... a response to external stimuli. Maintenance of the new behaviour is enforced by positive and negative reinforcement, a system of punishment and reward. Cognitivist theories of learning emphasise the proactive nature of development. This school of thought perceives human beings as seekers of knowledge in an attempt to understand our own identities and positionality. Humanist theories believe that learning occurs as a result of our natural inclination towards it. People learn because in an environment of 'warmth, care and understanding,'(Wilson, 1999 p.197) we cannot help it. In this sense education is learner-centred; the student initiates the development environment and needs assessment. Whilst these theories impact on and explain the processes and practices of some areas of HRD, I have decided to focus upon critical and cultural learning approaches and their impact on national and organisational HRD. These two approaches recognise the marginalised learner voices and learning practices and challenge the ...

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