Case studies have become a widely-used instructional tool in many educational environments. The use of case studies began in the 1950s at Harvard Business School. Today, they may be used as part of a course of study, or as the main focus of a course, to which other material is added. While the use of case studies is prevalent in schools of business and medicine, they are not often used in adult education or human resource development. This may be because there are no current major publications that deal with the use of case studies in these disciplines; nor are there any major databases of adult education or human resource development case studies for instructors to use. Good case studies can bring reality into the classroom. They can provide frameworks for discussion based on issues that must be faced in real life. Complex case issues can be broken down and examined for greater understanding, then pulled together again for resolution. Case studies can be used successfully in adult education. I propose a book based on the use of case-based learning in adult education and human resource development (HRD). The book could be positioned as a supplement to course textbooks for courses in adult education and HRD. I would write the cases and develop the exercises, but could also get others to contribute a case study or exercise to the book. Cases would each be a half-page to maybe 2-3 pages at the long end, and would include questions for students/readers. Supplementary information (possibly in the form of a DVD) could be put together for instructors. This information would include case study focal points and examples of possible responses for each study/exercise.

How do you tailor education to the learning needs of adults? Do they learn differently from children? How does their life experience inform their learning processes? These were the questions at the heart of Malcolm Knowles’ pioneering theory of andragogy which transformed education theory in the 1970s. The resulting principles of a self-directed, experiential, problem-centred approach to learning have been hugely influential and are still the basis of the learning practices we use today. Understanding these principles is the cornerstone of increasing motivation and enabling adult learners to achieve. The 9th edition of The Adult Learner has been revised to include: Updates to the book to reflect the very latest advancements in the field. The addition of two new chapters on diversity and inclusion in adult learning, and andragogy and the online adult learner. An updated supporting website. This website for the 9th edition of The Adult Learner will provide basic instructor aids including a PowerPoint presentation for each chapter. Revisions throughout to make it more readable and relevant to your practices. If you are a researcher, practitioner, or student in education, an adult learning practitioner, training manager, or involved in human resource development, this is the definitive book in adult learning you should not be without.

Case Studies in Needs Assessment offers insights about the practice of needs assessment in dynamic, real-world organizations and communities. This book invites both novice and seasoned analysts to look over the shoulders of practitioners, to examine needs assessment practice in action, to grasp the real-world issues that arise, and to understand a variety of needs assessment strategies and challenges. Each case in this book examines the implementation of needs assessment in a specific situation, bridging needs assessment theories and actual practice. The book is organized around five major approaches: knowledge and skill assessment, job and task analysis, competency assessment, strategic needs assessment, and complex needs assessment. The last chapter summarizes lessons learned from all the case studies: it describes the insights and tricks of the trade that Darlene Russ-Eft and Catherine Sleezer gained from commissioning and reviewing these cases.

Informal learning has become an extremely important issue as post-industrial workplaces seek to harness its productive potential. Managers and HRD practitioners have attempted to deploy informal learning in the design of corporate cultures, however, most discussions of the subject have tended to be uncritical expositions which do not challenge the underlying economic, philosophical and organisational rationale. Uniquely, this book goes against this tendency. It critically examines definitions of informal learning, and focuses on its application in a variety of workplace contexts. It features: * theories of informal learning * the unmasking of contemporary corporate rhetoric * the implications for accounts of workplace learning of poststructuralist and post-modern perspectives. Incorporating case studies based on interviews with practising managers and HRM practitioners, and a detailed glossary of key concepts and issues, this book will be a valuable reference for students of workplace learning.

Human Resource Development, 3rd edition, provides a complete and integrated introduction to the processes, practices and perspectives of HRD in the workplace from a theory and practice perspective. Various aspects of HRD at work are explored through case studies; encouraging the student to link the practicalities of HRD with academic analysis.

The book addresses a crucial issue for all involved in education and training: the transfer of learning to new and different contexts. Educators, employers and learners face the problem of ensuring that what is learnt in the classroom is able to be adapted and used in the workplace. It focuses on adult learners in professional and vocational contexts. The authors provide an accessible book on the transfer of learning which draws on multi-disciplinary perspectives from education, psychology and management. The Transfer of Learning will be useful both for postgraduate students and for practitioners wanting to deepen their understanding of transfer and for those interested in practical applications. It combines theory and practice from international research and the authors' own case studies of transfer involving learners engaged in professional development and study towards qualifications. Theories of adult learning, change and lifelong learning are discussed in relation to the transfer of learning. The purpose of this book is to emphasise to tertiary educators and trainers the importance of transfer and in doing so highlight the participants' voices as central foci in coming to an understanding of the process. By doing this it balances the literature which has to date emphasized transfer from a trainer's and/or organization's perspective. There has been little if any substantive material on tertiary transfer issues and yet demands are increasing for tertiary education providers to be more accountable and more focused on developing students' ability to use their learning in everyday work situations. The book is unique in that it adopts a phenomenological perspective and underscores the significance of the participants' voices in understanding issues.

David McGuire′s student-friendly introduction looks at Human Resource Development on an individual, organisational and societal level analysing how HRD can play a major role in organisational innovation, in developing communities and society and in operating on a cross-national and international basis. Key features: Links key training design and learning theories to broader economic and societal issues for a more holistic and in-depth understanding of the field. Seven brand new chapters ensure a good fit with HRD programmes at all levels and reflect the latest developments in the field, including career development, strategic HRD, knowledge management, the environment, ethics and CSR and the future of HRD. High profile case studies in each chapter bring the theory to life including Apple, Massive Open Online Courses, Barclays, Stephen Lawrence, Lloyds Pharmacy, Marriott Hotels, Netflix, Black and Decker, Google, Colgate-Palmolive, Marks and Spencer and Valve. Case vignettes throughout the chapters highlight HRD in action and provoke critical analysis and discussion, including How a Beer Can Aided the Design of Canon’s Revolutionary Mini-Copier and The Alaskan Village Set to Disappear Under Water in a Decade. An Appendix contains advice on preparing for an HRD examination as well as example exam questions and sample answers, to ensure examination success. Chapters map to the CIPD’s requirements at levels 5 and 7 making it an ideal core text for accredited and non-accredited programmes alike.