5LD01 Support Informal and Self-Directed Learning CIPD Level 5 Assessment Brief 2026 (Lux-stay)

5LD01 Support Informal and Self-Directed Learning (CIPD Level 5 L&D): 2026 Lux-stay Hotel Case Study Brief

In this CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development unit, the 2026 assessment uses Lux-stay, an international hotel chain that plans to shift from formal courses to informal and self-directed learning on a new learning platform. Task 1 is written as answers to eight questions from fellow L&D team members, and Task 2 asks you to explain curation and assemble five complementary resources with a way to share them.

Task 1: Case Study (Q1 to Q8, about 2,800 words)

You work in the L&D team of Lux-stay, an international hotel chain whose nine-person L&D team is spread across London, Paris, Bratislava and Dubai. The team has traditionally delivered formal courses, but a 2026 to 2028 goal is to enhance informal and self-directed learning, supported by investment in a new Staff Learning Platform. Your L&D director has asked you to answer colleagues’ questions so that everyone reaches a similar level of understanding. Responses to Q2, Q4, Q5, Q6 and Q8 must refer to the case study context.

1. I understand that formal learning is about getting qualifications, whereas informal learning is everything else. Is this correct and is this all there is to it? Explain the differences. (AC 1.1)
2. What theoretical basis is there to the idea that people learn from each other? Can you discuss an example of this from our work context? (AC 1.2)
3. Explain the term ‘self-directed learning’ and if it is about people making their own decisions about learning. How is that acceptable in a workplace where people need to learn specific things? (AC 1.3)
4. We have around 100 staff, across the three hotels in our region, employed on a variety of work contracts. From your perspective, can you assess the benefits and risks, both for our hotels and our individual workers, of informal and self-directed learning? (AC 1.4) No wider-reading references required.
5. How can we, as the L&D team, support the hotel managers to encourage informal learning for their staff? Explain the steps we could take. (AC 2.1) No wider-reading references required.
6. We have had a Learning Management System (LMS) with some basic courses on it for years, but people hardly ever access it beyond mandatory health and safety. Staff say that ‘it’s up to managers to tell them what training to do’ and managers say they ‘are unsure about self-directed learning’, so ‘just send people on courses as it’s easier’. Explain how we can encourage take-up when we get the new system. (AC 2.2) No wider-reading references required.
7. Can you assess the extent to which you think that informal and self-directed learning have been encouraged and enabled by advances in technology? (AC 2.3)
8. As informal and maybe self-directed learning does not necessarily generate any records, how can we assess if it is having an impact and that these types of learning are considered in team members’ performance and development reviews? Can you discuss some strategies for how we could do this? (AC 2.4)

Task 2: Curation Activity (about 1,100 words)

Curate five further accessible, varied and complementary resources on informal and self-directed learning (for example videos, articles, podcasts, book references, reading lists or online talks) and identify an appropriate platform or method for sharing them with the team.

1. Explain what is meant by ‘curation of learning resources’ and three key principles underpinning how this should be done. (AC 3.1) No wider-reading references required.
2. Attach your five chosen items (or identifiable extracts such as a title page, screenshot or photo). Briefly explain each item, your reasons for choosing it, and the method or platform you would ideally use to share them with the team. (AC 3.2) No wider-reading references required.

Word Count and Rules

• Overall acceptable range: 3,510 to 4,290 words (3,900 words plus or minus 10%); work over 4,290 words is automatically referred under the CIPD word count policy.
• Use wider reading and references within each answer unless a question says otherwise, with a full reference list at the end.
• Do not use artificial intelligence to suggest ideas, generate content, or structure or edit the assessment.
• The five curated resources for Task 2 are not included in the word count.