job into component tasks and steps for completing the tasks—think about the factors leading to success or failure, safety issues, common areas for mistakes, and tips or techniques to make a task easier. Prepare an instruction plan along with a communication strategy to ensure that the learner understands each step of the task and can work towards mastering it. Put the learner at ease to build interest and confidence. Instruction: Similar to behaviour modelling (modelling, rehearsal, reinforcement, and transfer), tells the learner why, shows how, demonstrates through repetition, and explains the key points in more detail. During demonstration and explanation, provide the learner the opportunity to practise and ask questions and see how the tasks fit as a part of the whole job. Performance: Have the learner complete the parts of the job tasks and then slowly to all job tasks. The trainer is not demonstrating but is observing and providing feedback and reinforcement. Followup: It is necessary to follow up to ensure that the proper transfer of skills and to provide help or support if necessary.

Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.2 33. What are the goals and benefits of team training and what are the steps that should be followed in developing a high performing team? Answer: Goals and benefits: • Team training builds bonds inside the workplace to increase productivity and improve behaviour, knowledge, and attitudes. • Team building is helpful for employees to get to know each other; however, it is important to use activities and tasks that reflect everyday work situations to be effective. • By developing a better sense of themselves, team members are more likely to build a cohesive team. • Team training needs to identify employee strengths, limitations, communication styles, motivators, and stressors; by sharing feedback, teams will avoid causes of dysfunction like an absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. • There is a need for top management commitment and the right approach to support teams to proactively solve problems and seize opportunities. Steps to develop a high-performing team: 1. Put trip wires in place. Use business indicators to alert when something isn’t working. Train your team to monitor indicators and develop solutions to get back on track. 2. Recognize your teams. Employees will go above and beyond when they feel recognized and appreciated and when they feel their work makes a difference. This will help them to grow personally and professionally and serve customers and the business more effectively. 3. Create a team mentality. Teams need a common purpose and goals/objectives. Focus training on building the confidence that they can do better and grow more by working together than on their own.

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4. Trust is currency. During training, build trust within the team, and between the team and the leader. Cohesion builds quicker through trust and people will be more forgiving with one another and supportive of one another. 5. Take your time to build your teams to ramp up performance quicker. Remember that team training takes time and rushing it will lead to poor performance. Communicate clearly. Clarify role perceptions. 6. Practise delayed gratification. Do not pursue quick wins. Teams and leaders should learn to work together for the long term. Planning and coaching to be high-performance team players will result in success in the long run. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 5.2

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 6: Technology-Based Training Methods

True/False 1. One disadvantage of eLearning is that it provides access to a wide audience of employees despite the fact that it is relatively easy to use. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.1 2. Microlearning has become common in modern businesses due to the fact that workers are pressed for time and need quick and efficient learning “bites.” a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.1 3. Blended learning has grown in popularity despite its reliance on devices, infrastructure, and maintenance leading to lower costs in the short-term. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.2 4. As a trainer, you have planned a blended learning experience for your trainees. In order to make your session successful, you considered the technological literacy of the participants. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.2

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5. Computer-based training has been found to save costs when compared to traditional training methods, despite the fact that productivity is reduced when trainees are off-the-job. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.3 6. Virtual reality is a computer-based experience that superimposes digital information over what we see which leads to better understanding. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.3 7. As a trainer, you have decided to implement learning programs that use blogs, wikis, and social networking sites. You indicate to your manager that you have just implemented the first use of social learning within your organization. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.4 8. Gamification has become a huge industry across the world and benefits learners by adding a higher risk environment where there is high risk and high-reward for all stakeholders. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.4

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9. Mobile learning detracts from social interaction as individuals become focused on their mobile devices and pay little attention to their peers. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.5 10. Learning management systems can be personalized to meet the needs of many different individuals across the organization. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.6

Multiple Choice 11. eLearning has become increasingly popular in workplaces and includes all of which of the following? a. Social media, job shadowing, and asynchronous training b. Conference calls, computer-based training, and social media c. Computer-based training, mobile learning, and gamification d. Synchronous learning, mobile learning, and job instruction training Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.1 12. Which of the following is a disadvantage of eLearning? a. Tech savvy employees find the concepts too boring and they lose interest. b. It is sometimes difficult for some employees to stay on top of eLearning and they fall behind. c. eLearning can be customized to meet the distinct needs of the learners. d. Younger generations learn so quickly on technology, they leave more mature learners behind. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.1

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13. As a trainer, you have decided to switch your training program to an eLearning format. What must you be sure to do to maximize the learning experience for your trainees? a. Organize the material into smaller chunks, using topics and subtopics. b. Be certain to include several question-and-answer periods. c. Do not include too many assessments as trainees get easily frustrated. d. Find an engaging trainer who likes to entertain the learners. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.1 14. Which of the following is a benefit of blended learning? a. It increases technological dependence and cultivates a learning community reliant on technology. b. It completely eliminates wasted resources. c. All users will have the same technology, so it is easy to implement. d. Over time, blended learning can reduce your costs for trainers. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.2 15. Which of the following is a drawback of blended learning? a. Learners are no longer able to bond and benefit from peer interaction. b. Learners move at their own pace, which makes it hard to schedule instruction periods. c. Some instructors are not tech-savvy and may resist moving to a blended approach. d. Blended learning makes it impossible to train people in different time zones. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.2 16. You are considering moving your training program to a blended format. What must you take into consideration before you begin with the implementation? a. The age of your trainees and their willingness to learn. b. The mode of delivery that will captivate the trainees the most. c. Whether the learning can occur while people are exercising at the same time. d. The learning objectives of the next program you are going to deliver. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.2

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17. Computer-based training involves the instruction and delivery of training by computer through an intranet or internet; however, it does have some challenges including what? a. It can require expertise to develop which may or may not be available in-house. b. Employees complete at their own pace; therefore, it is difficult to monitor their progress. c. There is often a lack of productivity associated with computer-based training. d. The per-cost unit is usually lower for online learning than classroom training. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.3 18. When learners are immersed in virtual environments that mimic the real world to allow them to put their knowledge into practice, which is considered the following type of computer-based training? a. Virtual reality b. Augmented reality c. eLearning d. Simulations Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.3 19. You are planning a computer-based training experience for the employees at your restaurant. You want the servers to experience the feeling of a customer experiencing a problem. You decide to use technology to provide trainees with a high-quality visual of the situation through the eyes of the guest, and watch the server try to solve the problem in different ways. This is known as: a. virtual reality. b. augmented reality. c. eLearning. d. simulation. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.3

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20. Sometimes training includes an audio and video story by a presenter that is typically a broadcast of a live or pre-recorded event. This is known as a(n): a. seminar. b. distance learning session. c. webcast. d. webinar. Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.3 21. Social learning is built on a longstanding adult learning theory that suggests that: a. socializing with peers outside the workplace is just as important as what happens at work. b. learning from others is a very important part of the learning process. c. social sciences is the foundation of all training and development. d. socializing gets in the way of individuals focusing on important learning goals. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.4 22. There are several challenges associated with social learning including which of the following? a. There is an increasing demand for greater control over learning experiences. b. Top management is supportive of social learning, so workers are suspicious. c. Social learning is tangible as compared to formal learning which is intangible. d. Employees need to be motivated to expend effort to exchange ideas and collaborate with team members. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.4 23. As a new Training and Development professional, you are convinced of the value of social learning and you want to prove to management that you can make it very effective at your workplace. What must you remember to do as you implement social learning? a. The content on the social learning platform must be interesting and provide business value. b. It should only appeal to Millennials and Generation Y. c. Is should rely on external experts who have credibility in their area. d. It should be based on content available from Netflix as it is the most popular entertainment platform. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.4 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 6


24. Which of the following is true of gamification? a. Gamification is new to workplaces. b. Employees are divided on whether they believe that adding learning games into their educational routines would improve their productivity. c. Adult learners reportedly perform better in skill-based assessments after experiencing gamebased training. d. Gamification encourages learners to take their time when making decisions. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.4 25. Which of the following is a potential drawback related to gamification in e-learning? a. It does not fit most learning needs within the organization. b. Without adequate planning, it can be pieced together with random game elements. c. It has been found that older generations don’t like gamification. d. It takes place in a high-stakes, high-reward environment. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.4 26. Mobile learning is a growing trend that has caught the attention of many modern workplaces. Which of the following statements best describes mobile learning? a. It allows learners to pull information down to a device and push it out to others. b. It allows learners to use any laptop or computer, whether at home or at the office. c. It allows learners to push information down to a device and pull it out to others. d. It allows learners to pull information down to a device and pull it out to others. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.5 27. When designing a mobile learning experience, you must take many factors into consideration including: a. determining which device is the main access point. b. having a limited amount of material available. c. tailoring the experience to group preferences. d. ensuring that there is limited access to web browsers. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.5

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28. Which of the following factors should be considered when making the “make-or-buy” decision related to a learning management system (LMS)? a. Confidentiality, employee morale, security, and team decision-making b. Cost, complexity, creativity, and employee morale c. Cost, capabilities, security, and compatibility d. Capabilities, security, supervisory buy-in, and competitor influence Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.6 29. A learning management system allows for different roles to be filled. Which of the following is the role of a facilitator? a. To ask questions that may become the central aspect of the learning session. b. to assist in solving questions that may arise during the session. c. to share experiences with others. d. To raise important points that should be discussed. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.6 30. Which of the following is a benefit of using a learning management system (LMS) to deliver compliance training? a. An LMS offers one type of multimedia that appeals to all learners. b. An LMS is only available in the office where supervisors can monitor employee participation. c. An LMS can only use proprietary software owned by the company. d. An LMS has software that tracks and reports employee progress. Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.6

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Essay Questions 31. Your company has resisted moving away from traditional, classroom-based learning and towards implementing eLearning in a more proactive way. As the Training Coordinator, what arguments would you use to convince the management team that eLearning has many benefits and advantages, while considering its disadvantages or limitations. Answer: • •

eLearning is the use of technologies and the Internet to deliver training and development experiences to learners and it includes different methods including computer- and web-based training, social media, gamification, and mobile learning. It is offered in synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (online without real-time interactions) and can also be a combination of the two modes.

Benefits/advantages of eLearning • Allows learners to proceed at their own pace and schedules to fit their jobs; content is easily distributed and accessible (this makes it popular for compliance-based training); immediate feedback; shorter training modules; and the provision of real-time data to learners and trainers; it is very scalable and can grow with the company at a much lower cost per employee; it provides access to a wide audience of employees (working at the office/location or global; high ease of use provided; the platform is user friendly and mobile accessible; learners have choice and flexibility; it lowers the costs associated with training (such as catering, travel, facility rentals, cost of trainers etc.); collaborative activities featured keep the learners engaged which leads to greater learning and retention; it permits customization and personalization of the training material to meet the unique needs of the learners; allows employees to focus on topics they really need to work on; employees are able to learn at their own pace; younger generations are often adept at learning on the go (training needs to be available when and how they want it). Disadvantages/limitations • Because employees control the pace, some may fall behind, and others may just skim through the material without paying full attention to complete it; less tech-savvy employees may find the concept and/or delivery of eLearning difficult to grasp; tech challenges include the lack of storage capacity, bandwidth, internet speeds, browser requirements, and poor device compatibility; some learners may find it isolating and demotivating especially if feedback is delayed or support is not provided in real-time; some learning styles may not fit as well with eLearning, especially learners who like a hands-on approach which is more difficult to provide online; some training software or learning programs become less effective or obsolete very quickly. Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 6.1

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32. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of blended learning as a technology-based training method. What recommendations would you provide for a successful implementation? Answer: • •

Blended learning is a mix of eLearning and face-to-face, instructor-led sessions. Different platforms and modes of delivery are used, staring with introductory materials that could be traditional (video, case studies, articles) or eLearning (streaming video, audio, and text) to gain the attention of learners. • It is often followed by a face-to-face session to incorporate experiential learning including interactive techniques such as role-playing, simulations, and problem-based learning. • It may also include web-based technology such as live virtual classrooms, self-paced instruction, collaborative learning and other techniques. Advantages • Learners benefit from live, participatory elements of face-to-face sessions with the flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of eLearning; eLearning can be used to support the new skills and behaviour changes taught during experiential learning as a part of a retention program; online lectures can recap material, use quizzes to test understanding, and virtual exercises to measure retention rates which helps learners maximize the experiential component and gives managers a sense of how impactful training was and what changes are required. • Blended learning also saves time—by having learners complete some of the basic content during their free time, learners can all be at the same spot during the classroom session which makes classroom time more efficient, learners can clarify what they don’t understand, and collaborate with their peers; you can reduce logistical demands and scheduling challenges by reducing classroom time. • Reduces costs over time (lower costs for venue, trainers, logistics, equipment and documentation); may reduce carbon footprint. • Learners are able to interact with one another leading to high engagement so learners may still benefit from an experiential component. • Learners have more control over when they learn, keeping them more invested in the training; they may learn at their own pace; not slowed down by peers; online component is anytime, and anywhere as online modules provide access to knowledge at all times. • Hones virtual communication and online collaboration skills. • Feedback is easier to gather through tests, quizzes, survey forms—data is more accurate and quicker which allows fine-tuning of training strategies. • Extends training to every person in the organization and modules may be assigned to individuals based on their learning needs; it allows learning to be more of a continuous process vs. an isolated event. Disadvantages • High technology and maintenance costs in the short-term, especially for larger organizations with more departments and infrastructure. • If facilitators and learners are unaware of how to use the learning technology, or don’t have access to the all the features, you may end up wasting resources. • Blended learning depends on technological accessibility; if there are technical issues or inadequate technical accessibility, eLearning is less effective.

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Trainees and trainers who are not tech-savvy may face a great barrier in terms of smooth interaction and access to the course material.

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.2 33. Describe how social learning is being used to support learning and development in organizations, giving specific attention to social learning communities. Answer: • • • • • • •

• • •

Social learning is a very quickly growing segment of training; however, it has been around for a long time—it is about learning from others. Social learning includes, among other techniques, learning informally through blogs, wikis, and social networking (online interactive tools). It is growing in popularity due to the growth of popular technologies and applications, increasing demand for greater control over learning experiences and the search for the opportunities to lower cost while increasing retention. Organizations are finding ways to make social learning work by making certain that they are easily accessible with regularly updated content that is relevant for learners. The content should be interesting but also provide business value which makes it easier for learners to share and collaborate. This creates a vibrant community for social learning. Social learning communities highlight the most relevant content which reduces time used in searching for useful resources; communities that like and share key information can drive productivity for all employees. Social learning can help identify internal experts as it allows team members to gather and exchange information requiring learning platforms to: have a way for experts to self-identify; a way for community members to recognize others for their expertise; and a search function to connect with the expert. Social learning tools need to appeal to all generations. Social learning platforms needs to capture and retain the knowledge of your employees including processes, people, and systems that are unique to the organization. Individuals will become more engaged in social learning communities more quickly if the user profiles are simple and secure and mimic the Web 2.0 tools they are already using.

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.4

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 7: Transfer of Training

True/False 1. Identical elements theory argues that transfer takes place from one situation to another to the extent that there are similarities in the two situations; soft skills training such as communication is a good example where identical elements theory would be illustrated. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 2. Far transfer is when training and content are different enough that near transfer doesn’t work. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 3. Researchers have identified three broad categories that are the most significant factors that support learning transfer: motivation, supervisory skills, and workplace culture. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 4. Cognitive ability has been found to be a very strong factor related to transfer of training and companies are able to influence cognitive ability through training interventions. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.2

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5. As an instructional designer responsible for training design, you try very hard to create physical fidelity—the level to which the training environment looks like the work environment. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.2 6. To improve the transfer of training during the training, it is important for management to monitor both progress and attendance of the trainee. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.3 7. As a trainer, you know how important it is to implement strategies before training to maximize the training, including getting employees’ input in the training process. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.3 8. As the trainee, after the training, you should try to find the opportunity to talk to other trainees about how they are applying the training at work. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.3

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9. If you believe, as a trainee, that you have a supportive workplace climate, you are more likely to use your new skills from your training program on the job which leads to lower transfer. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.4 10. A community of practice is one technique that can be used to foster peer support which is an essential ingredient for transfer of training on the job. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.4

Multiple Choice 11. When trainees are able to maintain their skills in their workplaces over time, this is known as a. generalization. b. maintenance. c. motivation to transfer. d. on-the-job training. Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 12. The ability to apply skills from the learning environment to the job is known as a. generalization. b. maintenance. c. motivation to transfer. d. on-the-job training. Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1

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13. Cognitive theory of training transfer emphasizes which of the following? a. The training and work environment are very different. b. General principles are applicable to many different work situations. c. General principles are applicable to only similar work situations. d. Trainees internal processes enhance storage and recall of training. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 14. There are many different types of training transfer. When previous learning interferes with learning, this is known as a. positive transfer. b. near transfer. c. negative transfer. d. low road transfer. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 6.2 15. As a trainer, you try to ensure that the training context and behaviour are almost identical between your trainees’ last training session and the new training session. You are trying to a. make certain that previous learning has no influence on new learning. b. provide training content and behaviour that are different enough that near transfer doesn’t occur. c. ensure that near transfer occurs. d. promote low road training transfer. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.1 16. As a trainer, you know how important it is that trainees are motivated to transfer their learning back to the workplace. You know that you need to do which of the following in order to tap into the trainees sense of self-efficacy? a. Be certain that the training instructions match the job requirements. b. Promote the trainee’s belief that they can change their performance if they want to. c. Provide clear expectations that changes in job performance will lead to rewards that are valued. d. Provide the trainee with the resources and tasks that are used on the job. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.1 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 4


17. Transfer of training is best associated with which level of the Kirkpatrick/Phillips Model of Training Evaluation? a. Level Three b. Level Two c. Level Five d. Level Four Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 18. Which of the following is a barrier that prevents training from transferring to a job? a. Provision of adequate equipment and facilities. b. Positive workplace culture that supports training. c. The existence of clear performance criteria. d. A perception that the training was irrelevant to the organization or learner. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 19. Baldwin & Ford’s model of the transfer of training process includes the following training inputs that are known to influence training transfer: a. training characteristics, learning transfer, and conditions of transfer. b. training design, learning design, and individual performance. c. trainee characteristics, training design, and work environment. d. learning and transfer, generalization, and maintenance. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.2 20. Marty’s Medical Testing has built a lab in the training facility that looks exactly like the lab environment used on a daily basis for the lab technicians. The trainer is trying to create a. a sense of physical fidelity for the trainees. b. a sense of psychological fidelity for the trainees. c. both physical fidelity and psychological fidelity for the trainees. d. a problem-centred learning approach. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.2

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21. Max, a manager at Community First Credit Union, is determined to provide strong support to his trainees prior to their training sessions. Max decides to a. discuss his concerns about the training program with his fellow managers. b. take the time to gain trainee input and involve them in the training process. c. avoid getting in the way of the trainer; therefore, he doesn’t attend the training. d. evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.3 22. Which of the following techniques has been found to be an effective transfer strategy for trainers PRIOR to the training? a. Meet with the trainer’s manager to discuss the training program and develop an action plan. b. Select trainees carefully and appropriately. c. Provide coaching to trainees during the session to build their confidence. d. Conduct a needs analysis. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.3 23. Organizations sometimes struggle to decide whether certain training should be mandatory or voluntary. What has the research in this area has demonstrated? a. Mandatory training leads to higher training transfer. b. Voluntary training leads to higher transfer. c. There is no difference in the success of transfer between voluntary and mandatory training. d. Mandatory training leads to lower training transfer. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.3 24. As a trainee, you have decided that you want to maximize your ability to apply all the knowledge that you gain in your next training session back on the job. You decide to do which of the following? a. Reassign your manager’s work to avoid distractions. b. Go in with a positive attitude and a motivation to learn. c. Include content in the training that is relevant and meaningful. d. Incorporate conditions of practice in the training program. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.3

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25. Trainers and managers generally seek to help prepare trainees by clarifying the “WIIFM” for the trainee. When they are doing so, they are establishing the a. “With information includes focus and maintenance” approach to training. b. “What’s in it for my organization” approach to training transfer. c. “Who is included for more” training. d. “What’s in it for me” value proposition. Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.3 26. What is the purpose of a mnemonic device? a. It is a condition of practice that includes task sequencing and feedback. b. It is a training tool used in the training session to practice training drills. c. It is a memory aid that helps trainees remember content and overcome challenges transferring their training. d. It is similar to a checklist and it includes training and workload expectations. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.3 27. As a manager, you want to ensure that your employees have had the opportunity to transfer their learning back into the workplace when they have attended a training session. You know that one of the most important things that you can do is a. avoid setting goals for your employee; training should be organic, and the employee can set their own goals. b. meet with the trainer after the training to make sure your employee did not act out during the training session. c. provide trainees with immediate and frequent opportunities to apply their new skills on the job. d. avoid micro-managing your employees so they don’t feel pressure. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 7.3

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28. What are the benefits of setting up networks for social learning after the training program? a. It provides trainees a safe place to discuss challenges that they are facing. b. It reduces the overall cost of the training. c. It saves the organization time. d. It frees the managers up to focus on more important organizational initiatives. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.3 29. What should be included in a positive workplace climate that will support training transfer? a. When mistakes are made by the trainee, they are dealt with swiftly with discipline. b. There are positive rewards when the trainee demonstrates mastery of skills. c. Goal setting is discouraged. d. Training buddies are not used as this informal training style is ineffective. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.4 30. How do mentors enhance the transfer of training on learning? a. Mentors report back to supervisors when mistakes are made. b. Mentors have little influence in the transfer of training. c. Mentors and coaches provide the same function of making trainees accountable for their own success. d. Mentors may connect mentees to other professionals to expand their networks. Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.4

Essay Questions 31. Describe the different types of training transfer and provide an example of each. Answer: •

Transfer of training refers to changes in on-the-job behaviour when a trainee applies what was learned in training to the actual work setting; maintenance occurs when trainees maintain these skills in the workplace over time; generalization occurs when the trainees demonstrate the ability to apply skills from the learning environment to the job There are several types of transfer, including the following:

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o

o

o o

o

o o

Positive transfer occurs when previous learning assists new learning. An example of positive training is musicians’ understanding of sounds which makes it easier for them to learn other instruments. Negative transfer occurs when previous learning interferes with new learning. For example, knowing how to drive a standard transmission on the right side of the road may interfere with learning how to drive a standard transmission on the left side of the road. Neutral transfer occurs when previous learning has no influence on new learning. For example, knowing math has no effect on learning to ride a bike. Near transfer occurs when the training context and behaviour are almost identical between the previous learning and the new learning. For example, tying shoelaces on your running shoes and tying shoelaces on a pair of dress shoes. Far transfer occurs when the training content and behaviour are different enough that near transfer does not work. For example, completing house repairs on shower fixtures that are completely different. Low road transfer relates to well-established skills that automatically transfer (spontaneously). For example, driving a pick-up truck versus driving a car. High road transfer occurs when learners deliberately (mindfully) apply previous learning to a new situation. For example, using metaphors and analogies to connect unrelated content.

Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 32. Discuss the factors that may prevent trainees from transferring training back on the job in their workplaces. Answer: • •

Less than 50% of organizations indicated that employees apply learning immediately after a training program according to the Conference Board of Canada; after one year, that number reportedly drops to less than 20%. There are several barriers that prevent transfer of training to the job including personal factors, work environment factors, and support of peers and managers.

Personal factors: o Fear of failure on the part of the trainee o No perception of a need to apply what was learned back on the job o Trainee resists change o Trainee is afraid of the unknown o Trainee has the perception that the training was irrelevant or ineffective o There has been a long passage of time since the training o There is a failure to reinforce skills on the job o The skills are not readily applicable to the job

Work environment factors: o The work environment is fraught with organizational politics o There are few opportunities to use the newly acquired skills o There is inadequate equipment or facilities to apply the newly acquired skills on the job Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 9


o o o o •

Time pressures prevent application of new skills There is a lack of support from trainers There are competing organizational factors, such as reorganization The existing systems and processes do not support the skills

Support of peers and managers: o Peer support o Peers are unwilling to provide feedback o Peers see training as a waste of time o The culture in the work group doesn’t support the trainee o o o o o o o o o

Management support There is a lack of support from the immediate manager Responsibilities have changed; therefore, skills are not applicable Management does not provide feedback, reinforcement, or encouragement Management does not discuss or promote training opportunities There is an inadequate budget for training There is a lack of clear performance criteria New skills are not aligned with reward systems There is a lack of authority

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.1 33. Describe in detail the three factors that have a direct effect on learning and transfer of knowledge and skills from a training event, according to Baldwin and Ford’s Model of the Transfer of Training Process. Answer: Trainee characteristics • Trainee characteristics include a learner’s capability (cognitive ability), motivational factors (selfefficacy, motivation to transfer), and personality traits. • Individual differences in these characteristics help us to understand why some trainees have more success with transfer than others. • Cognitive ability is one of the strongest factors for transfer; yet there is little the organization can do about a learner’s cognitive ability. • Someone who perceives the training to be useful for their own job and future development will be more motivated to transfer their learning to the work environment (vs. someone who has been forced to attend training by their managers). • Personality factors have a mixed impact with some research showing that personality traits do not influence training transfer directly or indirectly; other research shows that personality factors and social support lead to positive training transfer.

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Training design • Training design characteristics that relate most closely to the transfer of learning include the use of adult learning principles, transfer theories, and self-management strategies to achieve near and far transfer. • Adult learning theory looks at six principles: goal-orientation, task-orientation, practicality, relevancy, self-direction, and experience. • These principles shape the selection and use of interactive instructional methods and media to engage different learning styles, engage qualified trainers, and create a conducive atmosphere, a comfortable training environment to achieve successful transfer. • Identical elements theory relies on physical fidelity (the level to which the training environment is made to look like the work environment) and psychological fidelity (the level to which the trainees attach similar feelings between the training and the job context). • Self-management strategies help learners to think about how they will use their knowledge and skills in the work setting; learners can anticipate performance obstacles and how to overcome them, learn to monitor performance more effectively, and build in personal rewards for achieving the desired results of the training. Goal setting is a type of self-management strategy that features setting SMART goals for using trained skills on the job. Work environment • Characteristics of the work environment influence the training transfer, including strategic linkages, creating a supportive organizational climate, organizational accountability, opportunity to use, and technological support. • When training is linked to organizational goals, trainees can see how their training transfer can improve overall organizational performance. It is important to encourage a supportive transfer climate and hold learners accountable for their learning. Opportunities to practice the new skills requires support from trainers, managers, and other stakeholders. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 7.2

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 8: Training Delivery True/False 1. Small businesses may decide to outsource training because they have the internal training and HR expertise to deliver it. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.1 2. The set-up of the training facility is very important as appropriate seating arrangements may impact the effectiveness of the training delivery. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.1 3. There are many factors that may impact the training schedule including working around the schedule of the trainer. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.1 4. The facilitation style of the trainer during delivery is considered to be learner-centered and learners are encouraged to share responsibility for their learning. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.2

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5. According to Kolb, learners who have the accommodator learning style perceive concretely and therefore like theoretical readings. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.2 6. As a trainer, you have decided to open your training workshop with an impactful short video that grabs the attention of the learners. You know that this will be thought provoking. This is the first stage in Gagné’s nine events of instruction. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2 7. The best way to deal with your anxiety as a trainer is to share your experiences with the learners so that they know that you know what you are talking about. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2 8. You are facilitating a workshop on effective communication and you are having a difficult time getting them to participate so you decide to organize them into small groups. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2

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9. For every hour you will be presenting as a trainer, anticipate spending at least five to ten hours preparing. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.3 10. You are launching your very first training program and have decided to schedule a pilot program. You know that this is not designed for the training participants, but it well help you to understand the various pieces of the training program in a controlled setting. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.4

Multiple Choice 11. In order to be an effective trainer, you need to have a wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). You must also a. be able to tell jokes to amuse the participants when content is dry. b. engage your audiences by being enthusiastic using your body language and voice-tone. c. be highly analytical in order to design complex learning experiences for entry-level employees. d. be an expert on social media to market your learning programs. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.1 12. The company you work for has decided to hire an external training consultant to deliver conflict management skills. As the Training Coordinator, you recommended this choice because of the following reason? a. You are under a lot of pressure to get this training completed within a limited timeframe. b. You only have a small number of employees who need this particular training program. c. You have in-house expertise available to deliver this training program. d. You have a lot of money in your budget and you need to use some of it up. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.1 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 3


13. Which of the following seating arrangements would be best suited for a training session where the trainer would like to have a lot of control and there is a large group to be trained? a. Classroom style b. Herringbone style c. Boardroom d. Theatre style Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.1 14. As a trainer, you are trying to set up your training room in order to encourage informality. You also have a lot of training materials to distribute. For this reason, you decide to use which seating plan? a. Theatre style b. U-shape c. Circle and table d. Diamond shape Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.1 15. You are preparing to deliver a training session on workplace harassment and violence. Your company has decided that a face-to-face approach is best in order to provide learners with an opportunity to discuss and explore complex topics. You have prepared training session content and the presentation as a part of your trainer’s manual. What additional documents will you have as a part of your training manual? a. A list of all employees accused of workplace harassment. b. The old workplace harassment policy for comparison purposes. c. Copies of the content to provide to participants. d. A workplace accident form just in case someone reveals a case of workplace harassment. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.1

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16. You have recently completed a learning styles survey and you have been identified as a “Converger” according to Kolb’s Learning Style preferences. According to Kolb you like a. hands-on simulations and dislike online learning. b. participating in small group discussions and dislike lectures. c. online group work and dislike print-based materials. d. theoretical learning and dislike group exercises. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2 17. In order to maximize the effectiveness of a training session during delivery, you should consider which of the following? a. Organize and chunk learning in a meaningful way. b. Provide feedback well after the training session. c. Avoid deep learning questions as they are too intimidating. d. Wear something colourful so participants will notice you. Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.2 18. As a new trainer, you find that you are having great difficulty using the questioning technique effectively and you always get flustered when you don’t have an answer to a difficult question. You speak with a colleague who has years of experience in training. What does your colleague advise you to do the next time you find yourself in that situation? a. Never admit that you don’t know the answer to a question—your credibility will be gone with the learners. b. Ask open-ended questions and let the discuss evolve to a learning moment. c. Don’t over plan. You will never be able to guess what questions learners will ask so there is no point in anticipating the questions. d. Learn to say, “I don’t know” and “I will get back to you later in the session,” after you have researched the answer. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2

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19. What is the best advice for dealing effectively with logistics in preparing for the training, specifically related to media, materials, and facilities? a. Talk to someone in Information Technology beforehand and be sure to have their number on speed dial. b. Don’t ask trainees to help if something breaks down—they will then lose confidence in your ability as a trainer. c. Arrive early to test your equipment, know the layout of the room, and get an idea of where things are located. d. Always be prepared to think on your feet and have stories to tell in case equipment breaks during the session. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.2 20. Lucky you! You have “Andie Argumentative” in your session and you find Andie to be very combative and even heckles you while you are training. What is your best strategy for dealing with Andie? a. Talk to Andie at break and open up the lines of communication. b. Immediately call Andie’s supervisor to have Andie removed from the session. c. Call Andie out—if you confront them, they will probably back down. d. Immediately tell Andie to leave until they can behave. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2 21. You have “Sahil Side-Talker” in your training program on communication skills and you are starting to get really frustrated. You decide to take the following action to deal with Sahil’s disruptive behaviour. a. Ask for Sahil’s opinion. Sahil obviously has a lot to say. b. Walk over to Sahil so that Sahil knows that you are available to help; they may have a question they are not comfortable asking in front of the entire group. c. Tell Sahil that the training is voluntary and that they are not obliged to be there. d. Allow other trainees to deal with Sahil’s inappropriate behaviour. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2

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22. In your training session on your company’s new business strategy, “Dawit Disinterested” will not contribute and seems either bored or totally distracted. What technique will you use to gain Dawit’s attention and participation? a. Ignore Dawit. After all, you are still getting paid. b. Ask Dawit to sit at the back of the room and reserve seats up front for engaged participants. c. Raise your voice when speaking to Dawit to capture their attention. d. Invite Dawit to share their opinion as a valued and experienced member of the team. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2 23. A common framework for organizing a workshop includes three core sections including a unit. A unit is best described as a. the heading for a segment of the material. b. the heart of the workshop where trainers: tell, show, practice, debrief, apply, and evaluate. c. smaller sub-groups of information that are easy to demonstrate. d. larger sub-groups of information that are difficult to understand. Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.3 24. A debrief is a very important part of organizing your workshop as a trainer. What does a debrief involve? a. It provides the opportunity for the trainer to discuss the reasons for doing an activity and preview what will happen. b. It provides the first opportunity to evaluate the training and to coach the trainees on what to do differently. c. The trainer gives instructions, observes, and takes notes of what is happening in the session. d. It provides the trainer the opportunity to discuss what is happening in the company on a strategic level. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.3

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25. When training, Connie always begins with housekeeping items to ensure that the learners are all at the same point when starting the session. Connie always remembers to include which of the following in the “housekeeping items”? a. A review of company policy that relates to training programs. b. The harassment in the workplace policy, to safeguard any misbehaviour in the training session. c. Connie shares information about her personal life so the trainees can get to know her better. d. Reviewing what is expected of the trainer and the participants. Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.3 26. As a trainer, how can you make your training session end on a positive note during your questionand-answer session? a. If someone asks you a question you don’t know, turn the question back on them. b. Quickly jump in and answer any questions, if you pause, you will look uncertain. c. Paraphrase after the question to check for understanding. d. Allow only five minutes for questions, then transition back to your presentation. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.3 27. The purpose of a “dry run” when implementing a training program is to a. determine ease of learner navigation appropriateness. b. provide a training ground for future instructors. c. identify the trouble spots that may be confusing to the trainer or trainees. d. determine whether there was learning and if it will transfer to the workplace. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.4 28. The purpose of a “pilot program” when implementing a training program is to a. assess components for accuracy and relevance. b. talk through the training content with another trainer before the training is launched. c. be certain that there is enough money in the budget for training. d. train future pilots for the airline industry. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.3

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29. A facilitator may take on a number of different roles during a training session. What is the purpose of an informative role? a. Display care and offer empathy. b. Identify resources and offer ideas about how to proceed. c. Offer advice and direction. d. Provide structure to develop an idea. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.2 30. Lei is working with a group of social workers who are training to work with highly vulnerable clients. When facilitating the session Lei has decide to take on the facilitator role that will allow Lei to display care and offer empathy. What is this is known as? a. Informative role b. Cathartic role c. Catalytic role d. Supportive role Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.2

Essay Questions 31. You are developing a customer service training program for banking call centre employees. Describe the logistical considerations that you need to plan for when preparing for the implementation of this face-to-face training program. Answer: Administration • Training design and delivery need a set of effective administrative procedures to support the training function including: detailed trainer and trainee records to maintenance, individual learning plans, training histories, evaluations, and general information. • Training resource libraries need to be maintained as well as creating and updating instructor and trainee manuals. • It is important to build and manage relationships with learners, trainers, consultants, and other suppliers. • Support is required for promoting various training activities, stimulating maximum attendance, organizing travel and accommodation, preparing training rooms, and meeting and greeting attendees. • There is a wide range of pre- and post-course administration including internal and external evaluation.

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There is administrative work related to reporting outcomes to management, budgeting effectively, and calculating return on investment.

Facilities • Location decisions include proximity to the trainees or trainer, accessibility, availability of parking, access to public transit, food and beverage services. • Decisions include access to photocopying, video or web conferencing, availability of break out rooms, and general room details (it is helpful to be able to control the heating, lighting, and window blinds). • Wall space may be important; the trainer may need access to flip charts, white boards, projectors, screens, TV/video. • The site should be noise and distraction free to be conducive to learning. • Planning the seating arrangements is also important. Materials and Equipment • Categories of materials and equipment includes: reference materials and guidelines for trainees; training reference materials and guidelines for trainers; materials, equipment, and technology to be used in demonstrations and simulations. • Development of reference materials depends on whether trainees will be accessing materials online via computers or using physical handouts; manuals can be supported by agendas, checklists, memory aids, articles, copies of presentation slides, and other documents. • Some training sessions will use pre-course assignments and briefing notes. • Attendees may use name cards, note pads, index cards, markers, pens, highlighters, sticky notes, etc. • Trainers manuals include session copies of content provided to participants to ensure consistency and assist with the quality of the training presentations. • Many trainers have a kit ready including things like: tape, markers, extension cords, etc. Scheduling • Scheduling involves accommodating participants, trainers, and content. • Availability of the site is a factor. • Considerations include: day of the week, time of the day, time of the year; during office hours or after hours, and on weekends; examine the impact on productivity depending on group size; may decide to pay overtime to host on off-days so that regular productivity is maintained. • There should be a plan for delays (e.g., travel), for working around conflicting events, and for accommodating special needs. • Availability of trainer is important if using someone external to the company. • With internal trainers, it is important to optimize their time effectively. • With in-house training, space may be at a premium and may limit when training can be hosted. • The content may impact scheduling: Is the content best delivered all at once or over multiple sessions? Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.1

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32. Describe in full how facilitation and instruction differ and why there are different facilitation roles performed by trainers. Answer: • The differences between instruction and facilitation reflect philosophical differences and varying expectations during the learning process. • Instruction is more trainer-centred; facilitation is more learner-centred. Instructors: • Instructors are more directive and retain control of what is taught and when. • They are a source of subject matter expertise and share their knowledge with learners, often through lectures and writing. • Learners are passive and adapt their learning style preferences of the instructor, who imparts knowledge like a “sage on the stage.” • The content or the skills of the learner may lead a trainer to be more instructive. • Instructors are trying to transfer the expertise to the learner by focusing on the content. Facilitators: • Facilitation is more supportive, encouraging the learner to share responsibility for the learning. • The focus is on the process, where learners search, acquire, and develop the information and knowledge desired. • Facilitators use their knowledge of adult learning to create an environment that embraces participants’ prior knowledge and learning styles, appearing as a “guide by the side.” • Facilitator’s guide the learning transaction by providing resources and helping the group to overcome obstacles. Trainers as Facilitators • There are different roles of facilitators that can be used at different times including the following: prescriptive roles offering advice and direction; informative roles offering ideas about how to proceed; confronting roles challenging learners on process, mental models, and frameworks; cathartic roles seeking to relieve tension by prompting an emotional expression; catalytic roles providing a structure to develop an idea or to remove an obstacle; and, supportive roles to display care and offer empathy. Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 8.2 33. As a new trainer assigned to deliver a presentation on customer service, you are determined to plan, organize, and deliver your best possible presentation. Describe how you will go about doing so. Answer: Planning the Presentation • At the beginning of the planning process, formulate a clear definition of what the workshop or presentation is all about; imagine it from the participant’s perspective vs. the trainer’s perspective. • The logic, facts, and figures are there to support the vision; therefore, context is important. Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 11


• •

When thinking about content, ask three questions: 1) What do I want the audience to think?; 2) What do I want the audience to feel?; and 3) What do I want the audience to do? The best presentations incorporate these three elements to some degree through the training—to create the action and outcomes that your participants need.

Organizing the Presentation • It is key to identify the approach; determine the content that will be presented and then determine how to integrate it as part of the learning process. • Plan for interaction by building in specific times to engage participants and try to do so when resistance might arise. • Engagement touchpoints and opportunities for questions should be organized throughout the presentation. • Create an overall structure that can be applied to the presentation. • A common framework has three core sections: Unit (the heading for the segment of the material); Modules (sections of the unit; modules feature smaller sub-groups of information that are easier to demonstrate and understand); and Components (the heart of the material and includes “tell, show, practice, debrief, apply, and evaluate”). o Tell describes how to do the skill being taught o Show demonstrates the skill o Practice uses activities to build the retention of skills o Debrief provides coaching and offers feedback o Apply focuses on how to transfer skills into the job o Evaluate determines what skill development has occurred • With the structure in place, activities and coaching are planned; activities allow participants to engage with each other and build trust and cohesion. • During the activity, the trainer shifts to giving instructions, observing, and mental notetaking. • At the conclusion, the trainer and participants will discuss what the participants learned and how they can apply it in their jobs. • The debrief after an activity, presentation, or module provides the first opportunity to evaluate the training and also to coach the participants on what to do differently before further practice or application on the job. Presenting • Preparation: o Content should be maintained on an external drive or in a reference binder that is well labelled and organized with all the notes, exercises, handouts, and forms o Use checklists to stay organized o Practice presentations ahead of time • Introductions: o Have a senior team leader make the introductions; it sends a clear message of the importance of the session o Trainers then catch the attention with an opener (question, anecdote, quotation, etc.) o Review housekeeping items (ground rules, administrative items, learning objectives, agenda) • Use the Toolkit: o Icebreakers can be used for warming up groups • Q&A and Closing Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 12


o o o

A Q&A first can be helpful in determining what to discuss in closing and allows trainer to put a positive spin on any negativity from the Q&A (if any) After Q&A, close the training session by restating the main points and a review of the learning objectives to demonstrate how they were met during the session Structure an activity in the closing as a way to reinforce what participants have learned

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 8.3

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 9: Training Evaluation True/False 1. Training programs sometimes fail to deliver on expected organizational benefits; therefore, training evaluation can help to improve training and adapt to changing environmental circumstances. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.1 2. Organizations sometimes resist conducting training evaluations because of the time and effort that is involved. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.1 3. A summative training evaluation takes place during the program design and focuses on the process of the training. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.1 4. “Smile sheets” are training evaluation tools that usually are administered at the end of the training and are helpful in assessing the value of the training content. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.2

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5. Your company has decided to evaluate the monetary benefits of the training program with comparison to the investment in the program. You have decided to use a return on investment calculation. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.2 6. When conducting training evaluation, you have decided to use workplace observation techniques and customer service logs. According to Kirkpatrick’s model, you are conducting a “Level 2: Learning” evaluation. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.3 7. The Brinkerhoff model of training evaluation is based on both the training experience and the performance management system in the organization. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.3 8. Training evaluation surveys have many advantages including that they generally have a high response rate. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.4

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9. A time series approach to training evaluation involves doing “level one” evaluation surveys at the beginning, middle, and end of the training. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.5 10. The most commonly used metric for training evaluation is the percentage of courses completed. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.6

Multiple Choice 11. There are several reasons why training programs may fail to deliver on expected organizational benefits, including: a. Training continues to be relevant year after year with little change. b. The external environment changes rapidly, due to factors such as competition and regulation. c. Trainers are unaware of how to evaluate training programs in an effective manner. d. Training outcomes criteria are based on empirical data. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.1 12. According to research conducted related to the effectiveness of learning measurement, what percentage of organizations indicate that measuring informal learning is not at all effective? a. 50.5% b. 43.2% c. 14.4% d. 85.6% Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.1

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13. Which of the following constitute barriers to training evaluation? a. Too much trainer expertise and lack of stakeholder interest or accountability. b. Ability to access key stakeholders and perceived threat of evaluation results. c. Too much data and maturity of the program. d. Lack of methods or tools as well as the format and timing of the reports. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.1 14. The type of training evaluation that collects data about the various aspects of the training program during program design and development is known as a. summative evaluation. b. declarative evaluation. c. formative evaluation. d. procedural evaluation. Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.2 15. As a new trainer, you decide to start gradually introducing training evaluation within the training processes of your organization. After all, they have never had a trainer before and have never evaluated their training processes. As a way to ease into the process, you decide to begin by assessing what the trainees liked and did not like about the training program. According to the Kirkpatrick model, this is known as a a. Level 2 evaluation. b. Level 4 evaluation. c. Level 1 evaluation. d. Level 3 evaluation. Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.2

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16. Sahil attended a training session at their workplace related to workplace harassment and discrimination. During the session, the trainer reviewed the legislation in the human rights code related to protected grounds of discrimination. What is this type of learning is best known as? a. Affective learning b. Declarative learning c. Utility learning d. Procedural Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.2 17. Which of the following levels of training evaluation serves as the best indicator of whether or not learning has transferred to the job and whether the training really works? a. Level 1 b. Level 2 c. Level 3 d. Level 4 Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.2 18. Which of the following is a form of soft data that may be analyzed to evaluate the results of a training program? a. Customer satisfaction b. Productivity c. Efficiency d. Labour costs Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.2 19. Which of the following is a form of hard data that may be analyzed to evaluate the results of a training program? a. Employee satisfaction b. Labour costs c. Cultural impact of training d. Customer satisfaction Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.2 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 5


20. Nikita’s Nursery is excited to introduce a new method of evaluating training. Nikita is taking a holistic approach where the nursery will use both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the improvement in worker performance. What type of measurement approach is Nikita using? a. Return on investments b. Return on equity c. Return on employees d. Return on expectations Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.2 21. Pratesh, the Training Manager at Community First Credit Union, is looking at different methods of evaluating a new sales program for financial advisors. Pratesh is interested in evaluating “results” of the training. Pratesh has decided to assess a. the overall increase of sales. b. the ability of individual team members to upsell new clients on new products. c. a test after the training provided to all training participants. d. the results of a survey completed by participants right after the training session. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.3 22. The Kirkpatrick/Phillips model of training evaluation has five levels. According to research, the fifth level, Return on Investment, is used by what percentage of organizations? a. 28% b. 92% c. 18% d. 72% Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.3

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23. Surveys are a very common method of performing training evaluation. What makes a survey most effective? a. It is administered well after the training program. b. It assesses hard data, such as efficiency and productivity. c. It asks many questions about several different aspects of the training program. d. It is brief, clear, objective, and focused. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.4 24. Which of the following measurement tools is best to gain a deep understanding of trainee’s responses? a. Tests b. Interviews c. Surveys d. Questionnaires Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.4 25. At Erik’s Electronics, the training team is developing a measurement tool to best measure customer service representatives’ understanding of a new product after their training program. The training team decides to use which of the following tool? a. Tests b. Work samples c. Observations d. Focus groups Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.4 26. A government worker has just been trained on how to write briefing reports for senior managers within the organization. Which is a tool used to measure the effectiveness of the training? a. Observation b. Tests c. Work samples d. Surveys Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.4 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 7


27. As a trainer, you have been asked to conduct a training evaluation using the observation method. What issue must you be aware of during this process? a. You are too knowledgeable about their roles and your observation may be skewed. b. Employees may alter their behaviour because they know that they are being observed. c. You can assess learning changes in a real-world setting. d. There is high accuracy and a relatively low cost. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.4 28. After a training program, there may be a concern as to whether the changes were due to the training program or whether some other factor caused the change. Which of the following could be a threat to the validity of the change? a. The trainee took the training program after a 12-hour shift and was extremely tired. b. There was sufficient participant data. c. Employees with high levels of skills maintained their level of performance. d. Both the trainees in the session and the control group were motivated and performed well. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.5 29. Which of the following are common training metrics used by employers? a. Customer engagement, employer brand, and overall job satisfaction b. WSIB rebate data, customer satisfaction, and rate of outsourcing c. Learning expenditures per employee, employee satisfaction, and employee complaints d. Completion of courses, learning hours per employee, and cost per learning hour received Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.6 30. Which of the following would be considered a good example of analytics data related to training and development? a. Was there a high “smile sheet” score? b. Were there poor passing scores after the training? c. Did training increase the trainees job proficiency? d. Was there a lack of social learning tool usage? Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.6

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Essay Questions 31. As the Training Manager, you have found that your senior management team has always resisted training evaluation. You have a new HR Director and have an opportunity to convince them of the benefits of performing training evaluation. Prepare a document that you will use to argue the merits of implementing training evaluation. Answer: • Training evaluation is the process of measuring training outcomes to determine the effectiveness of training. • The objective of training evaluation is to deliver pertinent data and to use that data to improve training delivery and impact. • Training evaluation shows the positive impact that training has on the organization and determines where problem may lie. • Training evaluation helps to provide a picture of the impact of training programs or their failure to deliver on expected organizational benefits. • Because the external environment is also changing rapidly, training evaluation can help systematically improve training and therefore adapt to changing circumstances. Rationale for training evaluation: • Training evaluation seeks to assess the value and the worthiness of the training program. • Evaluation data can justify the appropriate level of investment, serve quality management purposes, provide feedback to HR on employee performance, and provide standard measures that can be used to evaluate all training activities. • It assists to determine the financial benefits and costs of training (compare the benefits and costs between various training programs and between training programs and other HR initiatives). • Training evaluation justifies the value and credibility of the training function to the organization • It provides a bassline for training and development in the future. • It identifies the strengths and weakness of the training program (to determine if the program in meeting learning objectives and solving performance gaps; if the training is being transferred to the workplace; if the quality of the learning environment is acceptable) • Training evaluation can provide input into training decisions in terms of course design and development and course implementation and administration. • Training evaluation helps to identify which learners benefited most or the least to determine who should be training. • Training evaluation helps to identify ways to increase readiness for learners. • Training evaluation assists in recruiting potential candidates and retaining qualified employees. • Training evaluation helps to gather data that can be used for marketing the program. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 9.1

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32. Discuss the most popular measures of training effectiveness including reactions, learning, behaviour, results, and return. Answer: Reactions • Reactions assess the perceived usefulness of the training. • Affective reactions are the trainees’ likes and dislikes of a training program. • Utility reactions are the trainees’ perceived usefulness of the training. • These measures are the easiest to evaluate by using a series of questions at the end of the training event (sometimes called “smile sheets”). • They are used more often to evaluate the performance of the trainers than to assess the value of the content. Learning • Learning measures the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) acquired through training without the component of performance on the job. • It is commonly assessed through testing recall; however, simply learning something does not mean that it will be applied on the job or that is link with performance will be understood. • The measurement of learning is very important in many professions and there are two common ways to measure learning; declarative learning is acquiring facts and knowledge while procedural learning is translating facts and information into behaviour. • Declarative learning is easier to measure but has less connection with behaviour, while procedural learning is more challenging to measure but has a more direct connection with behaviour. Behaviour • Behaviour is the display of KSAs on the job. • Assessing whether learning has transferred to the job in the form of behaviour is the first test of how well training really works. • The evidence is gathered directly or indirectly in the workplace; directly involves observations, actual performance, and work products; indirectly can be evaluated via checklists/ratings/interviews about desired behaviours from supervisors, self, peers, and customers; indirect can also include graduating from training programs. Results • Results can be collected via hard data (indicators including quality, quantity, time, and cost) as well as soft data (employee motivation and engagement, customer satisfaction). • Hard data includes the following: productivity numbers including successful tasks completion, achievement of goals, or meeting expectations; the numbers of employees attending training; how much productivity or efficiency is gained in relations to training costs, or whether programs are on schedule; labour costs including direct costs incurred (salaries for company trainers and trainees); cost of training or retraining versus the cost of replacing employees. • Soft data includes the following: customer satisfaction via customer reviews, repeat business; employee satisfaction evaluated via turnover/retention rates, grievances, absenteeism; engagement; cultural impact of training (employee onboarding, diversity training, sensitivity training have a more direct impact on culture) noted by number of HR complaints.

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Return • Return on expectations (ROX) is the ultimate indicator of value; a holistic measurement of al the benefits (qualitative and quantitative) realized from a training program or initiative. • ROX calls for training programs to be based on the change or improvement in worker performance a company is looking for vs. a strict financial formula such as return on investment (ROI). • ROI is a financial metric comparing the monetary benefits of a program to the investment of the program itself; it is typically reported as a percentage and represents the annual net benefits returned beyond the initial investment. • ROI can be used to forecast benefits and make training investment decisions but can also be used to measure past performance. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.3 33. You have decided to take an inventory of potential tools that you may use when conducting training evaluation. Describe in detail the considerations of using each tool. Answer: Surveys • Surveys are the most commonly used training evaluation. • Easy to send out quickly via the internet/intranet. • Analysis of the data is already started in a downloadable form. • Can be used with other tools. • Surveys have a low response rates. • Surveys are best for assessing outcomes such as reactions and learning immediately after the training whereas supervisory surveys are better for collecting evidence of training transfer as they have the most objective measurements of effectiveness and impact. • Creating a quality survey takes time and consideration; it should be brief, clear, objective, and focused. Questionnaires • Determining the format of a questionnaire is critical to elicit accurate and complete responses. • It is important to keep the evaluation short beginning with easier questions before moving to controversial or complex questions. • Use rating scales instead of words so that respondents don’t need to analyze the words • Questionnaires are inexpensive and practical, provide fast results and easy analysis; they are scalable and generate strong comparative data. • Because they are standardized and allow anonymity, they often have higher validity and reliability than other assessment tools. • They may pose accessibility and interpretation issues for respondents who may skip questions, have a hidden agenda, or provide dishonest answers. Tests • Tests measure changes in knowledge and skills without the distraction of observing employees.

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• •

They may not be as accurate for some jobs because they don’t replicate the environment in which an employee finds themselves. It is possible to create online tests to measure whether employees have achieved proficiency in the desired skill.

Interviews • Interviews can be conducted face-to-face or online, and they allow you to ask employees questions, but you can answer their questions and delve deeper into their responses. • This leads to more valuable and detailed information from employees about their training, but it can also be time-consuming and difficult to collect and summarize results. • Interviews are often used with other tools. Focus groups • Focus groups are facilitate discussions among a small group of trainees to explore reactions, learning, and transfer of training. • They take less time than individual interviews and can lead to deeper conversations about topics that might not have been explored in a one-on-one setting. • Participants often build off each other and consider varied perspectives as part of their responses. Observation • Observing employees as they perform a task, process, or team activity has the following advantages: you can assess learning and behaviour changes in a real workplace setting at a low cost with high accuracy. • It requires an objective and knowledgeable observer and can be time-consuming. • There is a risk that employee behaviour will change because they know they are being watched. Records and reports • Performance records can include: customer sales, clients served, support tickets resolved, units made, or customer satisfaction ratings. • They are objective and free from bias. • They show you where a problem is but not why it exists (you may need to probe with an interviews). • Data collection and data analysis will provide reports on various business metrics, which then must take into consideration factors other than just training. Work samples • Work samples measure a simulation in which an individual demonstrates competency in a situation parallel to that at work under realistic and standardized conditions. • They are excellent for training evaluation due to their ability to simulate work-related behaviours, demonstrating both learning and transfer of training. • Employees can also complete works samples using mobile devices. Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 9.4

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 10: Employee, Leadership, and Career Development True/False 1. Vertical development refers to the development of new knowledge, skills, and abilities; for example, a newly hired shipping supervisor who learns how to operate a fork truck. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.1 2. Employee development focuses on upgrading an employee’s current skill set for their existing role; for example, a manager learning better strategies for dealing with conflict resolution. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.1 3. According to Mintzberg’s work on management roles, the role of “negotiator” includes the responsibility of conveying complex information to members of the organization. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.2 4. You are responsible for a new development program for your organization. Some of your managers are too settled in their comfort zone. As a technique to teach them new strategies to deal with change and move them out of their comfort zone, you decide to introduce temporary assignments to your program. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.3

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5. A 360-degree feedback process should always be conducted after a performance appraisal is completed in order to determine the training technique that would work best to develop an employee. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.3 6. A test for Emotional Intelligence (EQ) helps employees determine their ability to manage their emotions and to be sensitive to and understanding of the emotions of others. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.3 7. You are encountering resistance from your management team in supporting the leadership development that HR has recommended. In order to overcome this resistance, you decide to reach out to the CEO directly to let them know that their managers are not being supportive. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.4 8. Dual career ladders allow upward mobility for employees by requiring that they be placed in managerial roles. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.5

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9. Recently, several key employees have decided to retire early leaving you with a shortage of leadership talent. You have decided that you will not be caught off guard ever again. You decide to recommend succession planning as a way of keeping your company more stable. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.6 10. Succession management is relatively easy for small and medium enterprises as owners have fewer employees to select from when providing promotional opportunities. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.6

Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following statements best characterizes the differences between training and development? a. The focus of training is to look to the future; whereas development focuses on the current context. b. The objective of training is to improve the work performance of the employee; whereas the objective of development is to prepare the employee for future challenges. c. Participation in training is generally voluntary; whereas participation in development is usually required by the organization. d. The outcome of training includes technical and interpersonal skills; whereas the outcome of development is mastering job-related competencies. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.1

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12. The development process tends to have a focus that helps prepare employees through which of the following learning processes? a. Experiential learning and self-development b. Buddy training and education c. Behavioural modelling and coaching d. Videos and video debriefs Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.1 13. It is beneficial for managers to develop very specific skills to ensure they are effective. Which of the following functions is taking place when a manager is deciding which employees are best suited for specific tasks and making sure the employees have what they need to accomplish their tasks? a. Planning b. Leading c. Controlling d. Organizing Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.2 14. When managers take corrective actions when the organization is facing major challenges, according to Mintzberg, they are taking on which type of “decisional” role? a. Entrepreneur b. Resource allocator c. Disturbance handler d. Negotiator Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.2

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15. Sali is noted to be a very effective manager and a strong communicator. Sali has a large network of contacts who provides Sali with favours and information on a regular basis. Sali has done an excellent job developing which type of role within the organization? a. Negotiator role b. Leader role c. Liaison role d. Figurehead role Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.2 16. According to Katz, successful leaders need three critical skill sets including: a. entrepreneurial skills, monitoring skills, and organizational skills. b. technical skills, conceptual skills, and interpersonal skills. c. negotiation skills, figurehead skills, and liaison skills. d. social media skills, resource allocation skills, and technical skills. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.2 17. Which of the following statements represents a challenge when implementing job rotation as a developmental experience? a. Some managers resist job rotation for fear of losing a high-performing employee. b. Job rotation usually results in decreased workload for the rotating employee. c. Job rotation may result in a decreased workload for the employees who must pick-up the slack. d. Employees participating in job rotation are provided a broader perspective of the organization. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.3

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18. Katie is very excited about applying for a management development program and has been told that she will participate in an assessment centre, which will gather information about her capability to perform a managerial role. During the assessment centre experience, Katie should anticipate that the facilitator may use which of the following tools to determine her readiness for management? a. A job interview b. A performance appraisal c. A discussion with her peers d. An in-box assessment Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.3 19. In order to be a very good coach, which of the following characteristics should you have? a. You must have a detailed knowledge of the organization from top to bottom to give accurate advice at all times. b. You need to be able to provide feedback in a gentle, non-controversial manner, so you do not upset the employee. c. You need to be able to give direct and honest feedback at all times to help the employee grow. d. You need to be able to speak candidly with the employee’s manager, so that the manager knows the employee’s strengths and weaknesses. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.3 20. Minnu’s Magic Supplies Company is considering the rollout of a leadership development program. The training manager recognizes that, despite support from the HR director, there may be organizational obstacles encountered along the way, including: a. a lack of support from the senior executive team. b. a positive organizational culture. c. good availability of time and financial resources. d. extensive knowledge regarding how to implement a leadership development program. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.4

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21. There are several trends for the future of leadership development programs. Which of the following trends best describes the idea of collective leadership? a. To meet the needs of the new environment, leaders need to be more adaptable, flexible, and creative. b. Due to the fact that there are fewer management levels and less hierarchy, leaders will require their skills to be more widely distributed across the workforce. c. Employees must be willing to determine their own training agenda and own their learning pathways. d. More emphasis will be placed on building an employees’ leadership capacity at a vertical level, building on previous competency. Answer: b Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.4 22. Jasmine recently attended a “train the trainer” program on the topic of new leader development. Jasmine was alarmed to learn that leadership development programs are not always successful; however, Jasmine learned that to maximize the likelihood of success, the program should a. treat the program as an event instead of a process, so participants don’t become restless and bored. b. focus specifically on the participant’s managers to gain their exclusive feedback. c. recognize that the purpose of leadership development is to improve employee engagement and retention. d. focus on competitive edge competencies that have the biggest impact on leadership performance. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.4 23. Career planning has become increasingly important to demonstrate to employees that their employer is interested in helping them reach individual career goals. Additionally, there is a strong business case for career planning, including which of the following? a. There are currently talent shortages in the labour market, making it difficult to find, promote, and retain the right people. b. Organizations have significant diversity, especially at the top of the hierarchy. c. As “baby boomers” retire, there is less generational diversity; members of Generation Y need to be motivated to move into leadership roles. d. Career planning requires a significant employer investment; therefore, it must be integrated into the business case to secure scarce resources. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.5

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24. Human resources has an important role in supporting career development in workplaces. Which of the following strategies will allow the HR team to best assist their employees as the employees chart their career paths? a. Provide one-on-one career counselling to every team member within the organization during onboarding. b. Help to establish fair, consistent, and transparent promotional policies. c. Offer an exit option for those employees who do not get promoted within the organization. d. Hold meetings to explain that there are limited promotional opportunities. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.5 25. Career ladders traditionally provide employees with more responsibility as they climb the rungs of the ladder. Which of the following career path profiles is best described as using all career tactics available to advance inside or outside their organizations? a. Coasters b. Scanners c. Hedgers d. Climbers Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.5 26. Li has been working at Ever-star Energy for over six years. Li has gained traction on the career fasttrack by taking on different assignments, working above and beyond the required hours, and taking every opportunity to meet new people within and outside the organization. How would you describe Li’s career path profile? a. Coaster b. Hedger c. Scanner d. Climber Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.5

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27. Natalie has been working at Ace Advertising for 25 years. She has reached the Associate VicePresident level and has had significant success. Recently, Natalie has needed to shift some of her focus to care for an elderly parent who lives out of town. Which is the best strategy for Natalie at this stage of her career? a. Put Natalie on a performance contract so that she continues to focus on business deliverables. b. Give Natalie a short-term sick leave do deal with her personal issues. c. Provide Natalie with a low intensity project. d. Offer Natalie a high intensity project to capture her vast knowledge and experience. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.5 28. Many individuals who have had well-established careers and are not ready to retire may find themselves looking for jobs that provide them with personal meaning as well as continuing their ability to earn a living. This is known as what type of career path? a. An “encore” career path. b. A “second act” career path. c. A “coaster” career path. d. It is no longer a career path; it is just a way for individuals to pass the time. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.5 29. Which statement best represents the difference between succession planning and replacement planning? a. Succession planning is ad hoc; whereas replacement planning is systematic. b. Succession planning identifies and prepares future leaders; whereas replacement planning identifies specific replacements for the top 2 or 3 managerial levels. c. Succession planning immerses individuals in promotions when a vacancy occurs; whereas replacement planning uses techniques to prepare a pool of replacements. d. Succession planning and replacement planning are essentially the same thing. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.6

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30. Jax has recently been assigned responsibility for the company’s new succession planning process. Where does Jax need to begin to ensure that the process is executed effectively? a. Jax needs to evaluate the success of the succession planning process. b. Jax should find a real-world problem to implement an action-learning project within the program. c. Jax needs to speak with the successors and find out what problems they encounter in their work units. d. Jax needs to secure top management support. Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.6

Essay Questions 31. At Exceptional Electric Company, you have been assigned the responsibility of developing a new managerial training program. As a starting point, you must identify the main functions, roles, and skills common across most managerial groups. Describe the functions, roles, and skills that your management training program will address. Answer Functions • Planning: o Managers make sure that company goals and objectives are met by delegating responsibilities to employees and providing timelines and completion standards. o It involves checking on the efforts of individuals to make necessary adjustments to keep plans aligned with organizational or departmental goals. •

Organizing: o Organizing requires the identification of major activities and then assigning the components of those activities to units and individuals. o It also involves establishing systems and processes to ensure that these efforts are coordinated and organized effectively and efficiently. o Managers must decide which employees or teams are best suited for specific tasks and provide employees with what they need to accomplish their tasks. o They must also be able to reallocate tasks and adjust timelines.

Leading: o Leadership is a people-oriented function that influences the actions of others to produce desired outcomes. o Organizations need good leaders to achieve organizational goals o Leadership is a behaviour, more than a position, a way of inspiring people to follow the vision, mission, and values of the organization. o Good leaders empower people to make decisions vs. telling them what to do; they create buy-in at every level and support their employees and recognize their contributions. Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 10


Controlling: o Mangers must consistently monitor the activities of the organization and its employees to ensure that they contribute positively to meeting organizational goals and objectives. o Controlling involves establishing monitoring mechanisms, resolving performance gaps, and solving problems that hinder the progress towards organizational goals.

Roles • Interpersonal o Managers spend a lot of time interacting with other people inside and outside their organization. o Interpersonal relationships will either help or restrict managers from achieving goals and managers spend much of their time enhancing these relationships. •

Informational o Managers spend a lot of time as the “nerve centre” or the source of information of an organization or a department. o Managers gather a lot of information and must act in a capacity to process that information for the benefit of the organization.

Decisional o Managers take information acquired from their interpersonal relationships and make decisions to solve organizational problems or exploit opportunities. o The quality of their decisions determine whether their strategy is successful.

Skills • Technical skills o Technical skills are various types of learned capacity (in an office environment, it may involve technological and data organization skills for managerial effectiveness). •

Interpersonal skills o Often, interpersonal skills set leaders apart from managers; both need interpersonal skills, but a leader’s power base comes from appealing to the human side of employees to generate creativity and motivation. o Being a good communicator and creating a healthy environment will lead to higher development of employees.

Conceptual skills o Conceptual skills revolve around generating ideas, creative thinking, and comprehensive understanding of a certain context. o More relevant in upper-level thinking and broader strategic situations. o Conceptual skills help empower leaders in all levels of an organization to observe the operations of an organization and frame them conceptually to uncover new ideas and unique strategies.

Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 10.2

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32. Describe the different types of “moves” that an employee may make within their organization (including upward, downward, and lateral moves) that may contribute to their growth and development as a leader. Discuss specifically how temporary assignments and volunteer assignments contribute to employee development. Answer: Upward • Promotions are generally seen as advancements into roles that feature greater challenges, responsibility, and authority, often with an increase in compensation. Downward • Downward moves can be used for cross-functional development, for example, a technical specialist such as an accountant may take a lower-level supervisory position to build up managerial competencies. Lateral • Lateral moves provide different job assignments. • They do not necessarily increase responsibilities or compensation. • For example, the public sector provides secondments to provide employees with opportunities to work in different organizations to see different business models and work environments. • Companies like Google have tried swapping employees with other companies to foster creativity and build closer relationships with the companies. Temporary Assignments • Temporary assignments (that have predetermined end dates) can help grow employees by teaching them new strategies to deal with change, along with the learning that comes with new responsibilities and coworkers. • Temporary assignments are sometimes referred to as “stretch” assignments, and are commonly used with employees approaching or in mid-level management positions. • They are more ad hoc than job rotation and are ways of developing leadership abilities that are customized to the employee Volunteer Assignments • Volunteer assignments in the community can be used for development of soft skills such as teamwork, consensus building, and conflict resolution. • By applying their skills to a new set of challenges much different than those faced at work, employees stretch their creative problem-solving skills; interpersonal skills grow with relationship with non-profit staff, clients, or other committee volunteers. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.3

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33. How does the career planning process support employee development and benefit the organization? Argue convincingly for the implementation of effective career planning processes within organizations. Answer: •

• • •

Career planning is an employee-driven process of development and progression within an organization; it can be as simple as role playing with managers on how to discuss career interests or performing career mapping exercises with employees. It can also involve more complex initiatives with formal career paths and ladders for all positions within the organization. Career paths support employees because they often feel more engaged when they believe that their employee is interested in helping them reach individual career goals while fulfilling the organization’s own mission. Employee engagement leads to improved morale, motivation, and productivity. There are many good reasons that support a business case for career planning including: o Talent shortages make it hard to find, promote, and retain the right people in the right jobs o Organizations often lack diversity at the top and may not be maximizing the benefits of a multigenerational workforce that demands more workplace flexibility o A relatively small investment in career planning has a positive impact on the organization o HR professionals no longer have a captive base of employees with a smooth progression up the ladder; flattened management levels, layoffs, the use of contingent workers, and high turnover all contribute to the fact that HR may no longer be able to promise a steady climb up the career ladder o Individual employees must take control of their own career paths with guidance and support from managers HR should support career development by providing the following supports and processes: o Fair, consistent, and transparent promotion policies and procedures o Promotions can be facilitated by providing employees with career coaching, assisting managers with clear selection criteria o Helping candidates who are not selected for promotion with a way to continue their career development o Helping newly promoted employees make a smooth transition

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 10.5

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 11: Managing Diversity, Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility True/False 1. Diversity training is most effective as a one-off workshop led by HR with the participation of specific employees. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.1 2. Managers have a key role in developing inclusivity in the workplace by mentoring underrepresented groups and examining organizational systems. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.1 3. Generation Xers are very important to the workforce. They tend to be very loyal to employers but are considered to be ambitious and optimistic. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.2 4. You are training a group of business analysts who are primarily Millennials. Based on what you know about the Millennial generation, you decide to let them train one another during a section of the training program. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.2

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5. Bonuses that reward and focus on short-term results can lead to a weak link between ethics and performance. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.3 6. It has been shown that organizations that work to build and maintain ethical cultures have more motivated employees; however, turnover rates increase during the process. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.3 7. Ethics training has been found to be the only way to create an ethical organization with clear values. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.4 8. Krishna is in the process of developing an ethics and compliance program. Best practices recommend that training on standards and a decision-making model is very useful in training. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.4 9. The goal of corporate social responsibility is to focus on recycling to reduce the organization’s carbon footprint. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.5 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 2


10. Corporate social responsibility is believed to help a company to improve its social standing as well as result in long-term gains to the company. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.5

Multiple Choice 11. It has been shown by research that companies have had little success with diversity training programs because a. the programs are based on inspiration instead of focusing on correcting inappropriate behaviours. b. the focus of diversity training programs has been on compliance and remediation. c. team members are generally not biased and do not really require the training. d. managers get too involved in the training process which becomes distracting. Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.1 12. Diversity training is most effective within organizations when which of the following takes place? a. When it targets awareness and takes place over a significant amount of time. b. It starts at the bottom as a grass-roots movement. c. When managers call out those who act in discriminatory ways during the session. d. When it focuses substantially on human rights codes’ violations. Answer: a Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.1

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13. Mahima is an up-and-coming HR professional who suffers from the “imposter syndrome.” Which of the following coaching techniques would help Mahima overcome the constant feeling that they will be exposed as a “fraud”? a. Tell Mahima that their behaviour is silly; Mahima is great at their job. b. Provide Mahima with education on neuroscience research on bias and how it impacts behaviour. c. Provide Mahima with fact-based negotiation skills. d. Helping Mahima to practice mindfulness and reframing self-perception. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.1 14. Noah is developing a training program to assist leaders to remove bias in their workplace. Noah knows that it is important to examine bias in all HR practices and needs the leadership team to be supportive. What should Noah include in the program to help the leadership team remove bias? a. Develop leaders’ skills on innovative decision-making. b. Describe recent statistics that discuss leader success within the organization. c. Train leaders on conflict resolution and negotiation. d. Sharing research on bias and how it impacts behaviour. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.1 15. Training has been found to be very helpful in stopping serious legal issues before they begin. What should be included in training to deal with the issue of expectations of an inclusive workplace culture? a. Make sure that every employee has a calendar of multi-cultural events and activities. b. Discuss scenarios related to workplace dating. c. Establish a clear tone with training about values, behaviours, and expectations about the culture. d. Review the benefits package with new hires in detail. Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.1

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16. There are many different generations of learners in every workplace. Trainers should be well-versed on their differing characteristics. A learner who is very respectful of their boss and tends to be loyal and quality-focused is likely to fall into which generation? a. Baby Boomer b. Traditionalist c. Generation Y d. Generation X Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.2 17. Nicky has scheduled a training program and integrated strategies that will provide unique and individual treatment AND provide a certificate for those who complete the program. Nicky is trying to meet the preferences of which generation in their program? a. Baby Boomers b. Traditionalists c. Generation Y d. Generation X Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.2 18. Which generation of learners is most likely to prefer access to training “on the go”? a. Baby Boomers b. Generation X c. Generation Y d. Generation Z Answer: d Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.2

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19. Chiara is participating in a training program that has been specifically designed for Chiara’s generation. In this program, Chiara is going to be able to learn from and also provide peer-training to their team members and will also be involved in personal goal-setting. Which generation is Chiara most likely a member of? a. Generation Y b. Generation Z c. Generation X d. Baby Boomer Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.2 20. Trainers are often involved in providing learning experiences that will support the organization in developing an ethical culture. What additional mechanisms will help an organization to foster an ethical culture? a. Provide constant examples of unethical behaviour so employees will be fearful of being called out. b. Create a reward system that is aligned with ethical behaviours with valued incentives. c. Be certain to display a mission statement on all marketing materials. d. An effective training program on ethical conduct will be enough to foster a positive workplace culture. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.3 21. Mohamed, a manager at Beneficial Banking Services, has been very effective over the years at developing a very strong workplace culture. Which of the following characteristic illustrates that Beneficial Banking has a strong ethical culture? a. Employees at Beneficial Banking are more likely to feel pressure to compromise company standards. b. There are more instances of workplace misconduct. c. Employees at Beneficial Banking Services are more likely to report misconduct. d. There is more likely to be retaliation for reporting misconduct. Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.3

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22. At times, there are barriers experienced by organizations that seek to create an ethical workplace culture. What could be considered an ethical dilemma that gets in the way of building a strong ethical culture? a. The organization provides too much training on the topic and employees begin to ignore the messaging. b. Employee goal alignment creates an environment where employees challenge one another. c. Managing the risk assessments and being proactive in change initiatives. d. Managers offer the wrong type of incentive and pressure employees to meet targets. Answer: d Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.3 23. Codes of ethical conduct are believed to be helpful in creating a positive ethical culture in organizations. What should managers do to promote the messaging in the code of conduct? a. Recognize that codes of conduct will ensure that all employees will behave ethically. b. Display the code of conduct prominently in high-traffic areas and the company’s internet and intranet. c. Make an example of those employees who violate the code of conduct. d. Do not encourage diversity of opinion on codes; they are standardized and should not be discussed or debated. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.3 24. Adrian is building an “Ethics in the Workplace Training Workshop” at Anthony’s Automobiles, a busy auto sales company. In order to ensure that Adrian’s training program is effective, Adrian needs to a. avoid one-on-one coaching after the session as it will distract participants from the content of the workshop. b. make the training discretionary; forcing an individual to attend training diminishes their motivation. c. recognize that there are different rules for different levels of the organization and be prepared to address that in the session. d. base the program on organizational standards for ethical behaviour and organizational goals. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 11.4

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25. Which of the following elements should be included in an ethics and compliance program? a. Training on standards and systems to discipline violators. b. A process to report potential violations of confidentiality and to immediately terminate those accused of violations. c. A description of where the cameras are within the organization so that people know that they are being observed. d. The company performance appraisal system and the bonus rewards mechanism. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.4 26. Madi is conducting a training program on the very strict conflict of interest guidelines for the sales team at Hailey’s Hydraulics. Madi is going to use which technique to allow participants to best master potential situations they may encounter? a. A lecture with all sales team members present b. Checklists with a list of what can be accepted as a salesperson c. Roleplay with employees and executives from the organization d. Mentoring with a member of the HR team Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.4 27. Which of the following are considered to be “theatres” of corporate social responsibility? a. Strategic, Political, and Technical Corporate Social Responsibility b. Social, Environmental, and Legislative Corporate Social Responsibility c. Philanthropic, Political, and Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility d. Philanthropic, Strategic, and Transformative Corporate Social Responsibility Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.5 28. Strategic corporate social responsibility is designed to do which of the following? a. Creating new forms or ways of doing business to address social or environmental challenges. b. Operating in a specific industry to make company-specific change. c. Delivering social and environmental benefits that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization’s business model. d. Generate profit or improve operational performance. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.5 Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 8


29. Transformational corporate social responsibility supports organizations who wish to achieve which of the following? a. Deliver social and environmental benefits to generate profits or decrease expenses. b. Achieve change that leads to long-term sustainability for the organization, the environment, and society. c. Improve the company’s social standing. d. Increase employee motivation. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.5 30. Which statement best describes the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and training and development? a. CSR needs to be incorporated into all training programs and activities to have the most impact. b. CSR is discussed after onboarding once employees understand the mission and vision of the company. c. Employees with more direct CSR need to receive less specialized training in CSR. d. CSR needs to be incorporated in the health and safety program as many departments include health, safety, and environmental services together. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.5

Essay Questions 31. As the HR manager, you are also responsible for the company’s equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. Discuss how training will support your diversity program and how coaching serves as an integral part of the learning process. Answer: Training supports diversity programming: • The purpose of diversity training is to create lasting change in employee behaviour and help create an inclusive organizational culture. • Women and minority groups still constitute a disproportionately small proportion of managers. • Despite the fact that research has shown that companies have little success with training programs because they are too focused on remediation and compliance, programs focused on inspiration can be effective. • Training will be effective when it targets awareness and skill development and takes place over a significant period. • Training should not be a one-off initiative; inclusion is everyone’s job and starts at the top with a focus on developing inclusive leaders (it must be treated as a core leadership skill).

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• •

Developing inclusivity works well through accountability, guidance, and feedback from a trained coach. Managers need to be engaged in solving the problem (mentorship and examination of systems and processes to weed out systemic discrimination).

The role of coaching: • Coaches work with employees on key skills and mindsets, leading to stronger intercultural competence through active listening, self-awareness, and advocacy. • Skills for managers to develop include: creating a climate of trust, encouraging participation, and recognizing diverse team members contributions. • Two types of coaching have been effective in diversity training: perspective taking and goal setting. • Perspective taking involves having participants experience “walking in someone else’s shoes.” • Goal setting, which is used to motivate job performance, is successful when participants set specific, measurable, and challenging (yet attainable) goals related to diversity in the workplace. • Coaching leaders can include the following types of coaching for inclusion skills: skills to help leaders remove bias, support for employees lacking in mentors and role models, inclusive leadership awareness, and skills and learning to shift toward positive, open communication on diversity and inclusion. • Coaching is also used to accelerate development of underrepresented employee groups such as minorities and women; the goal is to level the playing field and fast track opportunities for underrepresented groups to promote diversity at all levels of the organization. Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.1 32. Discuss the different generations within the workplace who will need workplace learning and how organizations may support these generations with training and development. Answer: Traditionalists: • Traditionalists are over 61 years of age; they have worked hard and sacrificed for their experience qualifications, and credentials. • They are loyal, quality-focused, value authority and respect. • Organizations should do the following to support traditionalists: o Ask for their input to earn their respect; give them a chance to be heard o They will be less interested in the frills and will want to know that the trainer, methods and content are “time-tested” and evidence-based (references, awards, and testimonials) o Traditionalists also respect rules and schedules o They may have faced age discrimination and other biases and systemic issues o Don’t overlook the experience and qualifications of these mature workers o Emphasize stability, provide satisfying work, and a chance to contribute Baby Boomers • Baby Boomers (ages 46-60) value the concepts of team and teamwork.

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• • •

They tend to be ambitious and optimistic, motivated by development that leads to more important responsibilities. Boomers are loyal; yet, less deferential than traditionalists. Organizations should do the following to support Baby Boomers: o Trainers can position their role as part of the team to achieve organizational success o Boomers enjoy rewards, like certificates, giveaways, or even small bonuses for the completion of training and development o They like individual treatment, which means asking for their preferences to customize their approach o Put Boomers in mentoring roles, offer specific goals, and coaching style feedback

Generation X (Gen X) • Gen Xers (ages 35-45) are important in the workforce; they have experience that leaves them well positioned to move into leadership roles in their organizations. • Gen Xers have critical institutional knowledge that must be transferred. • They are collaborative, with strong work ethics, that drives execution and brings new ideas to reality. • They are more skeptical and appreciate that things may not go as planned. • They tend to research, and fact check and seldom rush into decisions. • Organizations should do the following to support Generation X: o Gen Xers crave knowledge and peer feedback; responding well to independence, fair play, flexibility, and work-life balance o Organizations should give immediate feedback, provide flexible work arrangements, and opportunities for personal development Generation Y (Millennials) • Millennials (ages 24-34) are confident of their value in the marketplace; they won’t settle for complacency in their career and wish to move forward and up the ladder quickly. • Their career progression is flexible, and may involve job hopping to find the recognition and responsibility they seek. • Organizations should do the following to support Generation Y: o They are interested in coaching and mentoring o They want feedback more than their older peers, often via technology o Providing professional development and continuous learning is vital to retention o Millennials want on-demand learning from peers as well as industry experts o Allow them to train one another as they will feel empowered when sharing knowledge or using tools to create their own training o They want targeted, personalized content with great flexibility Generation Z (Digital Natives) • This generation, under 24, are the first true digital natives and already make up 25% of the workforce. • Flexibility is important. • Organizations should do the following to support Generation Z: o Generation Z prefer to access training on the go and even outside work o They want to be independent and make their own mistakes but also learn from a senior employee Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 11


o o

They embrace diversity; they view their diverse mindset as a competitive advantage and want to make a difference in the world Allow independence, self-direction, and work-life balance and the chance to work on multiple projects

Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.2 33. It is broadly recognized that having an ethical workplace culture leads to many benefits, including financial success. What are the obstacles to creating an ethical culture in the workplace and how can you go about building an ethical workplace climate? Answer: Shift to ethical cultures: • There has been an increasing shift toward building an ethical culture instead of running compliance programs. • Compliance has been a strong motivator, but an ethical culture may also improve employee morale, recruitment, and retention. Obstacles: • Organizational leaders face ethical dilemmas including bribery, corruption, and anti-competition; most common dilemmas are based on competing interests misaligned incentives, clashing cultures, and a reactive focus. • Change management initiatives and business transformation sometimes get in the way of the movement towards ethical cultures; change brings about disruption and can overload employees leading to poor decision-making. • Mergers and acquisitions, staff reductions, and competitive pressures can all create conflicts of interests or cause leaders to move from their core values. • The wrong types of incentives, pressure to meet targets can cause employees to act in an unethical manner; many businesses reward short-term results at the expense of long-term sustainability (weakens the link between ethics and performance). • Cross-cultural issues make it challenging to decide whose cultural rules need to be followed; ignoring cultural differences can lead to dissention and retaliation. • If mangers do not assume responsibility for managing ethical risk assessment, the orientation becomes reactive vs. proactive; focus becomes training vs. education; communication is centred around pushing out information instead of linking it with employee development. • With a reactive focus, ethical issues are rarely discussed, and employees are not actively involved in the ethics program. Building an Ethical Climate: • Create a code of conduct and find ways to keep the code and policies in front of employees (display prominently physically and on company web site). • Communicate ethical values regularly.

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• • • •

Ethics programs should cover five elements: responsibility, respect, fairness, honestly, and compassion; these elements should be defined and set the appropriate behavioural standard for reach. Regular communication about ethics helps to build an ethical culture; employees need to see the message as being consistent with actions). Having a network to share ideas, allow for diversity of opinions, and build empathy Provide anonymous ways to report unethical behavior.

Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 11.3

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Anderson: Training and Development, First Edition Chapter 12: The Future of Training and Development

True/False 1. The brain learns and remembers because it can change its physical state, in which new information is integrated in a process which is known as volition. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.1 2. Emotional responses, such as rewards, trigger the release of dopamine in the brain which has been found to reinforce learning. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.1 3. Augmented reality is a simulated environment with computer-generated experiences. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.2 4. Price-Pro a local retail outlet hopes to compete with the big box stores in their area. The executive team wants to use augmented reality and virtual reality to train employees on how to deliver the best in-store experience; however, the biggest concern they face at the present time is cost. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.2

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5. Big data refers to collecting data about users’ activities, analyzing trends from the data, and linking trends to business goals. Studies have recently shown that the majority of businesses are now datadriven and treat data as a business asset. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.2 6. Rutvik has recently been trained in the transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) as Rutvik works in a warehouse and frequently must move barrels of paint which are highly flammable. The training took place on a Saturday before he was off work for a two week vacation. Studies have shown that Rutvik may lose up to 75% of what he learned during the session. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.3 7. Soft skills and hard skills are both important in our workforce. It has been found that as technology changes more quickly, skills reappear more quickly. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.4 8. Gina is developing a soft skills program for her management team. In order to ensure that her managers are developing their soft skills, Gina decides to have her management team host their own seminars on skill topics about which they are passionate. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.4

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9. Roleplaying is widely used in soft skills training; however, it has been found to be an ineffective strategy. a. True b. False Answer: False Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.4 10. Competency-based frameworks help to ensure that HR professionals play a strategic role in preparing the organization for the future. a. True b. False Answer: True Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.5

Multiple Choice 11. As organizations continue to evolve, there has been a shift from educator to learner. Continuous learning will see learning in organizations move towards a. more workshops. b. continuous professional development. c. expanding the number of webinars. d. increased frequency of lunch and learns. Answer: b Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.1 12. Experts have advised that in order to equip yourself with lifelong learning specific to your needs, you should a. purse things that spark your interest to gain deeper knowledge. b. create a future vision for your organization. c. focus on taking your time to select the most relevant information. d. spend little time reflecting on the past as it is distracting. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.1

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13. Which of the following disciplines has recently provided relevant insights into learning theory? a. Psychology b. Sociology c. Political science d. Physiology Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.1 14. The study of neuroplasticity helps us to understand how the brain is able to change and that retention of learning occurs when our neural pathways become permanent. Which factors can impact how the brain learns? a. Humour b. Decision-making c. Stress d. Teamwork Answer: c Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.1 15. As a trainer, you are very excited about a recent article that you have read about neuroscience and how it relates to training and development. You decide to apply your new learnings in an upcoming training program and implement which of the following processes? a. You speak with the managers of the trainees to ensure that the training is immediately practiced in the workplace. b. You begin your session with a lecture on neuroscience and the brain to inspire your participants to learn more about this fascinating discipline. c. You ensure that you provide all the information in one session to make sure that all the information is covered thoroughly. d. You structure the session so that there is an excessive amount of emotional stimulation. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.1

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16. There are many exciting advancements as a result of technology as it relates to training and development including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). However, some companies face obstacles when considering implementing these new training experiences, including a. low costs which make some people question the quality of the products. b. AR and VR that currently only have PC options. c. a high takeoff in the consumer market. d. the fact that some of the content is not suitable for eLearning. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.2 17. Lisbeth’s Learning Solutions is implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and integrating their analytics with AI to help them perform better. The CEO, Lisbeth, believes that in doing so, her company will be able to a. select trainers with engaging personalities. b. identify key insights on learner progress and retention rates. c. automate the jobs for her clients and therefore increase costs. d. distinguish between Generation X and Millennials so they are not assigned to the same training program. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.2 18. According to recent research, what percentage of businesses are considered “data-driven” organizations? a. 10% b. 90% c. 30% d. 60% Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.2

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19. Organizations are finding that there are many merits to providing a personalized approach to learning and development. Which of the following is a convincing argument to provide personalized learning? a. When training is personalized, it is easier to segment into large blocks. b. Employees are frequently underwhelmed with their existing model of learning. c. When personalizing learning, engagement and retention increases. d. Personalized learning recognizes that individuals have hobbies that they would like to pursue. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.3 20. Harry’s Hydro is implementing a personalized learning approach for their hydro field team technicians. Which of the following best describes the personalized learning experience known as geofencing? a. Using cellphone location technology to give technicians the specific information they need to get their job done. b. Allowing a technician to dive deeper into the subject matter. c. Breaking lessons down into short geographical units. d. Providing apprenticeships for new technicians. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.3 21. Sam is an IT Manager working for a public sector organization. Sam has sent the IT helpdesk team on a training program to learn a new ticketing system for managing helpdesk requests. Sam ensures that the team members put their training to use immediately upon return to work after the training and Sam is very mindful of providing each team member with specific and immediate feedback. This is known as a. strong management skills. b. just-in-time learning. c. management-by-objectives. d. personalized learning. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.3

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22. At Patti’s Pottery Barn, customer feedback has indicated that the customer service team needs to develop soft skills. Which technique will be most helpful to enhance the soft skills through training? a. Provide applied learning on the point of sale purchasing system. b. Promote the most personable clerk who will serve as an example to the team. c. Use a macro-learning approach. d. Provide coaching sessions as a part of performance development. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.4 23. Calvin’s Creations is a greenhouse that also has a store front offering unique floral designs for its customers. At Calvin’s, it is critical for team members to interact with an upscale clientele who tend to be rather particular. Lately, team members have been noticeably irritable with customers and the owner decides to implement a soft skills training program using which of the following techniques? a. Implementing a role-play with a customer who is being difficult and asking team members to reflect upon their actions during the debrief. b. Making an example of an employee who becomes hostile during an interaction with a customer. c. Providing an in-class section on the reasons why customers are sometimes rude. d. Giving team members a multiple-choice test after training to see what they recall. Answer: a Difficulty: 3 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.4 24. What is the role of talent management staff within a contemporary organization? a. It is focused only on the acquisition of staff. b. It includes providing training for employees so that they have the key competencies for organizational success. c. It is focused on the onboarding process exclusively. d. It ensures that compensation systems are in place. Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.5

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25. Which of the following statements is true regarding the achievement of professional certifications such as the CHRP/CHRL, CPHR, or SHRM designations? a. HR certification increases the odds of being promoted within five years by more than 50% for HR assistants. b. HR certification increased the odds of being promoted within five years by more than 40%. c. Those with HR credentials made nearly 32% more than those without credentials. d. Those with HR credentials made nearly 82% more than those without credentials. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.5 26. Which of the following “HR jobs of the future” will focus on the entire worker relationship with a company, from benefits to training to career development? a. Head of candidate experience b. Performance coach c. Employee experience specialist d. HR data scientist Answer: c Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.5 27. Which of the following strategies will help to personalize learning experiences for employees within organizations? a. Buy a LinkedIn learning membership and require employees to access a pre-selected group of learning modules. b. Create a standardized learning program for all employees. c. Offer multiple career paths in case employees are looking for an alternative option to the standard pathway of climbing the organizational ladder. d. Give employees an assignment that they don’t want to do in order to push them out of their comfort zone. Answer: c Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.3

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28. Automation has had a significant impact on the Canadian labour market. Which of the following statements reflects how automation will impact our workplaces? a. Digital literacy skills will be needed by employees to understand and adapt to technological changes. b. Soft skills will become less important as individuals spend more time dealing with computers and other automated devices. c. Governments must invest in social assistance for those workers who are displaced and unable to learn new skills. d. Baby Boomers will be forced to retire before they are ready due to an inability to learn technology. Answer: a Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.2 29. Francesca, a learning professional, has decided to take a course on understanding neuroscience in order to be able to determine a. how to use positive psychology to promote learning. b. how to look at socio-economic factors and how they may present obstacles to learning. c. how to look at scientific causes of facilitator burnout. d. how to prepare the brain for learning. Answer: d Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.1 30. Which of the following questions would be the most appropriate to ask an employee for personalizing their training process? a. What do you like to do in your spare time? b. How have you learned effectively in the past? c. Who gets in the way of you accomplishing your tasks at work? d. What was your grade point average in high school? Answer: b Difficulty: 2 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.3

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Essay Questions 31. Describe how the study of neuroscience has helped us to better understand the brain as it relates to learning and what are the implications for learning professionals. Answer: • • •

• • •

Learning theory has traditionally been based on behavioural sciences such as education and psychology; today hard sciences like physiology and chemistry will shape our understanding of learning. Neuroscience of learning and memory identified molecular changes that take place in the brain during learning; advances in neuroscience are increasing the ability to study the brain and its functioning and helps us understand how we learn. The location and environment in which learning occurs has a significant bearing on an individual’s short- and long-term memory; because the brain operates under constraints, it processes information and prioritizes the most important elements to encode into long-term memory factors such as emotional content and validation of our assumptions. The brain learns and remembers because it can change its physical state in which new information is integrated in a process known as neuroplasticity. Retention happens when our neural pathways become permanent so factors such as brain fitness, stress, diet, and the physical environment can impact how the brain learns. Active learning involves all three brain regions including where decisions are made to learn because of an emotional response triggered (from the amygdala); evaluation and analysis occurs with communication between the neocortex and hippocampus; emotional responses (e.g., reward) triggers the release of dopamine, which reinforces learning; stress and anxiety (e.g., a countdown timer) trigger the release of noradrenaline which enhances encoding. Training designers and facilitators should develop an understanding of neuroscience so that they can determine: o How the brain works and processes information o Learning implications of the different brain areas o How to identify and improve the drivers that optimize brain performance o How to determine people’s learning potential o How to prepare the brain for learning o How to improve brain fitness and maintain brain health o How the brain impacts the sense of purpose and engagement

Difficulty: 3 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.1 32. Ollie’s Oil is an oil drilling company that has platforms across the world in various oceans. Due to the high level of danger associated with this profession, the Chief Training Officer has decided to invest substantially in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Describe how AR and VR will provide added value to the company in terms of its approach to training and development, recognizing the potential obstacles that Ollie’s Oil may face. Answer: Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 10


Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) • AR is an interactive experience where real-world objects are augmented. • VR is a simulated environment with computer-generated experiences. • AR and VR allow learners to enter books, magazines, and training rooms to experience them in 3D with computer generated sound, video and graphics. • AR and VR can change the way learning takes place. Added Value to Ollie’s Oil • AR and VR are well received because engineers can work with computer models of the product at scale. • Companies can remotely view the insides of remote or even dangerous structures (which would be the case for Ollie’s Oil). • Older generations simulations can be enhanced by VR and AR and designers are studying designs from all angles with 3D-imaging software. • Training uses animated courses, interactive videos, and simulated 3D-environments on a flat screen or whiteboard. • VR and AR allow the added dimensions of the sense of space, direction, and movement. • VR and AR can simplify onboarding processes and enable collaboration among teams and remotelybased employees. • VR can be effective in teaching skills and risk management tasks and in performing complicated sequences, AR can provide just-in-time learning. Obstacles that Ollie’s Oil may Face • VR and AR may be cost prohibitive for smaller organizations (as costs go down, the appeal of wearable technology for immersive learning will attract smaller organizations to AR and VR). • AR and VR are available in two forms—PC and mobile; PC-based devices are expensive and bulky and generally only accessed at work or in a dedicated training facility. • Mobile devices may be limited in features needed (like a gyroscope or a touchscreen feature). • Early versions by some vendors skipped corners to keep costs lower which led to a low takeoff in the consumer market. • The lack of a simple plug-and-play option may be challenging as users must download applications and complicated settings and integration can be challenging. Difficulty: 2 Skill: Applied Learning Objective: 12.2 33. Discuss why organizations are moving more and more towards personalized learning and how are they going about personalizing learning within their workplaces. Answer: Why organizations are moving towards personalized learning: • Personalized learning is growing based on a focus on results, continuous improvement, and respecting employee individuality. • Experts say modern employees are overwhelmed, old-school models don’t work, and training needs to be distilled to 15 minutes before individuals are pulled into their jobs again. Copyright © 2022 Pearson Canada Inc. 11


• • •

When learning is personalized, it is easier to segment into smaller blocks. Personalize learning and immediate feedback creates a focus on continuous improvement, which augments traditional performance development processes with input and constructive criticism from peers and managers. Employees are treated in a unique way; this fosters engagement and retention through individual development plans.

How to personalize learning: • Create video libraries hosting internal and external content; provide a basic platform with a robust search function to find personalized content or have periodic recommendations provided based on their customized development plan; subject-matter experts can prepare short videos on their hard and soft skills for others to learn from. • Mentoring and apprenticeships are older techniques that adapt well to personalized learning; it is a way to challenge employees and provide relevant, timely feedback; some mangers mentor direct reports and those a level below that as well; reverse mentoring is a popular approach with Generation Y and Generation Z for topics like technology and social media. • Break lessons into small parts, steps, or blocks to allow learners to focus on each element individually; proficiency for each block can be tested, and the building blocks, when finished, are the representation of a complicated skill or process. • Multiple career paths offer flexibility in case employees do not want the standard career path to managing people; allowing employees to go deeper into their subject-matter expertise is a more personalized choice for someone who would not make a good manager. • Geofencing delivers job-related training and development when it is needed using cellphone technology to identify your location to give you only the information you need to get the job done. Difficulty: 1 Skill: Recall Learning Objective: 12.3

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