Participation In Informal Learning Activities Research Articles

Music culture teachers’ participation in informal lifelong learning activities

The purpose of this paper was to determine the frequency of Music Culture teachers’ participation in different types of informal lifelong learning activities, as well as to find out their opinions on the importance and contribution of the above-mentioned points to thedevelopment of their own competencies necessary for teaching Music Culture. It is concluded that teachers participate the most in informal learning activities which do not require dedication of additional time and accordingly, they participate less frequently in activities which require more of their attention. They feel competent in performing all musical activities. Furthermore, they see benefits and the importance of participating in informal learning activities, however, their opinions are divided when considering whether they should dedicate additional time to informal learning and when deciding whether their teaching would be of the same quality if they did not apply the new knowledge acquired through informal learning.

Informal learning and career identity formation: the mediating role of work engagement

PurposeThe aim of the study is to extend prior research on career identity formation by investigating whether individuals' participation in informal workplace learning activities positively relates to career identity. The study also examines whether work engagement significantly mediates the participation in informal learning and career identity relationship.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from a survey of 313 individuals in Iran, the study developed and tested measurement and structural models and employed partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings suggest that work engagement substantially mediates the positive relationship between participation in informal learning and career identity. Furthermore, the learning potential of the workplace and the propensities of individuals to actively approach situations that provide them with opportunities to learn and seek feedback on their performance have positive although varying relations with levels of participation in informal learning.Practical implicationsHuman resource management and career management specialists must be cognisant of the central role that employee participation in informal learning plays in strengthening their work engagement and career identity. Learning and development specialists should seek to create conditions in the work environment that are favourable to informal learning and work engagement.Originality/valueAlthough the role of formal development programmes in career identity formation is well documented, studies that examine links between participation in informal learning activities and career identity are very rare. Furthermore, there are no known studies that examine the potential mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between participation in informal learning activities and career identity.

Do Opportunities for Formal Learning Stimulate Follow-Up Participation in Informal Learning? A Three-Wave Study

Informal learning is an important source of employee adaptability and expertise, yet it is unclear how it may be encouraged through human resource management (HRM) practices. In this study, we investigate how opportunities for formal learning may be used to stimulate short- and long-term participation in informal learning. In addition, we examine whether HRM system strength intensifies the relationship between opportunities for formal learning and informal learning. Using a sample of 430 respondents in 52 teams within six Dutch vocational and educational training schools, we adopt a longitudinal design to examine two types of autonomous informal learning activities (reflection and keeping up to date), and three collaborative activities (asking for feedback, knowledge sharing and innovative behavior) over two years. Opportunity for formal learning was positively related to short- and long-term participation in informal learning activities, with the exception of long-term innovation. Moreover, HRM system strength intensified these relationships. Managerial implications of these findings for encouraging informal learning activities at work are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stimulating informal learning at work: The influence of leader-member exchange and goal orientation

Employees’ participation in informal learning activities is important as it enables them to adapt to a rapidly changing work environment. In this study, we investigate learning goal orientation (LGO) and performance goal orientation (PGO) as possible mediators of the relationship between the quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) and three informal learning activities: asking for feedback, knowledge sharing, and innovative behavior. To do so, we employed a longitudinal (three-wave) survey study (>143 teachers within 33 teams for every wave) conducted over a year. LGO partially mediated the relationship between LMX and asking for feedback, and fully mediated the relationship between LMX and innovative behavior. LMX also had a direct positive effect on knowledge sharing. In contrast, performance goal orientation appeared not to influence participation in any of the three informal learning activities. These relationships were consistent across all three waves of the study, even after controlling for past levels of each variable in the previous wave. We conclude that supervisors can encourage employees to adopt a learning orientation and engage in informal learning if they strive to maintain a high-quality relationship with them that is based on mutual trust and respect.

The library as a learning organization and the climate for updating in a period of rapidly changing technologies

AbstractRapidly changing technologies in libraries require continuous learning on the part of staff, particularly librarians, to keep up to date. This paper examines some of the factors affecting the participation of librarians in professional development activities. Reference librarians working in large urban public libraries in Ontario were surveyed in 2001. Data on their participation in formal and informal learning activities, together with information about their perceptions of their libraries' environment with respect to updating and learning were obtained from 553 respondents. The analysis shows that an environment which encourages learning plays a role in librarians' participation in professional development, particularly participation in informal learning activities, such as discussions with colleagues, reading and conference participation. Surprisingly, the climate for updating was found to reduce participation levels in informal activities. Having a supportive manager who provides feedback about job performance, assigns opportunities to develop and strengthen new skills and supports attempts to acquire additional training plays a positive role in the participation of reference librarians in informal professional development activities. If libraries are truly determined to become learning organizations, they must first examine their own culture of learning and climate for updating.

Critical Reflection and Readiness for University in Non-Traditional Students: Implications for Informal Educators

Within the context of increasing pressures to widen participation, this article is based on small-scale qualitative research into the pre-course experiences of some non-traditional students undertaking a BA in Community Education. The central idea is that developing the capacity for critical reflection (Brookfield, 2000), through participation in informal learning activities, is significant in enabling the ‘readiness’ of non-traditional students for university. If this is the case, it follows that there are pedagogical implications for the work of informal educators in assisting adult learners to develop this capacity. In some ways the article can be read as a response to Preece et al's (1998, p 7) call for further research into ‘how curriculum content and teaching and learning styles’ can sustain and widen participation. The article concludes by suggesting that the development of this capacity could form a crucial bridge between informal modes of learning and the learning required in HE.