The homepage of the International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning (IJWIL) defines (in part) work-integrated learning (WIL) as "an educational approach involving three parties - the student, educational institution, and an external stakeholder - consisting of authentic work-focused experiences as an intentional component of the curriculum” and provide examples such as “work-related projects/competitions” (emphasis added).
Gijbels et al (2012: 417), citing Taris (2007), define work-related learning (WRL) as the “acquisition of new knowledge and skills that are of importance in order to be able to function within the work situation”. They remark that formal learning programmes unfortunately do not necessarily keep up with the rapidly changing “requirements for workers’ knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) to stay competent” in jobs that are constantly changing. Therefore, they observe that WRL is of “increasing in importance for retaining a productive workforce, and for the employees themselves in retaining their employability”.
Gijbels et al (2012: 417) indicate that WRL includes both formal employer-sponsored training and educational initiatives, as well as informal “learning from the workplace environment and the job structure. Everyday work practice is full of potential learning processes”. Often informal learning takes place unconsciously, for example, from correcting/rectifying mistakes made, overcoming problems encountered, by consulting peers or asking for advice from colleagues, through observation, reading, and listening.
Van Puijenbroek et al (2014: 159) indicate that “The increasing use of social media at work offers organizations new opportunities for employee learning on the job”. Generally, the use of mobile devices and a multitude of social media are increasing. Instead of discouraging usage in the workplace, “a supportive organizational culture, where learning and knowledge sharing are values shared by all employees” is recommended; which would be encouraging employees “to communicate faster and to share knowledge”, as well as to “learn anytime and anywhere”; by interacting, sharing information with each other, and learning continuously. “An important dimension of such an organizational culture is communication, especially dialogue and inquiry”, where “employees collaborate by building trust, giving each other feedback and asking for it in return” (p. 160).
Virtual human resource development (VHRD) “is defined as ‘a mediarich and culturally relevant web environment that strategically improves expertise, performance, innovation and community building through formal and informal learning’”, indicate Van Puijenbroek et al (2014: 159) by citing Bennett (2009, p. 365).
Van Puijenbroek et al (2014: 161) researched “the effect of social media use on workplace learning”. The conceptual model of their study, comprising two hypotheses, is presented in Figure 1 below.
- Hypothesis 1: Employees who use more social media in their job will perceive they learn a lot compared to employees who use little or no social media in their job.
- Hypothesis 2: The effect of social media use on work-related learning will get stronger as employees perceive a stronger culture of dialogue and inquiry.
Van Puijenbroek et al (2014: 167) found “that social media use has a positive relationship with learning activities that employees say they carry out in their jobs”. Those “employees who highly use social media in their jobs” learned more frequently.
Gijbels, D.; Raemdonck, I.; Vervecken, D. & Van Herck, J. (2012). Understanding work-related learning: the case of ICT workers. Journal of Workplace Learning, 24 (6), 416-429.
International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning (IJWIL) https://www.ijwil.org/
Van Puijenbroek, T.; Poell, R.F.; Kroon, B. & Timmerman, V. (2014). The effect of social media use on work-related learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 30, 159–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12037
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