Human Resource Training and Development Answer Key

Page 1 Chapter Four Learning and Transfer of Training OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Discuss the five types of learner outcomes. Explain the implications of learning theory for instructional design. Incorporate adult learning theory into the design of a training program. Describe how learners receive, process, store, retrieve, and act upon information. Discuss the internal conditions (within the learner) and external conditions (learning environment) necessary for the trainee to learn each type of capability. 6. Discuss the implications of open and closed skills and near and far transfer for designing training programs. 7. Explain the features of instruction and the work environment that are necessary for learning and transfer of training. MULTIPLE CHOICE 4.1. Which of the following statements is true of training? a. Recognizing employees’ preferences regarding how they want to learn is not advisable. b. It is important to realize that for training to be effective, both learning and transfer of training are needed. c. Transfer of training is to be considered only after the completion of training. d. Transfer of training involves having employees who already have mastered the learning outcomes demonstrate them for trainees. Answer: b Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 4.2. Which of the following examples best reflects an attitude as a learning outcome? a. State three reasons for following company safety procedures. b. Design and code a computer program that meets customer requirements. c. Gain a greater appreciation for work-life balance. d. Shoot a gun and consistently hit a small moving target. Answer: c Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 1 Page 2 4.3. _____ relates to the learner’s decision regarding what information to attend to, how to remember, and how to solve problems. a. Cognitive strategy b. Motor skill c. Attitude d. Verbal information Answer: a Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 1 4.4. Which learning outcomes relate to the ability to design and code a computer program that meets customer requirements? a. Cognitive strategies b. Attitudes c. Intellectual skills d. Motor skills Answer: c Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 1 4.5. Intellectual skill as a learning outcome primarily includes the capability to _____. a. state or describe previously stored information b. apply generalizable concepts and rules to solve complex problems c. execute a physical action with precision and timing d. choose a personal course of action Answer: b Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 1 4.6. Behavior modification is a training method that is primarily based on _____. a. goal setting theory b. information processing theory c. expectancy theory d. reinforcement theory Answer: d Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 2 4.7. Behavior modeling is a training method that is primarily based on _____. a. goal setting theory b. social learning theory c. expectancy theory d. reinforcement theory Answer: b Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 2 Page 3 4.8. _____ is a person’s judgment about whether he or she can successfully learn new knowledge and skills. a. Self-efficacy b. Self-actualization c. Self-esteem d. Self-concept Answer: a Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 2 4.9. Logical verification to increase self-efficacy typically involves _____. a. perceiving a relationship between a new task and a task already mastered b. trying out the observed behaviors to see if they result in the same reinforcement that a model received c. motivating trainees by having employees who have mastered the learning outcomes demonstrate them d. determining the degree of support for using newly acquired capabilities Answer: a Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 2 4.10. Juan, an operations manager has been assigned to train a group of older employees in the logistics department. He has to train them to use new computer software. He begins by reminding them that they were quick in learning the old software. Juan is trying to _____. a. increase the employees’ self-efficacy b. deter expectancies of the employees c. create motor reproduction d. raise the valence of the behavior Answer: a Difficulty: hard Learning objective: 2 4.11. Which of the following creates a learning orientation in trainees? a. Emphasizing trained task performance b. Emphasizing competition among trainees c. Ensuring trainees completely avoid errors and mistakes d. Allowing trainees to experiment with new knowledge and skills Answer: d Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 2 Page 4 4.12. In expectancy theory, the belief that performing a given behavior is associated with a particular outcome is called _____. a. valence b. instrumentality c. maintenance d. generalizing Answer: b Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 2 4.13. In the context of expectancy theory, _____ relates to trainees’ beliefs that they perform the trained skill. a. expectancy b. instrumentality c. self-efficacy d. valance Answer: a Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 2 4.14. According to the _____, transfer will be maximized when the tasks, materials, equipment, and other characteristics of the learning environment are similar to those encountered in the work environment. a. theory of identical elements b. stimulus generalization approach c. cognitive theory of transfer d. information processing theory Answer: a Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 6 4.15. Which of the following statements is true of closed skills? a. They require the trainee to adapt the general principles to fit a wide range of circumstances. b. They refer to training objectives that are linked to general learning principles. c. They refer to skills that are to be identically produced by the trainee on the job. d. They are more difficult to train than open skills. Answer: c Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 6 Page 5 4.16. _____ is a learning process that involves identifying learned material in long-term memory and using it to influence performance. a. Generalizing b. Semantic encoding c. Retrieval d. Gratifying Answer: c Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 4 4.17. In the learning processes, semantic encoding typically involves _____. a. informing learners of the lesson objective b. providing learning guidance to individuals c. providing learners cues that are used in recall d. providing feedback about performance correctness Answer: b Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 4 4.18. Which of the following statements is true of organizing as a learning strategy? a. It focuses on memorization of training content. b. It focuses on learning through repetition of training content. c. It requires the learner to find similarities and themes in the training material. d. It requires the trainee to relate the training material to other, more familiar knowledge, skills, or behaviors. Answer: c Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 4 4.19. The learning cycle for a trainee begins with a(n) _____. a. reflective observation b. concrete experience c. abstract conceptualization d. active experimentation Answer: b Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 4 Page 6 4.20. Good decisiveness, practical application of ideas, and hypothetical deductive reasoning are characteristics of individuals with a _____ learning style. a. converger b. diverger c. assimilator d. accommodator Answer: a Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 4 4.21. _____ use concrete experience and reflective observation and are good at generating ideas and seeing a situation from multiple perspectives. a. Divergers b. Assimilators c. Convergers d. Accommodators Answer: a Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 4 4.22. _____ refers to individual control over one’s thinking. a. Modeling b. Instrumentality c. Valence d. Metacognition Answer: d Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 4 4.23. _____ refers to the learner’s involvement with the training material and assessing their progress toward learning. a. Automatization b. Self-regulation c. Elaboration d. Generalization Answer: b Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 4 Page 7 4.24. Learner-learner interaction is most appropriate when learners have to _____. a. master a task that is completed alone b. maximize their critical thinking and analysis skills c. acquire personal knowledge based on experience d. enhance their self-awareness and self-assessment Answer: c Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 7 4.25. _____ refers to practicing a task continuously without breaks. a. Overlearning b. Whole practice c. Massed practice d. Continuous learning Answer: c Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 7 4.26. Which of the following is a disadvantage of communities of practice (COPs)? a. Employees are reluctant to participate without an incentive and fear sharing their knowledge with others. b. They are not naturally occurring in companies; hence, they have to be forced. c. Social interaction is discouraged; hence, learning occurs off the job. d. They make it tedious for employees to share best practices, learn from one another, and improve business processes. Answer: a Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 7 4.27. Which of the following is an example of the internal conditions necessary for learning? a. Providing trainees opportunities to practice new skills b. Strong messages provided to trainees from credible sources c. Verbal persuasion d. Recall of training content Answer: d Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 5 Page 8 TRUE/FALSE 4.28. Developing a computer program that meets customer specifications is an example of an intellectual skills learning outcome. Answer: true Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 1 4.29. Adult learning theory assumes that adults enter a learning experience with a subjectcentered approach to learning. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 3 4.30. Individuals with a learning orientation find that errors and mistakes cause anxiety. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 2 4.31. In general, it is best to promote a performance orientation among trainees. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 2 4.32. Instrumentality is similar to self-efficacy. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 2 4.33. Most educational theories historically have been developed exclusively to educate children. Answer: true Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 2 4.34. In the context of adult learning theory (andragogy), group discussions would likely be less appropriate than the traditional lecture method. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 3 Page 9 4.35. Open skills are those that are to be identically produced by the trainee on the job. Answer: false Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 6 4.36. Closed skills are highly influenced by managers, peers, and the work environment. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 6 4.37. Identical elements are more appropriate for open skills as opposed to closed skills. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 6 4.38. The stimulus generalization approach is more appropriate for open skills as opposed to closed skills. Answer: true Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 6 4.39. Identical elements are maximized when the learning environment matches the trainee as closely as possible. Answer: false Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 6 4.40. The stimulus generalization approach emphasizes near transfer of training. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 6 4.41. The working storage and semantic encoding processes of learning both relate to short-term memory. Answer: true Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 4 Page 10 4.42. It is best to include a combination of examples and practice, rather than all practice. Answer: true Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 7 4.43. In error management training, trainees are instructed that errors hamper learning and should largely be avoided. Answer: false Difficulty: medium Learning objective: 7 4.44. For more complex tasks, relatively long rest periods appear to be beneficial for learning. Answer: true Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 7 4.45. Automatization of tasks increases memory demands. Answer: false Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 7 4.46. Providing self-management training is an example of an internal learning condition. Answer: false Difficulty: easy Learning objective: 5 SHORT ANSWER-ESSAY 4.47. Describe how trainers can create a learning orientation among trainees in contrast to a performance orientation. (Be sure to define learning orientation and performance orientation in your answer to demonstrate your understanding of these concepts.) People with a learning orientation view mistakes as a useful part of the learning processes and not as something that should be avoided. They are focused on learning and not necessarily looking good. Performance orientation refers to a desire to look good in comparison to others. Individuals with a performance orientation value ability more than learning, and they avoid mistakes as they might make them appear “foolish” in the eyes of others. Accordingly, trainers should strive to promote a learning orientation among trainees. Trainers should set goals around learning and experimenting with new ways of having trainees perform trained tasks. They should also deemphasize competition among trainees, create a community of learning, and allow trainees to make errors. When