Role of Learning Curve - by: Rahat Kazmi

Course: BTEC HNC
Business/Similar/New Managers
Module : Human Resource
Development
Prepared by: Rahat Kazmi
Lecture
1) Role of the Learning Curve and the Importance of Transferring Learning to
the workplace
2) Contribution of Learning Styles and Theories when Planning and
Designing a Learning Event
Follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/srahatkazmi
Join Facebook Fan’s page : facebook.com/TrainingConsultant & facebook.com/softskillsexperts
Visit the website: www.softskillsexperts.com

Aims of today’s lesson
ØExplain the role of the learning
curve and the importance of
transferring learning to the
workplace
ØAssess the contribution of
learning styles and theories when
planning and designing a learning
event

R
E
C
A
P

Learning curve……….
• Recognize that progress may vary and may not be
continuous. Enable learners to consolidate their
learning and introduce reinforcement periods in
training programmes to recognize the existence of
learning steps and plateaus.
(Armstong,2009:707)

Learning curve
q The concept of the Learning Curve basically states that there is less
and less learning as more repetitive steps are taken. The Boston
Consulting Group conducted some empirical studies and below are
the conclusions from that study
q The time required to perform a task decreases as the task is
repeated,
q The amount of improvement decreases as more units are produced,
and
q The rate of improvement has sufficient consistency to allow its use
as a prediction tool.

• To suggest typical patterns
• To illustrate the progress of a given trainee’s
learning
• To plan the size of ‘chunks’ to be taught in one
session
A learning curve may be used…..

Learning Curves
þ Based on the premise that people and
organizations become better at their tasks as
the tasks are repeated
þ Time to produce a unit decreases as more
units are produced
þ Learning curves typically follow a negative
exponential distribution
þ The rate of improvement decreases over
time

Learning Curve Effect
Cost/time per repetition
Number of repetitions (volume)0

Learning Curve Examples
Example
Improving
Parameters
Cumulative
Parameter
Learning-
Curve
Slope
(%)
Model -T Ford
production
Price Units produced 86
Aircraft
assembly
Direct labor-hours
per unit
Units produced 80
Equipment
maintenance
at GE
Average time to
replace a group of
parts
Number of
replacements
76
Steel
production
Production worker
labor-hours per
unit produced
Units produced 79

Learning Curve Examples
Example
Improving
Parameters
Cumulative
Parameter
Learning-
Curve
Slope
(%)
Integrated
circuits
Average price per
unit
Units
produced
72
Handheld
calculator
Average factory
selling price
Units
produced
74
Disk memory
drives
Average price per
bit
Number of bits 76
Heart
transplants
1-year death rates Transplants
completed
79

Uses of Learning Curves
Internal: labor forecasting, scheduling,
establishing costs and
budgets
External: supply chain negotiations
Strategic: evaluation of company and
industry performance,
including costs and pricing

Limitations of Learning Curves
þ Learning curves differ from company to
company as well as industry to industry so
estimates should be developed for each
organization
þ Learning curves are often based on time
estimates which must be accurate and
should be reevaluated when appropriate

Limitations of Learning Curves
þ Any changes in personnel, design, or
procedure can be expected to alter the
learning curve
þ Learning curves do not always apply to
indirect labor or material
þ The culture of the workplace, resource
availability, and changes in the process
may alter the learning curve

Definition – Transfer of
Learning
• Transfer of learning is the ability to apply
knowledge learned in one context to new
contexts.
• Transfer of learning occurs when the learner
– recognizes common features among concepts,
skills, or principles;
– links the information in memory; and
– sees the value of utilizing what was learned in
one situation in another.

Examples
• Knowledge of French may help
student learn Spanish
• Learning to drive a car helps a person
to later drive a truck
• Learning mathematics prepares
students to study physics
• Learning to get along with siblings may
prepare one for getting along better
with others

Why is it important? (cont.)
• If we did not transfer some of our prior
knowledge, then each new learning
situation would start from scratch.
• Assumption of education: what is
taught in a course will be used in
relevant situations in other courses, in
the workplace and out of school

Factors that Affect Transfer
• Initial acquisition of knowledge is necessary
for transfer.
– Rote learning (memorizing isolated facts) does
not tend to facilitate transfer, learning with
understanding does
– Transfer is affected by degree to which students
learn with understanding
• Context plays a fundamental role.
– Knowledge learned that is too tightly bound to
context in which it was learned will significantly
reduce transfer

Factors that Affect Transfer
(continued)
• Knowledge that is overly contextualized can
reduce transfer; abstract representations
can promote transfer (Bransford, 41).
• Attempts to cover too much too quickly
may hinder transfer.
• Motivation affects the amount of time
people are willing to devote to learning.
– People are more motivated when they can see
the usefulness of what they are learning

Positive vs. Negative
• Positive transfer: when learning in one
context improves performance in some
other context
– Speakers of one language find it easier to learn
related rather than unrelated second languages
• Negative transfer: when learning in one
context has a negative impact on
performance in another context
– Contrasts in vocabulary, pronunciation, and
syntax create difficulties
– Typically causes problems only in the early stages

Near vs. Far
• Near transfer: transfer between very similar
contexts
– When a mechanic repairs an engine in a new
model of car, but with a design similar to prior
models
– Much better prospects than far transfer
• Far transfer: transfer between contexts that
seem alien to one another
– A chess player may apply basic strategies to
investment practices or policies

Teaching for Transfer
• In many situations, transfer will
take care of itself
– students face instances of
reading outside of college-
newspapers, books, and so
on- print provides a
stimulus to call to mind
reading skills
• In other contexts of learning
conditions for transfer are less
promising
– If social studies is not taught
by including actual practice
in looking at current events
with a historical perspective
– If social studies instruction
does not encourage learners
to reflect upon the eras they
are studying and dig up
widely applicable questions
or conclusions

The more understanding, the
better the transfer.

Learning Styles
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I81rG
BunsdoVARK
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VJiK
BCZO_c&list=PLE9E5A755CDF7F52CKolb
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cf-
1zx58CU
Honey and
Mumford
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHSZ
3_VMgjUMyers Briggs

Class Discussion
What is the Learning Styles For the Net
Generation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzX21oQx94
w&list=PLE9E5A755CDF7F52C&index=6

• Stage 1: Unconscious incompetence
(not aware of what you don’t know)
• Stage 2: Conscious incompetence
(You become aware that you don’t know)
• Stage 3: Conscious competence
(You work at knowing)
• Stage 4: Unconscious competence
(You don’t have to think about knowing)
Stages of learning

Learning curve
• Graphical representation of the common sense
principle that more one does something the
better one gets at it.
• Learning curve shows the rate of improvement in
performing a task as a function of time, or the
rate of change in average cost (in hours or money
unit) as a function of cumulative output. Used in
resource requirements planning.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/learning-curve.html, 2013

New & traditional learning curves

References
Bransford, John. How People Learn. Washington D.C.: National
Academy Press, 1999.
Ip, Y.K. “Transfer of Learning.” Ideas on Teaching. February 2003.
Center for Development of Teaching and Learning.
http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/Ideas/iot18.htm
“Learning Theories and Transfer of Learning.” [Online]
http://otec.uoregon.edu/learning_theory.htm#transfer
Mestre, Jose. “Transfer of Learning: Issues and Research Agenda.”
[Online] National Science Foundation. 21 March 2002.
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf03212/nsf03212.pdf
Perkins, David. “Transfer of Learning.” [Online] 2 September 1992.
http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/traencyn.htm
“Transfer of Learning.”
http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/EdPsyBook/Edp
sy6/edpsy6_transfer.htm

• Bpp Business Essentials Human Resource
development and Employee Relations Chp 1
• http://www.businessballs.com/traindev.htm
References

Role of Learning Curve - by: Rahat Kazmi

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Role of Learning Curve - by: Rahat Kazmi

Similar to Role of Learning Curve - by: Rahat Kazmi (20)

More from Rahat Kazmi

More from Rahat Kazmi (18)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Role of Learning Curve - by: Rahat Kazmi