INTRODUCTION
In an ever changing and evolving workplace it is becoming increasingly necessary for employers and employees (in all industries and sectors), to maintain their competitive edge and to pursue ‘continued learning’. This may include both formal education and job-specific training and development, re-training and upskilling. The Higher Education and Training Awarding Council describes learning as ‘a process by which a sustainable change in a learner’s knowledge, skill or competence occurs as a result of experience (of phenomena)’ (HETAC, 2009). The phenomena could include such things as lectures, lecture notes, power point presentations, and graphics etc. (CMIT, 2015). It is argued that passive observation of such ‘phenomena’ does not necessarily constitute learning, as it is possible to sit through an entire lecture that includes, handouts, visuals and up front lecturing and learn nothing. In order to effectively learn, a learner must ‘through a process involving linking, modifying existing knowledge and with skill and competency…construct a ‘cognitive’ representation from the phenomena’ (CMIT, 2015, p.5).
O’Carroll (2012) further develops this idea by suggesting that learning occurs when there is a permanent change in behaviour as a result of the phenomena.
For the purposes of this assignment it is necessary to firstly have a basic understanding of some learning principles and theories, before trying to differentiate between the concepts of learning, training and development and education.
In 1975, David Kolb, identified what he called experiential learning. He proposed that all effective learning is achieved when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages. The four stages as identified in his theory are: (1) Concrete Experience followed by (2) Reflective Observation on that experience which leads to (3) the formation Abstract