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The effects of trainee ability and motivation on the transfer process

Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Training represents an expensive investment organisations make in their human
resources. For this reason, it is imperative that the knowledge, skills, attitudes and
behaviours gained in training be transferred into visible on-the-job performance and
results.
Unfortunately, despite the increasing amounts of time, effort and money being spent on
organisational training, the so-called “transfer problem” remains a threat. Continued low
transfer puts a major portion of the training investment at risk, thus justifying practical
efforts to leverage greater transfer of training. This study is one such effort.
The primary goal of this study was to develop and test an empirical model of the transfer
process so as to establish the effects of trainee ability and motivation on this process.
More specifically, it aimed to establish the relationships between the constructs trainee
ability to learn, motivation to learn, intention to learn, learning and retention, motivation
to transfer, intention to transfer and consequently, transfer.
A comprehensive study of the transfer of training literature was conducted so as to gain a
better understanding of the issues relevant to the purpose of the study. The sample used
for this study consisted of 116 trainees attending an assessor training course provided by
the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authorities (W&RSETA) in
South Africa. Five questionnaires were administered during the course of the study, of which two were
developed especially for the purposes of the study. The Motivation to Learn
Questionnaire consisted of three sections. Section A was designed to give an indication
of the demographic data of the trainees. Section B measured Motivation to Learn and
Section C measured Intention to Learn by means of a Likert-type scale. The Motivation
to Transfer Questionnaire also consisted of three sections, with Section A providing
demographic data, Section B measuring Motivation to Transfer, and Section C measuring
Intention to Transfer via a Liker-type scale. A Mental Alertness Scale, giving an
indication of ability to learn (i.e. general cognitive ability), as well as a pre- and post
Knowledge Test, measuring learning and retention, also had to be administered during
the study. These measures were distributed to the various training facilitators for
administration according to specified instructions at their respective training sessions.
The data was subsequently analysed using SPSS. Unfortunately, not all hypotheses could
be corroborated in this study, yet useful insights were nonetheless gained. It was
discovered that ability to learn significantly affects the amount of learning and retention
that occurs during training. Ability to learn was also positively correlated with
motivation to learn the training material. Motivation to learn produced significant
relationships with three variables, namely intention to learn, intention to transfer, as well
as motivation to transfer learning into on-the-job performance. Intention to learn was
also found to positively correlate with intention to transfer. Finally, motivation to
transfer indicated a significant correlation with intention to transfer. Consequently,
conclusions were derived from the results obtained and recommendations for future
research made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Opleiding is ‘n duur belegging wat organisasies in hul menslike hulpbronne maak en
daarom is dit uiters belangrik dat die kennis, vaardighede, houdings en gedrag wat tydens
opleiding aangeleer word, oorgedra word tot sigbare werksprestasie en resultate.
Ongelukkig bly die oordrag van aangeleerde kennis en vaardighede ‘n probleem, ten
spyte van die toenemende besteding van tyd, inspanning en fondse aan organisatoriese
opleiding. ‘n Groot deel van die belegging in organisatoriese opleiding word op die spel
geplaas deur voortdurende lae vlakke van oordrag. Om die rede, regverdig dit praktiese
pogings om hoër oordragsvlakke te bewerkstellig. Hierdie studie poog om ‘n bydrae te
maak in hierdie verband.
Die primêre doel van die studie is om ‘n empiriese model van die oordragsproses te
ontwikkel en te toets, en sodoende die effek van leerders se vermoëns en motivering op
hierdie proses vas te stel. Meer spesifiek, poog dit om die verband tussen die konstrukte
van leervermoë, motivering om te leer, intensie om te leer, leer en retensie, motivering
om oor te dra, intensie om oor te dra, en oordrag, vas te stel.
‘n Omvattende literatuurstudie van die oordrag van leer is uitgevoer om sodoende ‘n
beter begrip te kry van die konstrukte ter sake. ‘n Steekproef van 116 leerders is in die
studie gebruik. Die leerders het ‘n assessoropleidingsprogram bygewoon wat deur die
W&R SETA verskaf is. Vyf vraelyste is gedurende die studie toegepas, waarvan twee vir die doeleindes van die
studie ontwikkel is. Die motivering-om-te-leer vraelys bestaan uit drie afdelings.
Afdeling A verteenwoordig demografiese items, en Afdeling B en Afdeling C meet
onderskeidelik motivering om te leer en intensie om te leer met behulp van ‘n 7-punt
Likert-tipe skaal. Die oordragmotiveringsvraelys bestaan ook uit drie afdelings, waar
Afdeling A weer op demografiese informasie fokus. Afdeling B en C meet
onderskeidelik oordragmotivering en oordragintensie met behulp van ‘n 7-punt Likerttipe
skaal. ‘n Verstandelikehelderheidsskaal (wat leervermoë gemeet het), sowel as ‘n
voor- en na-kennistoets (wat leer en retensie meet) is ook toegepas gedurende die studie.
Hierdie vraelyste is aan die verskillende opleiers versprei sodat hulle dit volgens die
instruksies in hulle onderskeidelike opleidingssessies kon toepas.
Die data is geanaliseer deur die gebruik van die rekenaarpakket SPSS. Al die hipoteses
kon nie bevestig word nie, maar nuttige insigte is nogtans ingewin. Resultate toon dat
leervermoë ‘n beduidende effek het op die hoeveelheid leer en retensie wat gedurende
opleiding plaasvind. Leervermoë het ook ‘n positiewe verband met leermotivering
getoon. Leermotivering het beduidende korrelasies met drie veranderlikes getoon,
naamlik leerintensie, oordragintensie en oordragmotivering. Leerintensie het ook ‘n
positiewe korrelasie met oordragintensie getoon. Laastens is ‘n beduidende korrelasie
tussen oordragmotivering en oordragintensie bevind. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings
vir toekomstige navorsing is gemaak.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/16408
Date04 1900
CreatorsNunes, Charne
ContributorsDu Preez, R., Theron, C. C., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Formatxii, 171 leaves
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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