Implement learning plans Encourage a learning environment what work, if any, will be missed by the learners during the program cost of the program resources required to conduct the program language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the learners learners special needs why you recommend this particular form of training any special requirements of the learners how development of this skill will improve the employee s performance and/or achievement of team and personal goals how the effectiveness of the training will be assessed anything the organisation has to do to support training. You should distribute the completed learning plan to the team and forward a copy to the human resources team. Figure 1 Learning plan Name: Section: Location: Development Need What do I want to develop/learn? (Consider current and future changes/needs occurring in your work area.) Organisational Directions How does this need fit with organisational directions? Action Strategies Support Option Progress Review How can I What/who will resource How will you develop/learn this? my demonstrate (E.g. training program, development/learning? that you have work based Learning, ( e.g. in own time and implemented Project, and Mentoring expense, Professional this learning in etc.) Development, etc) your workplace? Time Frame e.g. April, 20XX Supervisor s comments (eg relevance to organisational direction) Review Date: (When will you revisit your individual learning plan to review progress, monitor relevance and adjust priorities?) Page 24 BSBFLM311C Support a workplace learning environment
Encourage a learning environment Implement learning plans Task 7, Personal learning plan Prepare your own Learning Plan. You may use the template from your workplace or Figure 1. You should consult with your colleagues, senior manager, human resources and learning and development teams before completing the form. The teacher or trainer that is facilitating this workbook with you will also be able to provide guidance. Currency of training You must deal with the challenge of maintaining the currency of training once team members return to the workplace. It is important that you act as a positive role model and undertake to maintain your own professional development through the following types of activities: active participation and sharing information at team meetings attend industry meetings or conferences attending training sessions conducted by manufacturers membership of professional association networking pursuing further education read journals reading technical manuals remaining abreast of manufacturer s developments undertake return to industry programs. Task 8, Maintaining currency Investigate the methods that have been identified in this Section for maintaining the currency of the knowledge and skills of you and team members. Select at least three and investigate them thoroughly. Prepare a summary of your findings and retain these with any printed information you sourced while performing your research in your resource folder. BSBFLM311C Support a workplace learning environment Page 25
Accommodate diverse learning needs Encourage a learning environment 1.3 Accommodate diverse learning needs Implement learning plans to reflect diversity of needs and learning opportunities As you would expect, the learning objectives of individual learners will vary considerably. Your most important task in developing a learning plan is to consider the characteristics of the individual learner who is the focus of the plan. You will need to access a range of information sources in the workplace to gather relevant information. Your Human Resources team, the employee s personnel record or, indeed, the individual themselves will most likely be your best sources of information. You should begin by ensuring that you are familiar with the template or form that is used to record the learning plan. You should then determine what you need to know about the person who is the focus of the learning plan to prepare plan that best suits their learning and development needs. You might decide that the following characteristics are relevant to your workplace s needs: level and breadth of work experience level and previous experience of formal education skill or competency profile socio-economic background literacy levels proficiency in speaking or writing English disability (where the employee chooses to disclose this). As you have discovered, all employees have specific learning needs that should impact on the type of learning and development opportunities that are offered to them, however, there are specific groups of learners that will require special attention. These could include: school leavers people returning to the workforce after an extended absence employees who have a disability indigenous Australians recent migrants people who have English as their second language (ESL). The following table identifies some of the issues you will find it useful to consider when planning learning and development activities for people who are in these particular groups. Page 26 BSBFLM311C Support a workplace learning environment
Encourage a learning environment Accommodate diverse learning needs Characteristic Issues People with disabilities The need for additional resources such as adaptive technology, access to interpreters and building and plant modifications People form linguistically and culturally backgrounds Accessibility of support services Appropriateness of existing programs Processes to recognise existing qualifications, experience and competence Appropriate learning resources Ability of trainers to provide information to learners who are English Second Language Flexible delivery or online delivery may be problematic for this group of learners Mature learners Unfamiliarity with some forms of technology Commitments such as family may require greater flexibility when programming and timetabling learning activities Processes to recognise previous qualifications, work history and life experience Indigenous Australians Ensure that trainers have intercultural competence. This means knowing about cultural difference. Modify teaching styles and activities to reflect Indigenous learners preferred ways of doing things and ways of thinking about the world. Negotiate training to ensure that the program meets both the needs of the learners and workplace and, where appropriate, the aspirations of their communities Provide group based activities where possible Encourage the team learning strategy where individuals learn within a team environment in which each learner has a set role to play within the team. BSBFLM311C Support a workplace learning environment Page 27
Accommodate diverse learning needs Encourage a learning environment Task 9, Learner characteristics In this activity you are asked to gather information about a specific group of learners in your workplace. Your objective is to coordinate refresher or induction workplace health and safety for this group. Record the information that you gather on the following table. Question Response Who are the learners? Do they have any particular need that will affect their learning? What are they learning? Is there a qualification, benchmark or standard they need to reach? What workplace policies and procedures, legislation or regulations are relevant to this learning activity? How will you determine what should be included in the learning activity? (Think about relevant workplace information such as OHS committee reports, incident reports, training needs analysis or performance reviews) Where and how will they learn? What additional support could they need? How will you ensure that the learning activity is inclusive? How will you recognise their achievements? Page 28 BSBFLM311C Support a workplace learning environment
Business Services Training Unit of Competency Support a workplace learning environment BSBFLM311C Unit Descriptor This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to effectively encourage and support a learning environment. Particular emphasis is on participation in processes to facilitate and promote learning and to monitor and improve learning performance. Employability Skills This unit contains employability skills. Pre-requisite Units Nil Application of the Unit Frontline mangers have a prominent role in encouraging and supporting the development of a learning environment in which work and learning come together. At this level, work will normally be carried out within known routines, methods and procedures, and many also involve a number of complex or non-routine activities that require some discretion and judgement. Competency Field No sector assigned
Support a workplace learning environment This book supports BSBFLM311C, Support a workplace learning environment in the Business Services Training Package. Copyright Sandra Griffith, August 2009 Author: Sandra Griffith Editor: Lloyd Jones ISBN: 1-921657-18-9 Disclaimer All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, Software Publications Pty Ltd. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and the authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. These learning materials have been prepared for use as part of a structured vocational education and training course and should only be used within that context. The information contained herein was correct at the time of preparation. Legislation and case law is subject to change and readers need to inform themselves of the current law at the time of reading. Publishers Software Publications Pty Ltd (ABN 75 078 026 150) Head office Sydney Unit 10, 171 Gibbes Street Chatswood NSW 2067 Phone: (02) 9882 1000 Fax (02) 9882 1800 Australia Toll Free Numbers Phone: 1 800 146 542 Fax: 1 800 146 539 Web address www.softwarepublications.com.au Published and printed in Australia