Abstract
Workplace learning is defined variously and plays a pivotal role in the enhancement of vocational education teachers' practices. Based on a comprehensive desk-based review of the related literature, this article defines and discusses the concept of workplace learning and its contribution to vocational education teachers' continuous professional development. The article demonstrates explicitly that the existing theoretical frameworks guiding workplace learning are mainly drawn from different learning theories. Among these, Illeris's (2011) learning model is found to be theoretically sound and to provide a foundation to be extended to hypothesise about the relationships of various key concepts discussed in association with the workplace learning of vocational education teachers. Three lines of arguments have been identified for providing support to Illeris' model: (1) the significance of workplace learning practices, (2) individual and social aspects of learning situations, and (3) individual and social levels of workplace learning. In addition, based on Illeris's model and related literature on teacher professional development, the article proposes a workplace learning model for vocational education teachers and evaluates its implications for vocational education teachers' professional development, work identities, and transfer of knowledge into practice in the working situation in vocational education and training.
Highlights
Many organizations are still facing challenges in promoting employees’ wellbeing
The development of teacher identity is a dynamic process which involves the interaction of multiple parts including prior professional work experience, teacher education experience, current teaching practice, and teaching career plans (Olsen, 2008). This articles only focuses on the formation of work identities of vocational education teachers in their workplace learning along with their professional development. Their vocational identity is related to the specific vocational field, which requires that these teachers actively participate in a work-related community of practice so as to benefit from a high-quality professional identity in their continuing professional development (CPD) (Andersson & Köpsén, 2015)
Vocational teachers achieve this qualification through the practice of their work in workplace learning, and their learning is largely based on solving problems inherent in vocational education, such as student management, curriculum development, internship, and other practical issues, in order to improve their teaching skills and teaching quality
Summary
Many organizations are still facing challenges in promoting employees’ wellbeing Despite their success at making economic connections, organizations often lack adequate psychological support for their employees and fail to provide sufficient opportunities for cultural and social exchanges. To deal with these challenges, organizations need to promote new forms of collaboration among workers, provide them with professional skills and knowledge, establish their work identities, and, above all, engage them in different types of workplace learning that enhance job satisfaction ( Jacobs & Park, 2009; Tynjälä, 2013). The discussion highlights three dimensions of the model related to workplace learning identities, competence development, and the implementation of professional development for vocational education teachers in workplace learning. Our underlying goal is to conceptualize engagement in workplace learning activities that contribute to building learners’ work identity and directing individuals to actively engage in workplace practices
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