Project

Overview of the Learn@ Work project

The focus of Learn@Work is the use of ICT to enhance the induction and continuing support for learners in the workplace. Learning in the workplace often implies a distance or semi-presential mode of learning, nowadays usually with a high ICT element. This is challanging for learners who may be unfamiliar with formal educational practices and are also outside the supportive environment of a university or college. How can an individual become a learner in this context and what is the role of ICT to facilitate this process?

ICT-based induction and support techniques are well established in traditional (usually institutional) e-learning contexts, but remain to be explored fully in work-based learning. The main features of learning in the workplace is that is undertaken by mature learners and is often immediately put into practice. This encourages a reflective and independent approach to learning.

We see induction, that is the early supported experience of the educational process, as being particualry critical but recognise that induction may actually extend throughout the programme. Induction may involve new employees, but also established members of the workforce who have to acquire new skills due to job change or transfer.

Learning in the workplace implies a wide range of learning situations and learner groups and consideration has to be made to the different social, cultural and material contexts in which online support and development occurs.

Pedagogy and learning in the workplace

The Learn@Work pedagogic model empowers the learner with the means to successfully

  • engage in constructive dialogues with tutors and other learners
  • promote a reflective and independent approach to learning
  • allow the learners to effectively perform the cycle of conceptualisation, construction and dialogue.

The three main benefits of learning in the workplace (as opposed to the campus?) are

  • motivation
  • relevance to the job performance
  • transfer of learning due to immediate relevance and applicability

The three main drawbacks (which we claim ICT may address) are

  • isolation of the individual from other learners
  • need for personalised support
  • formalising and recognising work based learning in a academic context including quality control.

What is induction?

We see this as providing initial support is the key to underpinning the entire work based learning experience. Defined as equipping the learner with the social and intellectual capital to successfully integrate and participate in knowledge construction independently, and collaboratively in learning communities.

The proposal refers to cognitive, affective and systemic components, designed to provide structured or scaffolded support for learners self-direction and interaction. Induction may comprise/include:

  1. orientation to the programme in the context of the workplace
  2. diagnostics of learner skills and requirements
  3. pre-assessment of content or readiness for study
  4. orientation to the process of learning
  5. advising
  6. developing soft skills such as emotional intelligence (to enhance collaborative interaction).

Many work based learners may also lack some of the basic skills such as reflective practice, study skills and basic ICT competence.

The importance of continuing support

Characterised by seven pedagogical elements based around online communities and workgroups which aim to reduce the isolation of the individual learner.

  1. support and scaffolding models
  2. peer interaction
  3. reflective practice in a social context through collaborative tasks
  4. mentoring and coaching
  5. collaborative thinking and creative tools
  6. ongoing (long-term) interaction through the creation of sustainable communities of learners.

ICT may also enable a richer combination of

  • formal and informal learning
  • group and individual activity
  • experts and novices.

We can use ICT to record these interactions for quality control.

The role of technology

Technology ties these perspectives together, but Learn@Work believes we should be reaching a stage where the technology is almost invisible, an accepted given in the design of any learning environment in the institution or the workplace.

The focus of Learn@Work is therefore not the technology but the learner, the learner support environment and the institutional and organisation contexts in which they operate.