Learning and Development

Question 1

Action mapping

Answer 1

Instructional design model based on concept that training
should be tightly focused on specific performance
measures that the organization has determined are
important.

Question 2

ADDIE model

Answer 2

Instructional systems design framework consisting of five
steps that guide the design and development of learning
programs.

Question 3

Apprenticeship

Answer 3

Related to technical skills training; often a partnership
between employers and unions.

Question 4

Assessment centers

Answer 4

Assessment tools that provide candidates a wide range
of leadership situations and problem-solving exercises.

Question 5

Auditory learners

Answer 5

People who learn best by relying on their sense of
hearing.

Question 6

Blended learning

Answer 6

Planned approach to learning that includes a combination
of instructor-led training, self-directed study, and/or onthe-job training.

Question 7

Career development

Answer 7

Progression through a series of employment stages
characterized by relatively unique issues, themes, and
tasks.

Question 8

Career management

Answer 8

Preparing, implementing, and monitoring employees’
career paths, with a primary focus on the goals and
needs of the organization.

Question 9

Career planning

Answer 9

Actions and activities that individuals perform in order to
give direction to their work lives.

Question 10

Coaching

Answer 10

Focused, interactive communication and guidance
intended to develop and enhance on-the-job
performance, knowledge, or behavior.

Question 11

Developmental activities

Answer 11

Activities that focus on preparing employees for future
responsibilities while increasing their capacity to perform
their current jobs.

Question 12

Distance learning

Answer 12

Process of delivering educational or instructional
programs to locations away from a classroom or central
site.

Question 13

Dual career ladders

Answer 13

Career development programs that identify meaningful
career paths for professional and technical people
outside traditional management roles.

Question 14

E-learning

Answer 14

Electronic media delivery of educational and training
materials, processes, and programs.

Question 15

Individual development plan (IDP)

Answer 15

Document that guides employees toward their goals for
professional development and growth.

Question 16

Job enlargement

Answer 16

Process of broadening a job’s scope by adding different
tasks to the job.

Question 17

Job enrichment

Answer 17

Process of increasing a job’s depth by adding
responsibilities to the job.

Question 18

Job rotation

Answer 18

Movement between different jobs.

Question 19

Kinesthetic learners

Answer 19

People who learn best through a hands-on approach;
also called tactile learners.

Question 20

Leader development

Answer 20

Training and professional development programs
targeted at assisting management- and executive-level
employees in developing the skills, abilities, and flexibility
required to deal with a variety of situations.

Question 21

Leadership

Answer 21

Ability to influence, guide, inspire, or motivate a group or
person to achieve their goals.

Question 22

Learning management system (LMS)

Answer 22

System that holds course content information and has
the capability of tracking and managing employee course
registrations, career development, and other employee
development activities.

Question 23

Mentoring

Answer 23

Relationship in which one person helps guide another’s
development.

Question 23

Learning organization

Answer 23

Organization characterized by a capability to adapt to
changes in environment.

Question 24

On-the-job training (OJT)

Answer 24

Training provided to employees at the work site utilizing
demonstration and performance of job tasks.

Question 25

Organizational learning

Answer 25

Acquisition and/or transfer of knowledge within an
organization through activities or processes that may
occur at several organizational levels; ability of an
organization to learn from its mistakes and adjust its
strategy accordingly

Question 26

Pilot programs

Answer 26

Learning/development programs offered initially in a
controlled environment with a segment of the target
audience.

Question 27

Situation judgment tests (SJTs)

Answer 27

Assessment tools that present prospective leaders with
sample situations and problems they might encounter in
a work environment.

Question 28

Successive approximation model (SAM)

Answer 28

Instructional design model that works to gain feedback
and build models early in the process; generally has
three phases: preparation, iterative design, and iterative
development.

Question 29

Training

Answer 29

Process by which employees are provided with the
knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) specific to a task or
job.

Question 30

Visual learners

Answer 30

People who learn best by relying on their sense of sight.

Question 31

Webconferencing

Answer 31

Using the Internet to conduct meetings and give
presentations to an audience who has joined the meeting
remotely.

Question 32

Webinar

Answer 32

Form of webconferencing where a presenter facilitates
communication of material or information to an audience
in real time.

Question 33

Push Learning

Answer 33

Content is provided to employees and they are told how much and what to learn

Question 34

Pull Learning

Answer 34

Pull learning encourages autonomy and allows learners to take ownership of their training. They can access information at the point of need and focus on topics that can help them tackle their specific skills gaps

Question 35

70-20-10 Rule of learning

Answer 35

70% challenging assignments
20% developmental relationships
10% course working training

Question 36

What are topics that are specific to global employee learning and development?

Answer 36

Cross-cultural awareness
International assignment preparation
Global team building and managing virtual teams
Issues related to laws, ethics, and organizational values

Question 37

Characteristics of a learning organization

Answer 37

Learning is accomplished by the organizational system as a whole

Systems thinking is practiced

Employees network inside and outside the organization

Change is braced, risk is tolerated, and failures are viewed as opportunities to learn

The organization adapts and changes as the environment changes

Question 38

What are the five disciplines that interface and support one another in order to create an environment where learning can occur?

Answer 38

Systems thinking is a conceptual framework that makes patterns clearer and helps one see how things interrelate and how to change them

Mental models are deeply ingrained assumptions that influence how we understand the world and how we taken action

Personal mastery is the high level of proficiency in a subject or skill area

Team learning is aligning and developing the capacity of a team to create the results its members desire

Shared vision is a look into the future that fosters genuine commitment and is shared by all who need to possess it.

Question 39

When the five disciplines are adopted, what kind of a learning climate does an organization have?

Answer 39

Learning is competency based and tied to the business objectives

Importance is placed on how to learn not just what to learn

The organization continues to develop knowledge, skills, and abilities

People take responsibility for their own learning

Learning is matched to people’s learning preferences

Learning is both a part of work and a part of everyone’s job description

Leaders are designers, stewards, and teachers

Question 40

What are the characteristics of an organization that supports organizational learning?

Answer 40

Members recognize the importance of organizational learning

Learning is a continuous process that runs parallel to work

There is a focus on creativity

People have access to information that is important to the organization’s success

The organization rewards individuals and group learning

Quality and continuous improvement drive the organization
There are well defined core competencies

Question 41

Explicit Knowledge

Answer 41

Explicit knowledge is knowledge that is straightforwardly expressed and shared between people. It has been clearly documented in a tangible form such as a Standard Operating Procedure or a marketing report. How-to-guides and onboarding documentation are also examples of explicit knowledge.

Question 42

Tacit Knowledge

Answer 42

Tacit knowledge is the knowledge you’ve gained through living experience, both in your personal life and professional development. It is often subjective, informal, and difficult to share or express because it is affected by our personal beliefs and values.

Question 43

What should be considered when creating knowledge retention strategies?

Answer 43

What knowledge may be lost

The consequences of losing that knowledge

The actions that can be taken to retain that knowledge

Question 44

Knowledge Map

Answer 44

Visually represent the inventory of knowledge and where to spread throughout the organization. They can be used to identify how knowledge moves through the organization and so can identify bottlenecks, risk, and opportunities for the organization

Question 45

Knowledge Cafe

Answer 45

A process that introduces individuals from across the organization so that they can share knowledge and experience about a topic that is of interest to them. Knowledge cafes can be informal and don’t’ require any specific expertise to organize or run.

Question 46

A manager approves a training course on the condition that it includes some way of ensuring that the training reinforces critical learning objectives. Which strategy should an HR manager employ to best meet the manager’s needs?

Surveying all participants before and after each class

Revising content to meet the manager’s demands

Researching similar programs in other companies

Conducting a pilot program for a limited group

Answer 46

Conducting a pilot program for a limited group

A pilot allows for a test run of the program with selected members of the target audience in a controlled environment. Participants and other key stakeholders have the opportunity to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and identify specific changes that will strengthen the program. After the pilot, the program is revised and released for mass delivery.

Question 47

Which factor is most important to consider when an organization is seeking to globalize its leadership development program?

The culture in each country as it affects how leaders emerge

The organization’s internal culture as it affects leader development

The individual candidates who have potential to assume leadership roles

Executive buy-in at each location for the leadership development program

Answer 47

The culture in each country as it affects how leaders emerge

The culture of each country impacts the adoption of the program. Examining the organization’s internal culture is not enough; it is important to also consider global leadership concepts. Leadership development programs should be accessible to all, not just those who have the potential to assume leadership roles. Executive buy-in at each location is incorrect because changes may have to be made to accommodate local norms.

Question 48

An HR manager wants to make the organization’s learning opportunities more accessible and convenient for employees. What type of framework would meet these goals?

Pull model

Asynchronous learning

Push model

Synchronous learning

Answer 48

Pull Model

The pull model for learning allows employees to access learning materials when and where they need it—for example, while traveling or through mobile devices. The push model provides learning on a schedule, as seen in classroom training and “one-off” training events, such as training on compliance requirements. Synchronous and asynchronous learning refers to delivery approaches, whether learners interact in real time (synchronous) or at different times (asynchronous). Push and pull models could use both approaches.

Question 49

Which program gives technical workers the ability to earn as much as they would in a management position?

Perquisites

Dual career ladder

Maturity curves

Pay for performance

Answer 49

Dual career ladder

Question 50

In Kirkpatrick’s evaluation approach, what level measures changes in productivity after training?

Level 1: Reaction

Level 2: Learning

Level 3: Behavior

Level 4: Results

Answer 50

Level 4: Results

A Level 4 evaluation assesses training in terms of business results such as customer satisfaction or productivity ratings.

Question 51

Which term best describes a job design strategy that increases the variety of responsibilities but requires the same skill level?

Answers

Simplification

Enrichment

Specialization

Enlargement

Answer 51

Enlargement

Job enlargement attempts to alleviate the boredom and low morale associated with excessive job simplification. It increases the number of tasks to be performed, expanding the scope of the job and allowing for more variety, but all of the tasks require the same skill level. Job enrichment, which is sometimes confused with job enlargement, increases the depth of a job by adding increased responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, and evaluation. It may improve morale but may not necessarily improve productivity. Job simplification and specialization generally reduce the number of tasks required of an employee.

Question 52

Which factor has the greatest impact on maintaining peak performance?

Cultural obstacles

Challenging assignments

Training opportunities

Risk management

Answer 52

Challenging Assignments

Research has shown that high-potential employees perform at their peak in new assignments within two years and performance declines if they are not given new and more-challenging assignments.

Question 53

A hospital director wants to identify the best candidate for head nurse among currently employed nurses. Which type of assessment would be most effective in evaluating candidates?

Self-assessment

Manager assessment

Patient assessment

Peer assessment

Answer 53

Manager Assessment

Manager assessments would best identify future potential. The other three answer choices may provide helpful information but would not fully evaluate a nurse’s current performance against the future job.

Question 54

Although the founder of an organization is very competent, she has alienated nearly everyone in the organization. Colleagues have tried to share their concerns; however, she does not believe there to be an issue. Rather she believes she merely has a direct approach. Which assessment tool is best suited to display how her directness is impacting others?

Situation judgment tests

Assessment center simulations

Emotional intelligence tools

360-degree assessments

Answer 54

360-degree assessments

360-degree assessments gather and report feedback from managers, peers, and subordinates for a complete picture of skills and weaknesses for leader development. If there is consensus among the findings, the founder may be forced to face facts. Situation judgment tests, assessment centers, and emotional intelligence tools won’t be helpful in convincing the CEO that she needs to change.

Question 55

Which is a trend in career development that an HR team leader must consider before engaging in career planning with team members?

The employer is expected to lead the process of career development by promoting employees along a traditional career path.

The employee is expected to assume greater individual responsibility for career development.

The career projectory is longer, and employees may have to wait longer to reach positions of responsibility.

Employees will be more successful in career development if they focus on developing in their current functions.

Answer 55

The employee is expected to assume grater individual responsibility for career development.

Greater individual responsibility is a career development trend that requires both the employer and the employee to collaborate. Career paths today may involve nontraditional paths and jobs outside an employee’s original work area. Employees are being asked to assume more responsibility more quickly, especially in emerging markets.

Question 56

An organization wants to train a high-potential employee and assess their readiness to promote, but it is not possible to put the employee directly into the actual job role before the promotion decision is made. What training delivery approach is well suited for this situation?

Job rotation

Simulation

Mobile learning

Self-directed study

Answer 56

Simulation

When an employee cannot be placed into an actual job role (as would be achieved through job rotation), a simulation can replicate certain aspects of the job and provide the opportunity for the employee to practice skills or knowledge. Simulations also may allow the organization to gauge an employee’s performance and readiness to step into a role before deciding to offer a promotion or transfer.

Question 57

In addition to improving knowledge and skills and building social capital, what are global employee development programs aimed at achieving?

Turning tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge

Enhancing global understanding, awareness, and mindset

Improving business skills and savvy

Reducing training and development expense

Answer 57

Enhancing global understanding, awareness, and mindset

A goal of global employee development programs is to help instill global understanding, awareness, and mindset. Without these perspectives, it will be much more challenging to be successful in global environments.

Question 58

Which is a likely outcome of a series of well-run knowledge cafés?

Explicit and tacit knowledge will be merged for the chosen organizational knowledge areas.

Some people form unexpected new relationships with coworkers.

Predetermined outcomes are realized related to chosen organizational knowledge areas.

A map is created that indicates how knowledge moves through the organization.

Answer 58

Some people form unexpected new relationships with coworkers

A knowledge café is a process that introduces individuals from across the organization to each other so that they can share knowledge and experience about a topic that is of interest to them. This tool may not result in specific, predetermined outcomes, but it generally results in networking opportunities.

Question 59

According to the “pull” model, which approach should be used to develop an outside sales force’s knowledge, skills, and abilities in relationship management in order to increase sales revenue in the shortest amount of time?

Implement a performance review system that measures employees’ individual performance against a benchmark goal.

Require the sales team to attend a sales training conference and deliver a report on what they learned.

Design a series of webcasts that review the latest techniques in relationship building.

Conduct a mandatory on-site workshop to review how to close deals and earn commissions.

Answer 59

Design a series of webcasts that review the latest techniques in relationship building.

Webcasts are easily accessible and are part of a continuous process of learning and development. Attending a sales conference and measuring to see whether it increased sales revenue would be a lengthy process. Performance review systems have nothing to do with training, and mandatory on-site workshops are not cost-effective.

Question 60

Which is an advantage of blended learning over only instructor-led training?

Takes less time to develop training solutions

Minimizes technology and security constraints

Requires less coordination between learning methods

Less expensive to deliver

Answer 60

Less expensive to deliver

Blended learning has lower delivery costs than strategies that rely exclusively on face-to-face training. However, it generally takes more time to develop and coordinate all aspects of the program as a result of the use of multiple methods.

Question 61

Factory workers from the assembly department are assigned to the shipping department every other week. Which type of career development program are these workers participating in?

Replacement planning

Job enrichment

Mentoring

Job rotation

Answer 61

Job Rotation

Job rotation is the movement between different jobs that require similar skill sets. These programs eliminate boredom on the part of employees as they participate in different jobs that build a wider range of skills and experiences.

Question 62

A government-mandated seminar on safety was recently converted to an e-learning course and is available on the organization’s intranet. The course consists of self-study units with accompanying quizzes and e-mail access to a subject matter expert. Which best describes the primary benefit of this approach?

Participants can complete the training when it is convenient for them.

Internal or external trainers can be eliminated, reducing costs.

The organization can track the training that each employee completes.

Employees have easy access to someone who can answer questions.

Answer 62

Participants can complete the training when it is convenient for them.

The most important benefit of e-learning is that participants can work through the course at their convenience, making it more likely that they will actually complete the training. While it is nice to have access to a subject matter expert and track training results (especially for mandated courses), it is most important that the training is actually completed.

Question 63

Which type of career development mobility provides meaningful career paths for professional and technical workers whose preferences may be outside traditional management roles?

Dual career ladders

Promotions

Job enrichment

Job rotations and relocations

Answer 63

Dual career ladders

Question 64

Which best identifies the difference between training and developmental activities?

Developmental activities mainly occur off site; training activities occur on site and on the job.

Developmental activities manage the change process; training activities provide basic skills.

Developmental activities have a long-term focus; training activities mitigate current skill gaps.

Developmental activities provide immediate skills; training activities have a long-term focus.

Answer 64

Developmental activities have a long-term focus; training activities mitigate current skill gaps.

Developmental activities have a long-term focus on preparing for future responsibilities while increasing the capacities of employees to perform their current jobs. These activities are broader in scope than training activities.

Question 65

Which factor differentiates successful training programs from unsuccessful programs?

Post-surveys showing positive responses

Building in-house technology applications

Results showing transfer of learning

Establishing ROI that is easily evaluated

Answer 65

Results showing transfer of learning

The best training programs ensure that knowledge and skills learned in the classroom will be used in the work environment. Regardless of the type of training program, transfer of learning should occur.

Question 66

How can management best establish a culture that values career development in an individual development plan (IDP)?

Have supervisors coach employees on career concerns.

Ask HR to implement career paths for employees.

Assign employees responsibility for their own IDPs.

Link career development to business objectives.

Answer 66

Link career development to business objectives

Although all of the options may help to establish a career development culture, actions taken by senior management that link career development to organizational goals will have the greatest impact.

Question 67

Which best describes the process where training or educational activities occur at multiple levels?

Organizational learning

Climate of engagement

Positive organizational culture

Learning design

Answer 67

Organizational learning

Organizational learning occurs at individual, group, and organizational levels. A learning organization learns to react and adapt to its environment.

Question 68

Which is a primary purpose of conducting a training and development needs assessment?

To make the selection of participants more streamlined and efficient

To eliminate the bias that is inherently incorporated into program development

To reduce the expense of course development and implementation

To align organizational effectiveness and development initiatives and corporate goals

Answer 68

To align organizational effectiveness and development initiatives and corporate goals

The job of training and development is to support company goals. Therefore, a needs assessment allows organizational effectiveness and development leaders to develop training that advances the organization’s goals.

Question 69

HR is interviewing candidates who will have to think on their feet and keep calm in high-pressure, high-stakes, and emotionally charged situations. Which leadership development method is best suited to develop this skill?

Risk management

Situation judgment tests

Action learning

Hardship testing

Answer 69

Hardship testing

Hardship testing involves stretch assignments that support the development of leaders. Experiencing failures, difficulties, and periods with little or no support help the individual develop competence and resilience.

Question 70

Andragogy

Answer 70

The discipline that studies how adults learn

Question 71

What is the lowest form of learning engagement?

Answer 71

Passive listening