Spring

• The assessment strategy will consist of a coursework assignment which will enable students to explore a relevant topic in greater depth.
• The assessment will require that the students select relevant theoretical and analytical frameworks through which specific practices of management and organisational learning and development can be described, analysed and evaluated.
• This will consist of case study analysis of either an organisation that is known to the student or one with which the student is familiar through secondary sources.
• In either case the student will be required to explore the ways in which learning, and the management of learning, has or may have the potential to contribute to the development, growth and transformation of the organisation and its members.
• The student will be expected to pay particular attention to the problematic issues that may exist in their chosen organisation (or the organisation that forms the case study), describe the ways in which these issues present themselves and make suggestion for how they might be conceptualised, interpreted and managed.

The assignment will assess the extent to which the student has met the learning outcomes in terms of describing and explaining relevant theories of individual and collective learning (K&C), critically appraising these theories (C), using these theories to interpret and understand organisational learning issues and demonstrate the extent to which they appreciate the significance of individual and collective learning for personal and organisational growth and transformation (C, P & T)

None

The aims of the module are to provide students with:

• A critical understanding and appreciation of a number of theories of learning and development and of the ways in which these interface at the individual and collective levels with other aspects of management and organisation (such as business strategy, entrepreneurship, and human resource management);
• The potential to apply their knowledge of learning and development at the individual and collective levels to the solution of problems related to organisational performance, growth and change;
• A critical understanding of the significance of learning for personal and organisational growth and transformation.

Learning outcomes are categorised as:

• knowledge and understanding (K/U)
• intellectual/cognitive skills (I/C)
• practical/professional skills (P/P)
• transferable skills (T) Number Outcome Type eg K/U, I/C, P/P, T

On successful completion of this module, the student will be able to:

• K/C Explain and discuss relevant theories of individual and collective learning and development
• C Critically appraise relevant theories of individual and organisational learning and development
• C,P&T Apply relevant theories and concepts of individual and collective learning and development to the solution of organisational problems
• C,P,T Understand the significance of individual and collective learning and development for personal and organisational growth and transformation

• Theories of individual learning (e.g. cognitive learning theory, social learning theory, experiential learning theory, andradgogical learning theory, etc)
• Theories of collective learning (e.g. single and double loop learning, action science, action learning)
• Theoretical perspectives which integrate the individual and collective perspectives (e.g. activity theory, situated learning theory, distributed cognition, etc).
• The various methods that may be used in organisations to facilitate and manage individual and collective learning.
• Human resource development (HRD) and strategic HRD and its relationship to areas such as HRM and wider organisational and management issues
• Forms and processes of organisational development
• Managing individual and collective learning processes in organisations.
• Critical issues in management and organisational learning and development
• The role of learning in the creation of knowledge and the dialectic relationship between organisation and knowledge creation

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to enable students to engage with the field of management and organisational learning in a scholarly way which will inform their current or future professional practice. 

The teaching and learning methods will include classes, group discussions, problem solving activities, case study analyses, personal reflection, directed reading and self-directed reading. Resources will be made available through the usual routes of the library, ULearn and recommended textbooks.

Core Text:

Sadler-Smith, E. 2005. Learning and development perspectives from research and practice. Oxford : Blackwell

Recommended  Reading : 

Easterby-Smith, M., Burgoyne, J. & Araujo, L. (Eds.) (1999) Organizational Learning and the Learning Organization. London : Sage

Grey, C. & Antonacopolou, E. (2003) Essential Readings in Management Learning , London : Sage

Hales, C. P (2001) Managing through Organization, London: Thomson Learning.

9th October 2009