Getting the Measure of Workplace Learning:The Conceptual and Methodological

Challenges Faced by Survey Researchers

Alan Felstead

Outline of Talk

1.Importance & Topicality of Learning2.Two Competing Conceptualisations

of Learning3.Using Concepts to Inform Survey

Design4.Some Survey Results

Topicality of Learning• European level: 1996 European Year ofLifelong Learning; 2000 Lisbon goals foremployment; subsequent reports &resolutions• National level: 1998 Learning Age;1998-2000 National Skills Task Force;2000-01 Cabinet Office on learning;Skills Strategy in 2003; Leitch in 2004-06

Conceptualisations of Learning1.Acquisition Metaphor

2. Participation Metaphor

human mind stocked with ideas individual stockroom management individual possession/endowments

without action there can be no learning embodied action is embedded in context learning is borne out of social interaction

Empirical Face of Concepts1. Acquisition Metaphor

2. Participation Metaphor

surveys of: qualifications held; years ineducation;attendance on training courses/events recognition of other ways of learning BUTcaptured by frequency/exposure times

case studies of how work is done & what ismost effective at enhancing performance BUT recognition that measurement may bepossible

Nature of Learning at Work Survey• Collaborative venture with NIACE• Additional module added to Adult Participation in Learning Survey• Module aimed to use ‘participation’ metaphor to:

reveal sources of learning associated witheveryday work experience identify their relative importance map their distribution & relationship to theorganisational environment

Nature of LAWS (cont.)• Part of Omnibus Survey carried out every week by RSGB • Face-to-face interviews with adults >16 in their homes during February 2004• Sample comprises 1,943 employees, selected randomly by address• All results weighted to reflect adult population

Key Question on Learning‘To what extent have the followingactivities helped you to learn to do yourjob better?’

10 activities listed

(5-point scale: a great deal of help; quitea lot of help; of some help; a little help;of no help at all all)

Participation Better at Raising Performance - 1

15.5

23

26.4

30.8

51.8

10.6

19

21.4

25.8

31.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Using trial & error on the job

Watching & listening to others while they carry out their work

Reflecting on your performance

Being shown by others how to do certain activities or tasks

Doing your job on a regular basis

LEARNING AS PARTICIPATION

Using the Internet

Using skills & abilities acquired outside of work

Reading books, manuals & work-related magazines

Drawing on the skills you picked up while studying for a qualification

Training courses paid for by your employer

LEARNING AS ACQUISTION

Participation Better at Raising Performance - 2

2

2.55

2.7

2.75

3.3

1.24

2.1

2.22

2.24

2.45

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

Using trial & error on the job

Watching & listening to others while they carry out their work

Reflecting on your performance

Being shown by others how to do certain activities or tasks

Doing your job on a regular basis

LEARNING AS PARTICIPATION

Using the Internet

Reading books, manuals & work-related magazines

Using skills & abilities acquired outside of work

Drawing on the skills you picked up while studying for a qualification

Training courses paid for by your employer

LEARNING AS ACQUISTION

Participation More Important in Lower Ranks

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Elementary

Machine Operatives

Sales & Customer Service

Personal Service

Skilled Trades

Administrative & Secretarial

Associate Technical

Professionals

Managers & Senior Officials

Learning as Acquisition Index Learning as Participation Index

Workplace as a Learning Environment

33.8 49.5 11 5.8

40.6 44.8 9.4 5.3

47 43.1 7.6 2.3

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

My job requires that I help mycolleagues learn new things

My job requires that I keep learningnew things

I have picked up most of my skillsthrough on-the-job experience

Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

Workplace Context: Line Management

18.3 22.6 21.5 13.5 24.2

27.1 35.2 20.1 8.7 8.9

26.4 28.8 21.9 10.9 12

20.8 28.2 23.3 13.7 14

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Giving you advice on promotion

Recognising the extent of your abilities

Supporting you when you are underpressure

Helping you learn to do your job better

A Great Deal of Help Quite a Lot of Help Of Some Help A Little Help Of No Help At All

Workplace Context: Influence at Work

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Deciding the quality standards to which you work

Deciding how you are to do the task

Deciding what tasks you are to do

How hard you work

GROUP INFLUENCE OVER:

Decisions that affect the way you do your job

Deciding the quality standards to which you work

Deciding how you are to do the task

Deciding what tasks you are to do

How hard you work

INDIVIDUAL INFLUENCE OVER:

A Great Deal A Fair Amount Not Much None At All

Workplace Context: Involvement Practices

66

73.9

72.3

78.4

58

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

Appraisal System Suggestions Offered Consultation Meetings Information Meetings

Putting Learning in Context

• Previous studies have traced links between workplace context and training/skills• But few have examined the links between learning and the context of work• Data on both within the same survey has been wanting• … until the Learning at Work Survey!

Putting Learning in Context (cont.)

• Technical = multiple regression • Dependent variable = learning scores (ACQ) & (PART)• Independent variables = IND_INF, GRP_INF, INVOLVE & LINE_MAN• Control variables = age, sex, occupation, country, marital status

Statistical Connections

Workplace ContextLearningSource IND_INF GRP_INF INVOLVE LINE_MAN

ACQ + *** + *** + *** + ***

PART + *** + *** + *** + ***

Conclusion• Rhetorical shift with discussions centring on learning not training• Existing measures rooted in ‘learning as acquisition’ tradition (qualifications, years in education, training events)• LAWS gives greater weight to ‘learning as participation’ metaphor; & focuses on relative impact that activities have on employee performance

Contact:alanfelstead@cf.ac.uk