Demystifying Workplace Learning

'Education and Learning'

In order to effectively explore the efficacy of workplace learning, we first need to centralise and clarify the myriad of definitions and terminologies that cloud its understanding. A confluence of mystifying descriptions, that to the uninitiated act as a masonic capture impeding our ability to comprehend and critically assess it. So, for our first step, lets work out what workplace learning actually is.

The pediment of workplace learning is supported by the twin pillars of; ensuring employee education and creating opportunities for learning. Though frequently used interchangeably ‘learning’ and ‘education’ are distinct concepts and should be considered accordingly. Less as being two sides of the same coin but more as separate currencies entirely. As Nick Shackleton-Jones says, “Education is something that is done to you. Learning is something you choose to do.” Education has an imposed structure, a start and an end, think of it as a carefully mapped expedition with a clear route and all the reference points and distances marked. Whereas learning is more of an individual's personal odyssey into the unknown. To seek new experiences and to interact with new environments. Engendering them with skills and behaviours that'll determine how they navigate life.

Education in the workplace is instrumental in ensuring that employees possess the necessary knowledge to perform their duties effectively and compliantly. Like our school experiences, this type of training reflects the disciplined rhythm of our childhood. A conveyor belt of processed information ingestion and regurgitation. Education adheres to a scripted syllabus with prescribed goals, usually delivered through instructor-led training sessions, online courses punctuated by quizzes, or obligatory reading and testing. Picture factory workers being trained on machinery operation, industry captains gathering at conferences to be informed on the latest trends, or employees securing certifications and qualifications pertinent to their roles. Although workplace education is necessarily targeted, there is inherent value of the educational process itself. Roman Philosopher, Seneca the Younger remarked, “Study, not to know something else, but to know better”.

Almost two millennia later, in 1921, Albert Einstein echoed this sentiment. When Thomas Edison declared a college education to be of no use, Einstein retorted, “The gathering of facts is not the primary function of a college. One could learn them from books. The true merit of a liberal arts education lies not in the absorption of numerous facts, but in the conditioning of the mind to think independently, something that textbooks alone cannot provide”[i] . Seneca and Einstein both hint at the essential role of education in triggering the learning process.

Within a workplace setting, it isn't enough for employees to simply recall and regurgitate specific information gained through education. They need to cultivate a wider range of understanding that can only be acquired via the curiosity of learning rather than through direct instruction.

Learning is an inherently active process, fuelled by the individual's direct engagement. If we imagine a rock concert, learning isn’t the audience member, listening on the side-lines, instead, it is the performer, engaging wholeheartedly in the act. It is energetic, constant even creative.

“Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write reflectively about it, relate to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.” - Chickering, Arthur W. and Ehrmann Stephen C[ii]

Learning is the consequence of our surroundings. What we are exposed to and how we exchange with it. These interactions and experiences develop our knowledge, skills, behaviours, characters and qualities. Although Chickering and Ehrmann's reference is rooted in higher education, their notion seamlessly extends to the sphere of the workplace. The role of workplaces, therefore, is to ensure that their employees aren't mere onlookers; but encouraged to take centre stage, actively participating with their surroundings, to benefit and learn from their experiences and interactions. As the ancient Chinese proverb goes, “Tell me, I’ll forget - Show me, I’ll remember - Involve me, I’ll understand”.

If we briefly delve into the science of learning, we find that fundamentally it is about transforming information into memory, ready for recall when the situation demands. Interestingly, there's a deep-seated connection between learning and emotion – events that stir our feeling tend to leave a more enduring imprint on our memory than their more neutral peers. Hardly surprising when we consider the trials and tribulations of our earliest ancestors and their daily quests for survival. Remembering what plants make you sick, which animals are likely to bite and how to keep warm were essential life lessons. I like this explanation by neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, “Emotion is not just something that happens to us or that we express; it's something that helps us learn”[iii] . The reason for this is that emotions stimulate the amygdala, a region of the brain responsible for forming memories. This explains why certain smells, feelings, or experiences can trigger recollections. For me, the smell of cinnamon will always conjure up memories of my Swedish grandmother, ‘Mormor’ and her home on the hill just outside Stockholm. If we take this belief through to the specific focus of this book it implies that for workplace learning to be truly effective, it ought to stir emotional responses.

Both employee education and learning are critical for the workplace, each offering unique benefits. Education imparts job-specific competency through a structured curriculum, while learning fosters a range of professional and personal skills through exposure and exploration. However, there is a fundamental challenge to imparting education or stimulating learning. The workforce is made up of individuals and no two individuals are alike. A range of personal idiosyncrasies and experiences will determine how people interact with their surroundings, what they find stimulating and emotive. There are even those who go further and argue that each of us has an inclination for a particular learning style. Perhaps, the way we learn is preordained or is it just another case of neuro myths and pseudo-science? Let's find out.

[i] Frank, P. (2007). Einstein - his life and times. Read Books.

[ii] Chickering, Arthur W. and Ehrmann Stephen C. (1996), “Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever,” AAHE Bulletin, October, pp. 3-6

[iii] Mary Helen Immordino-Yang (2016).?Emotions, learning, and the brain : exploring the educational implications of affective neuroscience. New York: W.W. Norton & Company

Excerpt from "Workplace Learning: Have we got it all wrong?"

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