Situating Learning

The significance of workplace learning for a ‘learning society’

Karen EvansUniversity of London, Institute of Education

ESRC Learning Society Programme

A ‘learning society’ would be one in which all citizens would:

“…acquire a high quality general education, appropriate vocational training and a job (or series of jobs) worthy of a human being while continuing to participate in education and training throughout their lives. A ‘learning society’ would combine excellence with equity and would equip all its citizens with the knowledge, understanding and skills to ensure national economic prosperity and much more besides…….

Cont/d….

The attraction of the term the ‘learning society’ lies in the implicit promise not only of economic development but of regeneration of our whole public sphere. Citizens of a ‘learning society’ would, by means of their continuing education and training, be able to engage in critical dialogue and action to improve the quality of life for the whole community and to ensure social integration as well as economic success.”

(Director Frank Coffield)

Workplace Learning

• Initial work-based learning

• work-based degrees and ‘foundation’ degrees

• non-formal work-based learning

• access to non-formal learning opportunities organised through the workplace

Work-based training for young people in England and Wales

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01

Line 1Line 2Line 3

*formerly known as Modern Apprenticeships. ** Formerly known as National Traineeships

Numbers starting training programmes (thousands)

Advanced modern apprenticeships

Foundation modern apprenticeships

Other training

Non-Formal Learning

Non-formal learning embraces unplanned learning in work situations and in domains of activity outside the formal economy, but may also include planned and explicit approaches to learning carried out in any of these environments which are not recognised within the formal education and training system.

Research Network

Improving Incentives to Learning in the Workplace

Teaching & LearningResearch Programme

T. L . R . P

Learning and Engagement

1. Engagement is essential for learning to take place

2. Learning may be situated in three ways: - practically - in culture of the workplace

- in the social world of the participants

3. Learning which is well-situated in each of these three ways will promote learner

engagement and learning success

4. Learning which is poorly situated in any of these three respects may lack

learner engagement and limit the prospects of learning success.

Does ‘situating learning’ strengthen learning processes and prospects of enhancing learning success through ‘engagement’?

Improving incentives to learning at work:the research network

• Two overarching themes linking five projects - situated learning in the workplace and the ‘employment relationship’

• The employment relationship under different regulatory frameworks (Rainbird)

• The role of tacit skills in work re-entry(Evans)

• Key skills in older workers and new recruits (Unwin)

• Apprenticeship as a model of learning in contemporary society(Senker)

• The school as a site of work-based learning for teachers (Hodkinson)

Features

• Integration: practical issues, theoretical concerns, multi-disciplinary perspectives on related themes

• Practitioner involvement and support: the role of the practitioner advisor and the advisory group

• International links and dissemination

Communities of practice

activity

learning knowledge

authentic

culture

Social framework I

Communities of practice

“Situated Learning”

„Knowledge is situated,being in part a product ofthe activity, context andculture in which it isdeveloped and used.”(Brown et.al, 1989)

Communities of practice

Social framework II

Socially- created networks across cultures

Concepts

MeaningsUnderstandings,

“the nature of knowledge is sociallyembedded” (Lave, 1991).

Social practices

BeliefsValues

‘Situated Learning’ and ‘Communities of Practice’

‚Situated Learning‘ takes account of social inter -action and physical activity.

‚Situated Learning‘ takes account of social inter -action and physical activity. Learning is

embedded in a cultural-social

context of everyday activities.

Learning is embedded in a cultural-social

context of everyday activities.Learning always

takes place in relation to people and their contexts.

Learning always takes place in

relation to people and their contexts.

‚Communities of Practice‘ - the idea that learning is constituted through the sharing of a purposeful activity.

‚Communities of Practice‘ - the idea that learning is constituted through the sharing of a purposeful activity.

Learning =Social process of

interaction situated ina ‘community ofsocial practice’

Concept of ‘situatedlearning’

Situated approachesto learning

Concept of‘communities of

practice’/‘communities ofsocial practice’

Based on social interaction. Acknowledges that skills, knowledge and under-

standing an individual develops are acquired in(particular) settings, acknowledges the socialcontext in which learning takes place.

Focus on and tries to understand the learningprocess.

Recognises strengths and potentials (not deficits)of learners.

Integrated and holistic approaches to learning. Creates the learning environment Strengthens the learning process. Offersdirect, authentic experience.

Offers:

Guidance,Advice,Support,Motivation,Encouragement,Motivation,Feedback,

Enhances:

Awareness,Meaning,Understanding,Becoming,Commitment,Reflection,Consciousness,Purpose,Inspiration

Engagement

A supportive framework for workplace learning

1) creates a supportive framework for engagement and learning.

2) provides a forum for exchanging and sharing experience, knowledge, ideas and skills and for negotiating understanding

Realities:the employment relationship

• Intensification of work• differential access to informal learning

opportunities and career progression• ‘learning poor’ v ‘learning rich’

environments• power relations between managers and

workers• employee ‘voice’-heard or unheard

'Workers soon to demand pay forwhat they have learned, no matterwhere they have learned it…learningthat takes place away from theclassroom, during leisure time, in thefamily or at work, is increasinglyseen as a resource that needs to bemore systematically used.

(CEDEFOP RELEASE,2001)

Non-Formal Learning

Non-formal learning embraces unplanned learning in work situations and in domains of activity outside the formal economy, but may also include planned and explicit approaches to learning carried out in any of these environments which are not recognised within the formal education and training system.

Types of Knowledge

Individual Organisation Region

Know that Sharedinfo/data bases

Institutions

Know why Sharedinterpretation

Culture

Know how Sharedpractices

Communities

Know who Networks Networks

Concepts and relationships: tacit skills, knowledge and the work process

Concept of “working knowledge”(Klusterer, 1978)

Concept of “knowledge in action”(SchÖn, 1983)

Polanyi:The tacit dimension

Ryle: The Intellectualist Legend

Concept of knowing(Dewey, 1920)

Work Process KnowledgeSituated Learning:communities of practice(Lave & Wenger)

Modes of cognition(Eraut, 1999)

Tacit skills andHRD

Concepts of competenceand qualification

Affective, social, personal factors

“developmentalcompetence”

(Ellstroem, 1997)

“Life-world becoming” (Barnett, 1994)

Learning environments

Tacit Skills

“indwelling”

Social shaping of work + technology(Heidegger, 1997)

Adapted from : Tacit-Key Projects UK

Director: Karen Evans Researcher: Bettina Hoffmann

Activity Theory(Engestrom)

Table 1: Mayer competencies: activities performed ‘most of the time’ by workcategory

‘Unskilled’(%)

Non-trade skilled (%) Trade(%)

Professional(%)

#Collecting, analysing andorganising information

51 64 55 75#Expressing ideas andinformation 32 57 48 58#Planning and organisingactivities 34 55 52 83#Working with others and inteams 81 78 73 50

#Using mathematical ideasand techniques 20 29 23 33#Solving problems

39 53 52 75#Using technology 49 42 44 58

#Routine tasks 81 69 57 42

"Starfish-model"

Work content/subject matter related competencies

Learning competencies Methodological competencies

Competencies related tovalues and attitudes Social competencies

CASE STUDIES OF PARTICIPANTS IN CVT – JOB CHANGE PROGRAMMESAdvancement oriented, work centred attitude

- predominantly males, ‘labour fore entrepreneur’ frequent job moves geared to advancement; high awareness of key competencies & know-how.

Precarious occupational biography in low graded jobs

- predominantly males; awareness of social competencies for adapting to new work situations; little confidence in ability to draw on other experiences or skills in new work situations, or recognition of their relevance.

Return to general job market after occupational break for personal (family reasons)

- predominantly stability-oriented females; awareness of key competencies gained outside work but knowledge that these are seen as equipping for helping/caring or low graded jobs (‘women’s work’)

- for males, awareness of key competencies but these are seen as irrelevant for work re-entry: ‘in a different dimension’

Aiming for self employment

- both males and females; high awareness of key competencies, used with confidence to pursue chosen business opportunities – does not rely on accreditation by others

Resuming high skilled professional career after career break

• focus on regaining lost technical skills and updating them – importance of key competencies gained outside work. Valued retrospectively, but irrelevant to work re-entry process.

60 per cent of adults had not engaged in any formal or informal learning activityoutside work in the previous three years (NIACE 1996).

The highest participation rates were amongst the younger adult cohorts and thehigher socio-economic groups and lowest amongst older adults ,unemployed andlower skilled occupational categories (McGivney, 1997:129-130).

The distribution of resources for learning at work is also skewed towards those whohave already benefited from an extended period of formal education.

Training opportunities are positively associated large workplaces; those whichrecognise trade unions; public rather than the private sector; and holders ofInvestors in People award. Nevertheless, the greatest differences in access to trainingprovision are across occupational groups.

Less than half of craft workers, operative and assembly workers and those inroutine, unskilled jobs had received any training in the previous year.

Part-time workers received less training than full-timers in all occupations. There was ‘a clear bias’ in favour of younger workers as against older workers

(Cully et al., 1999:149). Higher control and learning dispositions among young workers (including those on

most casualised contracts), but also stress and awareness of negative effects ofmarkets (Evans 2001)

Barriers to learning

Barriers of time , money or

encouragement reported by low paid workers

• 30% reported no barriers

• 17% one barrier

• 17% two

• 34% all three barriers

(Rainbird 2001, sample 300)