Approaches to learning in the context of work – workplace learning and human resources

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrik Brandi ◽  
Rosa Lisa Iannone
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Work Design ◽  
Enterprise Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Incentive Structures ◽  
The Individual

Purpose With the purpose of promoting cross-field dialogue, this paper aims to review workplace learning (WPL) and human resource (HR) literature. The authors endeavour a conceptual examination and discussion of the bridges that link both research fields in relation to learning, in an effort to establish an integrated understanding of learning in workplaces. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a scoping review focused on how learning is approached in WPL and HR studies. An analysis of the selected literature reveals fundamental themes and dimensions that further our understanding of learning in the context of work. Findings Overall, there are three learning dimensions where WPL and HR conceptually interrelate, namely, skills, incentives and work design. The scoping review also shows that HR is output-oriented and looks to learning as capital for enterprises, especially in light of enterprise performance for competence development. WPL centres more upon socio-cultural and practice-based configurations and the individual. It encompasses the human dimension of learning as something enriching the whole of life, including work life. Originality/value This paper contributes with a unique inquiry into the interrelations between WPL and HR approaches to learning, highlighting the complementarity between WPL theoretical features and HR practices. At the core of our findings is that WPL becomes analytically visible through how HR learning strategies are designed and deployed in the forms of skill development, incentive structures and work design, referring to both workplace structure and cultural features.

Second-career teachers’ workplace learning and learning at university

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Keck Frei ◽  
Mirjam Kocher ◽  
Christine Bieri Buschor
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Career Change ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine career-change student teachers’ practice-based learning in teacher training, with a special focus on the support they received. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a qualitative content analysis of 15 group interviews, including 58 career-change student teachers and focuses on their learning at university and the workplace. Findings This paper indicates that career-change student teachers’ learning is task-related and based on interactions. It benefits from the support provided by actors at the university and workplace. Their learning is highly self-regulated and built on skills from prior professional and life experience. However, behaviourist learning and trial-and-error learning strategies are more often mentioned than constructionist learning and goal-oriented learning. Practical implications The findings underline the fact that universities and schools can enhance career-change student teachers’ learning by providing professional support, helping them to form links between experience from their prior profession, as well as their knowledge acquired at the university and experience from the workplace. Originality/value Until now, few studies have addressed workplace learning in teacher education. The present study aims to address this lack. Moreover, the study shows how career-change student teachers deal with the challenge of bridging the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge acquired during practice-based teacher education.

Individual and contextual variables in municipal officers' workplace learning

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valéria Vieira Moraes ◽  
Jairo Eduardo Borges-Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate workplace learning among municipal officers in the high-learning-demanding organizational context of their work practice in the first year of mandate. Design/methodology/approach – A before-and-after quasi-experimental design was used to assess the effect of time of work practice on learning work requirements. Level of mastery of role-relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs) was measured on three occasions (once before and twice after occurrence of work practice), with 126 participants. Associations have been tested between this learning and level of education, previous experience, use of learning strategies at work, population size of municipalities and participatory public planning. Findings – Findings suggest that the municipal officers showed learning of KSAs but no change in their attitude toward public administration. This learning has been positively associated to size of the municipalities, previous professional experience and learning strategies, especially regarding the cognitive strategy “intrinsic and extrinsic reflection”. A possible positive effect of the use of participatory planning on this learning could have been detected if measures were taken after 11 months. Research limitations/implications – The generalization of findings is limited, as data are restricted to the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil, in municipalities in which mayors belong to a given political party. Practical implications – The study brought useful information that may contribute to provide some clues, to municipal officers and their parties, on how to accelerate the required learning that should take place right after election. Social implications – The practical implications may be cautiously used in organizations in general. Originality/value – The feasibility of a longitudinal design to measure work-related learning was shown. Options for more comprehensive studies that may better define the phenomenon of workplace learning and identify its relationships with other variables have been demonstrated.

The impact of the Greek economic recession on workplace learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 345-358
Author(s):  
Stavros Papakonstantinidis
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Informal Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The paper aims to examine the impact of the Greek economic recession on workplace learning. Specifically, it surveys the views of Greek business professionals regarding whether workplace learning could be used as a competitive advantage in achieving business success. Design/methodology/approach The paper follows a qualitative research method and discusses the findings of semi-structured interviews with professionals in various industries in Greece. Findings This study provides evidence of an overall reluctance to adopt formal learning strategies. Although hiring and retaining the best talent at work is seen as a competitive advantage, Greek professionals do not attribute success to formal workplace learning. Instead, digitalization of informal learning becomes essential for acquiring new knowledge. Social implications In the first few years of Greece’s economic recovery, companies aim to keep their budgets low in anything that seems luxurious and ultimately unnecessary. The paper discusses some implications of the implementation of digitalized informal learning in business. Originality/value This study is the first to explore how Greek professionals from various business sectors and managerial levels view workplace learning during the initial years of the country’s economic recovery.

Workplace learning evaluation: a conceptual model and framework

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Paul Griffin
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Training Evaluation ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Programme Theory ◽  
Learning Stage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Evaluation ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper seeks to address current limitations in approaches to training evaluation by presenting a conceptual model of work‐based learning and an associated evaluation framework.Design/methodology/approachThe model and framework presented in this paper are based on a critical review of current approaches to learning evaluation and insights from learning transfer research and programme theory.FindingsThis paper sets out a conceptual model of workplace learning based on five elements: a pre‐learning stage, the trigger (need) for learning, the learning event, application of learning and the impact of learning. A linked criterion evaluation framework is also described. It is proposed that this provides a scientifically robust but practitioner friendly framework for workplace learning evaluation.Practical implicationsWhile most organisations wish to evaluate the effectiveness of their investment in employee training and development, few do. One of the barriers to effective learning evaluation is the failure to ground approaches in a contemporary and comprehensive model of workplace learning. The model and framework set out in this paper aim to assist evaluation by addressing this gap in a practitioner friendly way.Originality/valueThis paper sets out a novel, flexible and comprehensive conceptual model of workplace learning along with an innovative approach to training evaluation that addresses limitations in existing approaches. It is hoped that this will contribute to the debate on appropriate evaluation methods and assist practitioners to undertake evaluation in a more credible manner.

Knowledge recommendation for workplace learning: a system design and evaluation perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-261
Author(s):  
Shuang Geng ◽  
Lijing Tan ◽  
Ben Niu ◽  
Yuanyue Feng ◽  
Li Chen
Keyword(s):  
System Design ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Design Science ◽  
Science Research ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge Service

Purpose Although digitalization in the workplace is burgeoning, tools are needed to facilitate personalized learning in informal learning settings. Existing knowledge recommendation techniques do not account for dynamic and task-oriented user preferences. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new design of a knowledge recommender system (RS) to fill this research gap and provide guidance for practitioners on how to enhance the effectiveness of workplace learning. Design/methodology/approach This study employs the design science research approach. A novel hybrid knowledge recommendation technique is proposed. An experiment was carried out in a case company to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system design. Quantitative data were collected to investigate the influence of personalized knowledge service on users’ learning attitude. Findings The proposed personalized knowledge RS obtained satisfactory user feedback. The results also show that providing personalized knowledge service can positively influence users’ perceived usefulness of learning. Practical implications This research highlights the importance of providing digital support for workplace learners. The proposed new knowledge recommendation technique would be useful for practitioners and developers to harness information technology to facilitate workplace learning and effect organization learning strategies. Originality/value This study expands the scope of research on RS and workplace learning. This research also draws scholarly attention to the effective utilization of digital techniques, such as a RS, to support user decision making in the workplace.

scholarly journals Vocation, motivation and approaches to learning: a comparative study

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Luis Arquero ◽  
Carmen Fernández-Polvillo ◽  
Trevor Hassall ◽  
John Joyce
Keyword(s):  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Accounting Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Framework ◽  
Assessment Design ◽  
The Individual

Purpose – The individual characteristics of students can have a strong influence on the success of the adopted innovations in terms of their transferability and sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to compare the motivations and approaches to learning on degrees with differing vocational components. Design/methodology/approach – Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and approaches to learning framework were used as theoretical background. Questionnaires were used to generate data. The sample was composed by 270 students enroled on differing degrees in term of motivation (accounting and nursing). Findings – The results reveal differences in the approaches to learning and motivation between nursing and accounting students. Nursing degree seem to attract more internally motivated students, presenting significantly higher scores in terms of deep approach and lower scores on surface approach. Significant relationships where found between motivation and approaches. Research limitations/implications – Data are obtained from students studying at a specific university in two degrees. Practical implications – The result suggest that different degrees could attract students with different motivations and approaches to learning. Educators must be aware of which type of students are being attracted to their classrooms, because the inconsistencies between the students’ motives and approaches, the way the contents are presented, the pedagogy and the assessment system could result in poorer learning and failure to transfer or sustain innovations. Originality/value – This paper adds to the very scarce literature linking motivation and approaches. The implications for curriculum design and delivery and specifically for assessment design are of interest for educators.

Canadian chefs’ workplace learning

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 522-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulette Cormier-MacBurnie ◽  
Wendy Doyle ◽  
Peter Mombourquette ◽  
Jeffrey D. Young
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Professional Groups ◽  
Depth Study

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the formal and informal workplace learning of professional chefs. In particular, it considers chefs’ learning strategies and outcomes as well as the barriers to and facilitators of their workplace learning. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is based on in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 12 executive chefs from a variety of restaurant types. Chefs were asked questions that focused on how they learned, the learning outcomes that they experienced and factors that inhibited or facilitated their learning. Findings – Findings suggest that the strategies, outcomes, barriers and facilitators experienced by professional chefs are similar in many respects to those of other occupational/professional groups. However, there were some important differences that highlight the context of chefs’ workplace learning. Research limitations/implications – The sample, which is relatively small and local, focuses on one city in Canada, and it is limited in its generalizability. Future research should include a national survey of professional chefs. Originality/value – Using a qualitative approach, this in-depth study adds to the literature on workplace learning, strategies, outcomes, barriers, facilitators and context factors by addressing a relatively understudied profession.

The self-initiated work adjustment for learning scale: development and validation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joris van Ruysseveldt ◽  
Tonnie van Wiggen-Valkenburg ◽  
Karen van Dam
Keyword(s):  
Workplace Learning ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Work Adjustment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Climate ◽  
Factorial Structure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Policies ◽  
The Individual

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop the self-initiated work adjustment for learning (SIWAL) scale that measures the adjustments that employees make in their work to enhance learning, based on theories and research on workplace learning, work adjustment and work design.Design/methodology/approachThe SIWAL scale was validated in two independent studies. Study 1 (n = 208) focused on the internal consistency and factor structure of the SIWAL scale. Study 2 (n = 178) re-examined the factorial structure using confirmatory factor analysis and investigated scale validity.FindingsIn both studies, the SIWAL scale showed good psychometric characteristics, i.e. a clear two-factorial structure and internal reliable sub-scales. The findings also indicated convergent, divergent and concurrent validity.Research limitations/implicationsUsing the SIWAL scale, future research could focus on the individual, social and organizational predictors and outcomes of SIWAL, collect supervisor and peer ratings to further validate this self-report scale and investigate lower-educated workers.Practical implicationsOrganizations might try to enhance their employees' SIWAL through organizational policies, such as supportive leadership, and a learning climate.Originality/valueThis study provides a first step toward a better understanding of what workers do to enhance their workplace learning. The study findings indicate that employees address two adaptive behaviors: adjusting job responsibilities and adjusting social interactions.

Conditions for workplace learning in professional work

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Parding ◽  
Anna Berg-Jansson
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Groups ◽  
Conditions For Learning ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Learning Conditions ◽  
Temporal Aspects ◽  
Occupational Values ◽  
Upper Secondary Level

Purpose This paper aims to examine and discuss learning conditions for teachers, in the context of choice and decentralisation reforms. Design/methodology/approach This article is based on analyses of 30 interviews with Swedish upper secondary teachers focusing on their experiences of their conditions for learning. Findings This paper shows how teachers at upper secondary level identify their subjects as the most important to learn more within. Secondly, we also show that spatial and temporal aspects of organisation of work seem to influence the conditions for subject learning, where the interviewees in many ways contrast their own view to how they describe their work being organised. Research limitations/implications Our findings may have currency for other professional groups with similar governance-contexts, and teachers in other similar governance-contexts. Practical implications These findings indicate the need to further develop workplace learning strategies founded upon the understanding of schools as workplaces, taking occupational values into account. Furthermore, these strategies should be seen as a core Human Resource Management issue, as they can potentially enhance the work environment, thus increasing the profession’s attractiveness. Originality/value We show that spatial and temporal aspects of organisation of work seem to influence the conditions for the sought after subject learning, and that the teachers and the school management seem to identify with different and clashing ideals in terms of what, when, how and with whom to learn.

scholarly journals Frameworks for evaluating education programmes and work related learning: a scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Caley ◽  
Sharon J. Williams ◽  
Izabela Spernaes ◽  
David Thomas ◽  
Doris Behrens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Learner Satisfaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Data Control ◽  
Education Interventions ◽  
Contextual Awareness ◽  
Accepted Practice ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose It has become accepted practice to include an evaluation alongside learning programmes that take place at work, as a means of judging their effectiveness. There is a tendency to focus such evaluations on the relevance of the intervention and the amount of learning achieved by the individual. The aim of this review is to examine existing evaluation frameworks that have been used to evaluate education interventions and, in particular, assess how these have been used and the outcomes of such activity. Design/methodology/approach A scoping review using Arskey and O’Malley’s five stage framework was undertaken to examine existing evaluation frameworks claiming to evaluate education interventions. Findings Forty five articles were included in the review. A majority of papers concentrate on learner satisfaction and/or learning achieved. Rarely is a structured framework mentioned, or detail of the approach to analysis cited. Typically, evaluations lacked baseline data, control groups, longitudinal observations and contextual awareness. Practical implications This review has implications for those involved in designing and evaluating work-related education programmes, as it identifies areas where evaluations need to be strengthened and recommends how existing frameworks can be combined to improve how evaluations are conducted. Originality/value This scoping review is novel in its assessment and critique of evaluation frameworks employed to evaluate work-related education programmes.

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