ABSTRACT
Learning theory has developed rapidly in the last century. This development has taken a number of directions and there are still some basic disagreements amongst theorists. The basis of learning is by trial and error, repetition being particularly important. Learning may be achieved by avoiding the failures of someone who has learned basically by trial and error. Behaviour is essentially that of modelling the behaviour of others. Learning is dependent on communication from others who are more knowledgeable about situations. Instruction is, of course, entirely dependent on the learner knowing the language of instruction whether this is in the form of words or symbols. The central problem of training, as opposed to general education, is to ensure that the basic stimulus-response situations facilitate an adequate transfer of learning to the operational situation. On-the-job training again often has some advantages in being able to provide possibilities for more practice and repetition, in some cases the only possibilities for real practice.
