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WHAT IS LEARNING?
Guru Brahma, Guru VIshnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara,Guru Shakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shree Gurudev Namah…………………………
Learning is any permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience
Humans are learning machines. From the day we are born—and even before—our brains are ready to capture our experiences and encode them into a web of nerve connections. To most of us, "learning" means an attempt to create a memory that lasts. Mastering new dance steps, learning foreign languages, or remembering acquaintances' names require our brains to encode and store new information until we need it.
Learning is understood as modification of behavior through practice, training, or experience. This simple meaning needs to be supplemented with the following important components:
A. Learning involves change
Learning involves change, although the change may be for good or bad from an organization’s point of view. The change may be for good or bad from an organization’s point of view. The change may not be evident until a situation arises in which the new behavior can occur; learning is not always reflected in performance.
B. Not all changes reflect learning
Not all changes reflect learning. To constitute learning, change should be relatively permanent. Temporary changes may be only reflectively permanent. Temporary changes may be only reflective and fail to represent any learning. This requirement, therefore, rules out behavioral changes caused by fatigue or drugs.
C. Learning is reflected in behavior
Learning is reflected in behavior. A change in an individual’s thought process or attitudes, not accompanied by behavior, is no learning. It should be further clarified that learning needs to result in behavior potentiality and not necessarily in the behavior itself.
D. The change in behavior should occur as a result of experience, practice, or training
The change in behavior should occur as a result of experience, practice, or training. This implies that behavior caused from maturation, the behavior will eventually disappear.
E. The practice or experience must be reinforced in order for learning to occur
The practice or experience must be reinforced in order for learning to occur. If reinforcement does not accompany the practice or experience, the behavior will eventually disappear.
F. Learning occurs throughout one’s life.
Though not implied in any standard definition is that, contrary to popular belief, learning is not confined to one’s schooling. Learning occurs throughout one’s life.
IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING
A. Shaping Behavior is a tool for implementing in the organization. Learning by guiding by learning in graduated shapes it is termed as shaping behavior. takes place on the job as well as prior to the job, managers are more concerned to behave in the way most beneficial to the organizations. When we attempt to mould individual
There are different methods of shaping behavior
• Positive response
Following a response with something pleasant is called positive reinforcement. Ex: - A boss who praises an employee for a well paid job.
• Negative reinforcement
Termination or withdrawal of something unpleasant. Ex: - A professor asks a question to a student which he cannot answer.
• Punishment
It means causing an unpleasant condition in an attempt to eliminate undesirable behavior. Ex: - Giving an employee a two-day suspension from work without pay for some unpleasant act of his
• Extinction
When the behavior is not reinforced, it tends to gradually be extinguished. Ex: - College instructor who wishes to discourage students from asking questions in class can eliminate this behavior in the students by ignoring those who raise their hands to ask questions.
Thus it can be stated that both positive and negative reinforcement result in learning. They strengthen the response and increase the probability of repetition.
B. Learning is pointed out to be a fundamental variable in human behavior. Organizational behavior, to some extend depends on learning and hence it is vital to understand organizational behavior.
a) Using Lotteries to Reduce Absenteeism: Management can make use of the learning theory to reduce absenteeism. For e.g., in 1966 the management of hardware retail store found that tardiness and absenteeism on the part of employees were too serious. The management embarked on an innovative programme to tackle the problem. The programme consisted of a lottery with attractive prizes. What was unique about the lottery was its eligibility requirements. Only employees with perfect attendance and no tardiness were eligible to content. The programme was a rousing success. Attendance improved so much that even a storm could not deter the employees from being present a work.
b) Well pay v/s Sick pay: Most organizations provide their employees with a paid sick leave as part of the employees fringe benefit programme. But ironically, organizations with paid sick leave programme experienced almost twice the absenteeism than organizations without such a programme. The reality is that sick leave encourages wrong behavior absence from work. An attendance bonus, which is practiced in most of the organizations, is designed to encourage good attendance.
c) Employee indiscipline: Employee indiscipline exhibited in such acts as drunkenness on the job, late arrivals to work, insubordination, stealing company property and the like is common. Every manager is frequently confronted by such indiscipline. The manager gives simple warnings but research shows that the manager should act immediately to correct the problem, match the severity of punishment to the severity of the “crime”, and ensure that the employee sees the link between the punishment and the undesirable behavior.
But punishment is not the answer to this problem, punishing a person will only tell him, what not to do but not what had to be done. Continued use of punishment rather than positive reinforcement also tends to produce a conditional fear of the manager. This can undermine the manager-employee relations. The popularity of discipline lies in its ability to produce quick results in the short run. Managers are reinforced to use discipline because it produces as immediate change in the employees’ behavior. But in the long-run, when used without positive reinforcement of desirable behavior, it is unlikely to lead to employee frustration, fear of the manager, recurrences of the problem behavior, increase in absenteeism and decrease in turnover.
d) Developing Training programmes: Learning is useful in developing effective training programmes. A social learning theory, in particular, tells the organizers, that training should provide a model, it needs to grab the trainee’s attention; provide motivational properties, help the trainee to file away what he or she has learned for later use; provide opportunities to practice new behaviors; provide positive rewards for accomplishments; and if the training has taken place off the job, allow the trainees some opportunity to transfer what he has learned on the job.
INDIAN LEARNING:
GURUKUL SYSTEM OF LEARNING:
Education in India has always been regarded as one of the basic inputs in human resource development. In ancient India, the Gurukul system of education was prevalent. The Gurukul system of education was followed where an overall knowledge was imparted to the student who is to be away from home for most of his educative years. It was a residential type of education with total submission to the Guru or teacher. This system concentrates on the overall development of an individual. It not only develops the external but also the internal facets of one’s personality. It emphasizes on the physical, mental, social, and so also the spiritual well being of a person. In this system of education, self-knowledge is given priority over the superficial and one-sided knowledge of different subjects.
It emphasizes on the fact that unless a person is spiritually enlightened i.e. he has a healthy mind; it is rather difficult to gather any kind of knowledge holistically.
It helps in the development of moral values required for the harmony and development of the society. It enables a combination of subjective nad objective approach. It helps one strike a perfect balance of practicality and philosophy.
The actual process:
The village school in ancient India was called gurukul, as the schooling took place at the home (kul) of the teacher, who was called the guru. It is not known whether a person became a guru because of his scholarship or was a person from among the educated in the village who had also received training in becoming a guru. Here the teacher was the Guru and the disciple was the Sishya. The disciples lived in the Guru's aashram during the course of their training and in turn offered their services to the ashram. This period of learning of, about 12 years, was considered as a great sacrifice or a penance. The Guru identified the capability of his Sishya and accordingly imparted knowledge. The sishyas learnt amidst the natural surroundings of the ashram, in open air, in close contact with nature.
The Kings sent their Princes to Gurus for training on the art of using weaponry, vedas, music, art and physical forms of exercising & defence. At the end of their training, the disciples thanked their Gurus with a gift in the form of a gurudakshina - which literally means "offerings to the Guru".
Subjects taught at gurukul:
Itihasa purana (legends and ancient lore),
Vyakarana (grammar),
Chandshastra (prosody),
Athashastra (political economy),
Ganita (mathematics),
Jyotish (astronomy and astrology),
Anvikshiki (philosophy),
Dharmashastra (law),
Shastravidya (state-craft and military science) and
Ayurveda (the science of medicine).
Values taught at Gurukul:
There are 12 Wonder Values which shall tell us the confined values which a person should imbibe himself /herself with.
They are as follows: -
1) Dignity of human individual, based on his spiritual identity.
2) Love and goodwill for all, based on the concepts that the world as a family.
3) Self-respect & regard of respect for others.
4) Humility.
5) Honesty & Integrity.
6) Purity & cleanliness.
7) Equanimity peace, tolerance & non-violence.
8) Concern for well being of all : sympathy & service
9) Unity & cooperation.
10) Effort for excellence.
11) Contentment.
12) Yogi life style i.e Sattwa, Simplicity, Sincerity, and Trusteeship.
Every professional or other kind of group will find these values of great relevance & help, for each value has special connotation in the context of each profession besides having a general meaning.
It will be found that these values are comprehensive in their scope & each one of these has some other values invisibly included in them.
Any one of the values leads to the inculcation of other.
THEORIES OF LEARNING:
THEORY 1: CLASSICAL CONDITIONING:
This is the association of one event with another desired event resulting in a behavior, is one of the most easy to understand the processes of learning.
Eg. An experiment was conducted, a piece of meat was given to a dog, the dog exhibited a noticeable increase in salivation. When merely the doorbell was rung and there was no presentation of meat, the dog had no salivation.
Next the psychologist proceeded to link the meat and the ringing of the bell. After repeatedly hearing the bell before getting the food, the dog began to salivate merely at the sound of the bell, even if no food was offered. In effect, the dog has learnt to respond to the bell.
From the above example the following points can be deduced:
• Salivation in response to food is a natural, unlearned response-in short a reflex. This response was called the unconditional reflex.
• The food, because it elicited the unconditional reflex automatically, was called the unconditional stimulus.
• When repeated presentation o0f the bell followed by food led the dog to salivate in response to the bell alone, this salivation was designed as conditional reflex, which emphasized that arousal of the reflex was dependent upon a stimulus other than the neutral stimulus, as the conditional stimulus.
Eg. In context with an organization
At a manufacturing plant, every time the top executives from the head office would make a visit, the plant management would clean up the administration offices and wash the windows. This went on for years. Eventually, employees would turn on their best behavior and look prim and proper whenever the windows were cleaned even in those occasions when the cleaning was not paired with the visit from the top brass. People had learnt to associate the cleaning of the windows with the visit from the head office.
Shortcomings of this theory:
a. Modern theorists said it represented only a very small part of total human learning.
b. Some felt it explains only the responding behaviors (reflexing).
To overcome the above problem as and to have more precise theory 2 was used which studies the behavior with respect to the environment.
THEORY 2. OPERANT CONDITIONING/ INSTRUMENTAL CONDITIONING:
Operant conditioning argues that behavior is a function of its consequences. Behavior is likely to be repeated if the consequences are favorable. Behavior is not likely to be repeated if the consequences are unfavorable. Thus the relationship between behavior and consequences is the essence of operant conditioning. Thus, the relationship between term operant indicates that the organism operates on its environment to generate consequences.
E.g. If the boss assures his subordinate that he would be suitably compensated in the next performance appraisal, provided the employee works overtime. However, when the evaluation time comes, the boss does not fulfill his assurance to his subordinate, though the later did attend to overtime work. Next time, the subordinate coolly declines to work overtime when requested to do so. The behavior of the employee is explained by the operant conditioning.
If the behavior fails to be positively reinforced, the probability that the behavior will be repeated declines. Vice versa if a worker works hard and is suitably awarded then he works even more hard and does this work with lot of enthusiasm.
Examples of operant conditioning in daily life: Turning your key in a lock, writing a letter, saying “I Love You”, calling parents on the telephone, all these are operant acts, operant in the sense that we do them in anticipation of reward, which acts as a rein forcer for the commission of these behaviors.
THEORY 3. COGNITIVE THEORY OF LEARNING:
Cognitive refers to an individuals thoughts, knowledge, interpretation, understandings, or ideas about himself, and his environment. Cognitive theory of learning assumes that the organism learns the meaning of various objects and events and learned responses depending upon the meaning assigned to stimuli. Cognitive theorists argue that the learner forms a cognitive structure in memory, which preserves and organizes information about the various events that occur in learning a situation. When a test is made to determine how much has been learned, the subject must encode the test stimulus and scan it against his memory to determine an appropriate action. What is done will depend upon the cognitive structure retrieved from memory. Thus, the subject’s response is a decision process that varies with the nature of the test situation and the subject’s memory for prior events.
Here the role of an organism in receiving, memorizing, retrieving and interpretation stimuli, and reacting is recognized and emphasized and is not like the above two theories which deal with the (S-R) approach i.e. the stimulus-response approach, in which the contribution of the organism is minimized or ignored.
Today, the cognitive approach is very much alive and is relevant, e.g. expectations, attributions, locus of control and goal setting are all cognitive concepts.
THEORY 4-SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
The social learning theory stresses upon the ability of an individual to learn by observing models-parents, teachers, peers, motion pictures, TV artists, bosses and others. The influence of the model is central to the social learning viewpoint. Four processes have been found to determine the influence that a model will have on an individual.
• Attention process:
People learn from a model when they recognize and pay attention to its critical features. We tend to be most influenced by models that are attractive, repeatedly available, which we think are important, or we see as similar to us.
• Retention Process:
A model’s influence will depend on how well the individual remembers the model’s action, even if the model I no longer readily available.
• Motor Reproduction Process
After a person has seen a new behavior by observing the model,the watching must be converted to doing.This process then demonstrates that the individual can perform the modeled activities.
• Reinforcement Process:
Indivituals will be motivated to exibit the modeled behavior if positive incentives or rewards are provided.Behaviors that are reinforced will be given more attention ans performed more often.
Steps under Social Learning:
1. Precisely identify the goal of target behavior that will lead to performance improvement.
2. Select the appropriate model and modeling medium e.g. a line demonstration,a trading film or a videptape.)
3. Make sure the employee is capable of meeting the technical skill requirements of the target behavior.
4. Structure a favourable learning enviornmant that increases the probability of attention and reproduction and that enhances motivation to learn and improve.
5. Model the target behavior and carry out supporting activities,such as role-playing.Clearly demonstrate the positive consequences of the modeled target behavior.
6. Positively reinforce reproduction of the target behavior,both in training and back on the job.
7. Once it is reproduced ,maintain the strengthen the target behavior,first with a continuous schedule of reinforcement and later with an intermittent schedule.
LEARNING ORGANIZATION:
Learning has tremendous importance in organisations .In today’s scenario a concept called as learning organisations is gaining immense importance.
It means an organisation, which has developed the continuous capacity to adapt & change. Just as individuals learn so do the organisations. Infact all organisations learn, whether they choose it consciously or not. It is a fundamental requirement for their existence.
Some organisations engage in single loop learning, which means when errors are detected the correction process relies on past routines and present policies.
In contrast there are some organizations which use double loop learning which means when a error is detected, its is corrected in ways that involves the modification of organisations objectives, policies, standards and routines. Thus this provides opportunities for radically different solutions to problems & dramatic jumps on improvements. Its an organisation where people put aside their old ways of thinking, learn to open with each other, understand how their organisations really work, form a plan or a vision that everyone can agree upon and then work together to achieve that vision.
Thus these components of learning organisations prove it as a remedy for three fundamental problems present in an organisation not adopting this concept of learning organization.
Fragmentation: Based on specialization creates walls & chimneys that separate different functions in to independent and warring fiefdoms.
Competition: It undermines collaboration, here the members of the group try to prove how correct they are or who knows more.
Reactivates: Misdirects management’s attention to problem solving rather than creation .The problem solver tries to make something go away while a creator tries to bring something new in to being.
Characteristics of a learning Organization
Systems Thinking
Systems thinking helps to see trends and patterns as to how problems behave and therefore urge to look deeper at possible root causes due to which the problems recur. It also helps to see the interconnections between the elements of a complex system.
Personal proficiency
High level of proficiency can consistently bring about the results. In seeking personal proficiency, help to clarify and deepen the vision, focus the energy.
Assumptions, Perception and Belief
Based on notions and assumptions that may reside deeply in our psyche, we take action in a particular manner. Therefore right mental model needs to be developed.
Shared vision
No organization can attain excellency without goals, values and vision that become shared throughout the organization.
Team learning
Team learning is about the team’s ability to evolve the creative tension and consciously build their capability to resolve this tension in favour of vision.
HOW ORGANIZATIONS LEARN:
Single Loop Learning: Correction process for errors depends on existing policies & processes
Double Loop Learning: Correction process involves questioning & modification of policies & processes
GOLDEN RULES OF LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS:
Thrive on Change
Encourage Experimentation
Communicate Success and Failure
Facilitate Learning from the Surrounding Environment
Facilitate Learning from Employees
Reward Learning
A Proper Selfishness
A Sense of Caring
WHY LEARNING ORGANISATIONS WORK
THE PEOPLE DEVELOP
1. Greater motivation
2. The workforce is more flexible
3. People are more creative
4. Improved social Interaction
TEAMS AND GROUPS WORK BETTER
1. Knowledge sharing
2. Interdependency
THE COMPANY BENEFITS
1. Breakdown of traditional communication barriers
2. Customer relations
3. Information resources
4. Innovation and creativity
LEARNING IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT VS LEARNING IN THE WESTERN CONTEXT
Learning, as we all know is the process of acquiring knowledge to know about something. This definition presupposes that we do not know about that something.
In other words, it presupposes that we are ignorant and through learning we become knowledgeable. This is typically the outside-in approach towards Learning, largely followed in the conventional Western model of Learning processes.
The Eastern concept of Learning compares and contrasts with the Western concept in many aspects.
The Eastern concept of Learning starts of with the idea that we are embodied Jiva Atmas emerging from the All-knowledgeable Cosmic Power (Param Atma), the attributes of the Param Atma are present in our Jiva Atmas. The attribute of Param Atma being All-Knowledgeable is also present in us. Thus we are not ignorant; on the other hand we are All-Knowledgeable, an attribute we are not aware of because of the sheaths (koshas) of Ignorance that covers our Jiva Atmas.
The Eastern concept of Learning, thus, forms the process of unraveling the fact that we are not ignorant and that we are All-Knowledgeable. This is an Inside-out approach.
The Western approach is largely based on perceivable facts and verifiable attributes that are measurable and the use of logic.
The Eastern approach, on the other hand, is based on observations, experiences, and contemplations on information that is made available through Sruthi & Smrithi. The writings are, thus, deeper in content and context than what is merely understood at the primary level.
Shruthi means Hearing, rather Attentive Listening. The Vedas are also known as Shruthi, because the Vedas have come through Hearing form Master to Disciple down the line.
Smrithi means Contemplation. Along with Shruthi, i.e. Attentive Listening, one needs to practice Smrithi, of contemplating on what one attentively listens, trying to absorb and find deeper and deeper meaning with an idea of a understanding the larger & related picture.
CONCLUSION:
While learning something we should remember that learning should lead to betterment of ourselves as well as others. Its purpose is not to destroy others, to snatch everything from others aggressively or to cheat others, but to help one-self and others to become an enlightened personality.
Learning helps us to understand that organizations must fulfill their Social responsibility as business belong to society. If it does not fulfill its obligation to all the stakeholders ultimately, in the long run it cannot survive. But we should remember that learning could be bad as well. Many organizations are following unethical practices to steal the information from the competitors to grab the market.
We should learn in such a manner which will lead to
Om Asota ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
Mrtyor ma amrtam gamaya
Om santith! Santith! Santith!!!
It means:
Om lead me from untruth to truth, from darkness to light and from dead to immortality.
Om Peace! Peace! Peace!!!
Guru Brahma, Guru VIshnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara,Guru Shakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shree Gurudev Namah…………………………
Learning is any permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience
Humans are learning machines. From the day we are born—and even before—our brains are ready to capture our experiences and encode them into a web of nerve connections. To most of us, "learning" means an attempt to create a memory that lasts. Mastering new dance steps, learning foreign languages, or remembering acquaintances' names require our brains to encode and store new information until we need it.
Learning is understood as modification of behavior through practice, training, or experience. This simple meaning needs to be supplemented with the following important components:
A. Learning involves change
Learning involves change, although the change may be for good or bad from an organization’s point of view. The change may be for good or bad from an organization’s point of view. The change may not be evident until a situation arises in which the new behavior can occur; learning is not always reflected in performance.
B. Not all changes reflect learning
Not all changes reflect learning. To constitute learning, change should be relatively permanent. Temporary changes may be only reflectively permanent. Temporary changes may be only reflective and fail to represent any learning. This requirement, therefore, rules out behavioral changes caused by fatigue or drugs.
C. Learning is reflected in behavior
Learning is reflected in behavior. A change in an individual’s thought process or attitudes, not accompanied by behavior, is no learning. It should be further clarified that learning needs to result in behavior potentiality and not necessarily in the behavior itself.
D. The change in behavior should occur as a result of experience, practice, or training
The change in behavior should occur as a result of experience, practice, or training. This implies that behavior caused from maturation, the behavior will eventually disappear.
E. The practice or experience must be reinforced in order for learning to occur
The practice or experience must be reinforced in order for learning to occur. If reinforcement does not accompany the practice or experience, the behavior will eventually disappear.
F. Learning occurs throughout one’s life.
Though not implied in any standard definition is that, contrary to popular belief, learning is not confined to one’s schooling. Learning occurs throughout one’s life.
IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING
A. Shaping Behavior is a tool for implementing in the organization. Learning by guiding by learning in graduated shapes it is termed as shaping behavior. takes place on the job as well as prior to the job, managers are more concerned to behave in the way most beneficial to the organizations. When we attempt to mould individual
There are different methods of shaping behavior
• Positive response
Following a response with something pleasant is called positive reinforcement. Ex: - A boss who praises an employee for a well paid job.
• Negative reinforcement
Termination or withdrawal of something unpleasant. Ex: - A professor asks a question to a student which he cannot answer.
• Punishment
It means causing an unpleasant condition in an attempt to eliminate undesirable behavior. Ex: - Giving an employee a two-day suspension from work without pay for some unpleasant act of his
• Extinction
When the behavior is not reinforced, it tends to gradually be extinguished. Ex: - College instructor who wishes to discourage students from asking questions in class can eliminate this behavior in the students by ignoring those who raise their hands to ask questions.
Thus it can be stated that both positive and negative reinforcement result in learning. They strengthen the response and increase the probability of repetition.
B. Learning is pointed out to be a fundamental variable in human behavior. Organizational behavior, to some extend depends on learning and hence it is vital to understand organizational behavior.
a) Using Lotteries to Reduce Absenteeism: Management can make use of the learning theory to reduce absenteeism. For e.g., in 1966 the management of hardware retail store found that tardiness and absenteeism on the part of employees were too serious. The management embarked on an innovative programme to tackle the problem. The programme consisted of a lottery with attractive prizes. What was unique about the lottery was its eligibility requirements. Only employees with perfect attendance and no tardiness were eligible to content. The programme was a rousing success. Attendance improved so much that even a storm could not deter the employees from being present a work.
b) Well pay v/s Sick pay: Most organizations provide their employees with a paid sick leave as part of the employees fringe benefit programme. But ironically, organizations with paid sick leave programme experienced almost twice the absenteeism than organizations without such a programme. The reality is that sick leave encourages wrong behavior absence from work. An attendance bonus, which is practiced in most of the organizations, is designed to encourage good attendance.
c) Employee indiscipline: Employee indiscipline exhibited in such acts as drunkenness on the job, late arrivals to work, insubordination, stealing company property and the like is common. Every manager is frequently confronted by such indiscipline. The manager gives simple warnings but research shows that the manager should act immediately to correct the problem, match the severity of punishment to the severity of the “crime”, and ensure that the employee sees the link between the punishment and the undesirable behavior.
But punishment is not the answer to this problem, punishing a person will only tell him, what not to do but not what had to be done. Continued use of punishment rather than positive reinforcement also tends to produce a conditional fear of the manager. This can undermine the manager-employee relations. The popularity of discipline lies in its ability to produce quick results in the short run. Managers are reinforced to use discipline because it produces as immediate change in the employees’ behavior. But in the long-run, when used without positive reinforcement of desirable behavior, it is unlikely to lead to employee frustration, fear of the manager, recurrences of the problem behavior, increase in absenteeism and decrease in turnover.
d) Developing Training programmes: Learning is useful in developing effective training programmes. A social learning theory, in particular, tells the organizers, that training should provide a model, it needs to grab the trainee’s attention; provide motivational properties, help the trainee to file away what he or she has learned for later use; provide opportunities to practice new behaviors; provide positive rewards for accomplishments; and if the training has taken place off the job, allow the trainees some opportunity to transfer what he has learned on the job.
INDIAN LEARNING:
GURUKUL SYSTEM OF LEARNING:
Education in India has always been regarded as one of the basic inputs in human resource development. In ancient India, the Gurukul system of education was prevalent. The Gurukul system of education was followed where an overall knowledge was imparted to the student who is to be away from home for most of his educative years. It was a residential type of education with total submission to the Guru or teacher. This system concentrates on the overall development of an individual. It not only develops the external but also the internal facets of one’s personality. It emphasizes on the physical, mental, social, and so also the spiritual well being of a person. In this system of education, self-knowledge is given priority over the superficial and one-sided knowledge of different subjects.
It emphasizes on the fact that unless a person is spiritually enlightened i.e. he has a healthy mind; it is rather difficult to gather any kind of knowledge holistically.
It helps in the development of moral values required for the harmony and development of the society. It enables a combination of subjective nad objective approach. It helps one strike a perfect balance of practicality and philosophy.
The actual process:
The village school in ancient India was called gurukul, as the schooling took place at the home (kul) of the teacher, who was called the guru. It is not known whether a person became a guru because of his scholarship or was a person from among the educated in the village who had also received training in becoming a guru. Here the teacher was the Guru and the disciple was the Sishya. The disciples lived in the Guru's aashram during the course of their training and in turn offered their services to the ashram. This period of learning of, about 12 years, was considered as a great sacrifice or a penance. The Guru identified the capability of his Sishya and accordingly imparted knowledge. The sishyas learnt amidst the natural surroundings of the ashram, in open air, in close contact with nature.
The Kings sent their Princes to Gurus for training on the art of using weaponry, vedas, music, art and physical forms of exercising & defence. At the end of their training, the disciples thanked their Gurus with a gift in the form of a gurudakshina - which literally means "offerings to the Guru".
Subjects taught at gurukul:
Itihasa purana (legends and ancient lore),
Vyakarana (grammar),
Chandshastra (prosody),
Athashastra (political economy),
Ganita (mathematics),
Jyotish (astronomy and astrology),
Anvikshiki (philosophy),
Dharmashastra (law),
Shastravidya (state-craft and military science) and
Ayurveda (the science of medicine).
Values taught at Gurukul:
There are 12 Wonder Values which shall tell us the confined values which a person should imbibe himself /herself with.
They are as follows: -
1) Dignity of human individual, based on his spiritual identity.
2) Love and goodwill for all, based on the concepts that the world as a family.
3) Self-respect & regard of respect for others.
4) Humility.
5) Honesty & Integrity.
6) Purity & cleanliness.
7) Equanimity peace, tolerance & non-violence.
8) Concern for well being of all : sympathy & service
9) Unity & cooperation.
10) Effort for excellence.
11) Contentment.
12) Yogi life style i.e Sattwa, Simplicity, Sincerity, and Trusteeship.
Every professional or other kind of group will find these values of great relevance & help, for each value has special connotation in the context of each profession besides having a general meaning.
It will be found that these values are comprehensive in their scope & each one of these has some other values invisibly included in them.
Any one of the values leads to the inculcation of other.
THEORIES OF LEARNING:
THEORY 1: CLASSICAL CONDITIONING:
This is the association of one event with another desired event resulting in a behavior, is one of the most easy to understand the processes of learning.
Eg. An experiment was conducted, a piece of meat was given to a dog, the dog exhibited a noticeable increase in salivation. When merely the doorbell was rung and there was no presentation of meat, the dog had no salivation.
Next the psychologist proceeded to link the meat and the ringing of the bell. After repeatedly hearing the bell before getting the food, the dog began to salivate merely at the sound of the bell, even if no food was offered. In effect, the dog has learnt to respond to the bell.
From the above example the following points can be deduced:
• Salivation in response to food is a natural, unlearned response-in short a reflex. This response was called the unconditional reflex.
• The food, because it elicited the unconditional reflex automatically, was called the unconditional stimulus.
• When repeated presentation o0f the bell followed by food led the dog to salivate in response to the bell alone, this salivation was designed as conditional reflex, which emphasized that arousal of the reflex was dependent upon a stimulus other than the neutral stimulus, as the conditional stimulus.
Eg. In context with an organization
At a manufacturing plant, every time the top executives from the head office would make a visit, the plant management would clean up the administration offices and wash the windows. This went on for years. Eventually, employees would turn on their best behavior and look prim and proper whenever the windows were cleaned even in those occasions when the cleaning was not paired with the visit from the top brass. People had learnt to associate the cleaning of the windows with the visit from the head office.
Shortcomings of this theory:
a. Modern theorists said it represented only a very small part of total human learning.
b. Some felt it explains only the responding behaviors (reflexing).
To overcome the above problem as and to have more precise theory 2 was used which studies the behavior with respect to the environment.
THEORY 2. OPERANT CONDITIONING/ INSTRUMENTAL CONDITIONING:
Operant conditioning argues that behavior is a function of its consequences. Behavior is likely to be repeated if the consequences are favorable. Behavior is not likely to be repeated if the consequences are unfavorable. Thus the relationship between behavior and consequences is the essence of operant conditioning. Thus, the relationship between term operant indicates that the organism operates on its environment to generate consequences.
E.g. If the boss assures his subordinate that he would be suitably compensated in the next performance appraisal, provided the employee works overtime. However, when the evaluation time comes, the boss does not fulfill his assurance to his subordinate, though the later did attend to overtime work. Next time, the subordinate coolly declines to work overtime when requested to do so. The behavior of the employee is explained by the operant conditioning.
If the behavior fails to be positively reinforced, the probability that the behavior will be repeated declines. Vice versa if a worker works hard and is suitably awarded then he works even more hard and does this work with lot of enthusiasm.
Examples of operant conditioning in daily life: Turning your key in a lock, writing a letter, saying “I Love You”, calling parents on the telephone, all these are operant acts, operant in the sense that we do them in anticipation of reward, which acts as a rein forcer for the commission of these behaviors.
THEORY 3. COGNITIVE THEORY OF LEARNING:
Cognitive refers to an individuals thoughts, knowledge, interpretation, understandings, or ideas about himself, and his environment. Cognitive theory of learning assumes that the organism learns the meaning of various objects and events and learned responses depending upon the meaning assigned to stimuli. Cognitive theorists argue that the learner forms a cognitive structure in memory, which preserves and organizes information about the various events that occur in learning a situation. When a test is made to determine how much has been learned, the subject must encode the test stimulus and scan it against his memory to determine an appropriate action. What is done will depend upon the cognitive structure retrieved from memory. Thus, the subject’s response is a decision process that varies with the nature of the test situation and the subject’s memory for prior events.
Here the role of an organism in receiving, memorizing, retrieving and interpretation stimuli, and reacting is recognized and emphasized and is not like the above two theories which deal with the (S-R) approach i.e. the stimulus-response approach, in which the contribution of the organism is minimized or ignored.
Today, the cognitive approach is very much alive and is relevant, e.g. expectations, attributions, locus of control and goal setting are all cognitive concepts.
THEORY 4-SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
The social learning theory stresses upon the ability of an individual to learn by observing models-parents, teachers, peers, motion pictures, TV artists, bosses and others. The influence of the model is central to the social learning viewpoint. Four processes have been found to determine the influence that a model will have on an individual.
• Attention process:
People learn from a model when they recognize and pay attention to its critical features. We tend to be most influenced by models that are attractive, repeatedly available, which we think are important, or we see as similar to us.
• Retention Process:
A model’s influence will depend on how well the individual remembers the model’s action, even if the model I no longer readily available.
• Motor Reproduction Process
After a person has seen a new behavior by observing the model,the watching must be converted to doing.This process then demonstrates that the individual can perform the modeled activities.
• Reinforcement Process:
Indivituals will be motivated to exibit the modeled behavior if positive incentives or rewards are provided.Behaviors that are reinforced will be given more attention ans performed more often.
Steps under Social Learning:
1. Precisely identify the goal of target behavior that will lead to performance improvement.
2. Select the appropriate model and modeling medium e.g. a line demonstration,a trading film or a videptape.)
3. Make sure the employee is capable of meeting the technical skill requirements of the target behavior.
4. Structure a favourable learning enviornmant that increases the probability of attention and reproduction and that enhances motivation to learn and improve.
5. Model the target behavior and carry out supporting activities,such as role-playing.Clearly demonstrate the positive consequences of the modeled target behavior.
6. Positively reinforce reproduction of the target behavior,both in training and back on the job.
7. Once it is reproduced ,maintain the strengthen the target behavior,first with a continuous schedule of reinforcement and later with an intermittent schedule.
LEARNING ORGANIZATION:
Learning has tremendous importance in organisations .In today’s scenario a concept called as learning organisations is gaining immense importance.
It means an organisation, which has developed the continuous capacity to adapt & change. Just as individuals learn so do the organisations. Infact all organisations learn, whether they choose it consciously or not. It is a fundamental requirement for their existence.
Some organisations engage in single loop learning, which means when errors are detected the correction process relies on past routines and present policies.
In contrast there are some organizations which use double loop learning which means when a error is detected, its is corrected in ways that involves the modification of organisations objectives, policies, standards and routines. Thus this provides opportunities for radically different solutions to problems & dramatic jumps on improvements. Its an organisation where people put aside their old ways of thinking, learn to open with each other, understand how their organisations really work, form a plan or a vision that everyone can agree upon and then work together to achieve that vision.
Thus these components of learning organisations prove it as a remedy for three fundamental problems present in an organisation not adopting this concept of learning organization.
Fragmentation: Based on specialization creates walls & chimneys that separate different functions in to independent and warring fiefdoms.
Competition: It undermines collaboration, here the members of the group try to prove how correct they are or who knows more.
Reactivates: Misdirects management’s attention to problem solving rather than creation .The problem solver tries to make something go away while a creator tries to bring something new in to being.
Characteristics of a learning Organization
Systems Thinking
Systems thinking helps to see trends and patterns as to how problems behave and therefore urge to look deeper at possible root causes due to which the problems recur. It also helps to see the interconnections between the elements of a complex system.
Personal proficiency
High level of proficiency can consistently bring about the results. In seeking personal proficiency, help to clarify and deepen the vision, focus the energy.
Assumptions, Perception and Belief
Based on notions and assumptions that may reside deeply in our psyche, we take action in a particular manner. Therefore right mental model needs to be developed.
Shared vision
No organization can attain excellency without goals, values and vision that become shared throughout the organization.
Team learning
Team learning is about the team’s ability to evolve the creative tension and consciously build their capability to resolve this tension in favour of vision.
HOW ORGANIZATIONS LEARN:
Single Loop Learning: Correction process for errors depends on existing policies & processes
Double Loop Learning: Correction process involves questioning & modification of policies & processes
GOLDEN RULES OF LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS:
Thrive on Change
Encourage Experimentation
Communicate Success and Failure
Facilitate Learning from the Surrounding Environment
Facilitate Learning from Employees
Reward Learning
A Proper Selfishness
A Sense of Caring
WHY LEARNING ORGANISATIONS WORK
THE PEOPLE DEVELOP
1. Greater motivation
2. The workforce is more flexible
3. People are more creative
4. Improved social Interaction
TEAMS AND GROUPS WORK BETTER
1. Knowledge sharing
2. Interdependency
THE COMPANY BENEFITS
1. Breakdown of traditional communication barriers
2. Customer relations
3. Information resources
4. Innovation and creativity
LEARNING IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT VS LEARNING IN THE WESTERN CONTEXT
Learning, as we all know is the process of acquiring knowledge to know about something. This definition presupposes that we do not know about that something.
In other words, it presupposes that we are ignorant and through learning we become knowledgeable. This is typically the outside-in approach towards Learning, largely followed in the conventional Western model of Learning processes.
The Eastern concept of Learning compares and contrasts with the Western concept in many aspects.
The Eastern concept of Learning starts of with the idea that we are embodied Jiva Atmas emerging from the All-knowledgeable Cosmic Power (Param Atma), the attributes of the Param Atma are present in our Jiva Atmas. The attribute of Param Atma being All-Knowledgeable is also present in us. Thus we are not ignorant; on the other hand we are All-Knowledgeable, an attribute we are not aware of because of the sheaths (koshas) of Ignorance that covers our Jiva Atmas.
The Eastern concept of Learning, thus, forms the process of unraveling the fact that we are not ignorant and that we are All-Knowledgeable. This is an Inside-out approach.
The Western approach is largely based on perceivable facts and verifiable attributes that are measurable and the use of logic.
The Eastern approach, on the other hand, is based on observations, experiences, and contemplations on information that is made available through Sruthi & Smrithi. The writings are, thus, deeper in content and context than what is merely understood at the primary level.
Shruthi means Hearing, rather Attentive Listening. The Vedas are also known as Shruthi, because the Vedas have come through Hearing form Master to Disciple down the line.
Smrithi means Contemplation. Along with Shruthi, i.e. Attentive Listening, one needs to practice Smrithi, of contemplating on what one attentively listens, trying to absorb and find deeper and deeper meaning with an idea of a understanding the larger & related picture.
CONCLUSION:
While learning something we should remember that learning should lead to betterment of ourselves as well as others. Its purpose is not to destroy others, to snatch everything from others aggressively or to cheat others, but to help one-self and others to become an enlightened personality.
Learning helps us to understand that organizations must fulfill their Social responsibility as business belong to society. If it does not fulfill its obligation to all the stakeholders ultimately, in the long run it cannot survive. But we should remember that learning could be bad as well. Many organizations are following unethical practices to steal the information from the competitors to grab the market.
We should learn in such a manner which will lead to
Om Asota ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
Mrtyor ma amrtam gamaya
Om santith! Santith! Santith!!!
It means:
Om lead me from untruth to truth, from darkness to light and from dead to immortality.
Om Peace! Peace! Peace!!!