ABSTRACT
As we look to the future, the learning and development profession is faced with a set of new challenges in the way we choose to work with learners. Rapid changes in technology, the nature of organisations, non-traditional career progression, globalisation and ‘virtual worlds’ mean that we need to become ever more effective learners in order to keep pace with the demands that are placed upon us. Our patterns hardly become fixed before we are asked to change them again and form new ones. There has probably never been greater need for individuals who understand the learning process, manage their own learning effectively and can support and develop others through facilitation and coaching. Evidence is building that traditional instructional methods will not deliver lasting behavioural and attitudinal change. Formal education, despite producing more and more qualified students with high level degrees and extensive certification, does not necessarily produce effective learners, who are well-resourced to take advantage of opportunities that arise and to avoid some of the stresses that uncertainty, ambiguity and imposed change place upon us.
