At the eApril conference Lorna Unwin gave a keynote on workplaces as sites for learning. A lot of us ‘work on the move’, so what is the definition of workplace? Lorna uses the metaphore of the russian doll for the workplace. The workplace is a world within worlds. We have to realize that we know not all about what really is going on in the workplace and what people actually do. Here lies on of the challenges for workbased learning.
Most workplaces have pedagogical strategies (broader then can be found in educational institutions). Thanks to recent social theories of learning there is a better understanding of these strategies.
Workplace learning involves a range of learning (deliberate, accidental etc.) but also subversive (working around the rules). Behind workplace learning is a wide range.
Lorna talks about creating an environment for learning. How much space is their for sharing ideas in the workplace. Eg. no more staffrooms near the students
Advice of Lorna for the conference: do something different and learn beyond your comfort zones. Also try to understand the relationship between personal and collective knowing. We also have to realize that learning is not always the solution for the problem. It can also be the way we organize. People should get more trust.
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