Workplace Education

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the fairly recent concept in the theory of teaching and learning - adult education in the workplace. The paper explains the role of the instructor, as well as the important elements that both learners and instructors must be aware of in order to facilitate the learning process. The paper also looks at how adult learners in the workplace tend to be more responsible than school and college learners, in terms of their learning goals. The paper then points out that the focus on student needs is another fairly recent development in education. The writer believes that this is particularly important in the success of workplace education, as the needs of adult students are very different from those of younger learners, for whom such theories were developed.

Outline:
Introduction
Role of the Instructor
Role of the Learner
Role of the Organization
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Being more mature than school and college learners, adult learners in the workplace also tend to be more responsible in terms of their learning goals. Being very focused on their learning as immediately beneficial in terms of their work life, such learners are therefore more likely to be self-directed in their learning and take responsibility for it. This responsibility, in my view, is then the primary role of the learner, or what Armstrong et al. (2005) refer to as the responsibility of the individual. However, this responsibility towards and of the self is only one aspect of the adult learner's responsibilities."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adkins, Sam S. The brave new world of learning - enterprise technology and workflow management. (2003, June). T+D. Database: FindArticles.com
• Armstrong, Joseph L., Barrett, Andrew, Brutchen, George W. , Chamboneth, Silvia & Stillisano, Jacqueline R. (2005). An Action Research Study of the Collaborative Learning Process. Vertex: The Online Journal of Adult and Workforce Education, Vol.1, Issue 4. http://vawin.jmu.edu/vertex/article.php?v=1&i=4&a=2
• Davies, Linda (2006, Winter). Learning to practise: Professional education in historical and contemporary perspective. McGill Journal of Education. Database: FindArticles.com
• Fisher, Thomas D. (1995, Fall). Self-directedness in adult vocational education students: its role in learning and implications for instruction. Journal of Vocational and Technical Education, Vol.12, No.1. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JVTE/v12n1/fisher.html
• Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan, Herrenkohl, Leslie Rupert (2002, Winter). Designing colalborativ elearning contexts. Theory Into Practice. Database: FindArticles.com.

More papers on Workplace Education:

• Article Review # 101732 : "Workplace Writing"
• Research Paper # 149714 : "Adult Education - An Overview"
• Essay # 28585 : "Preparing Students for 21st Century Workplace"

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