Self-Directed Learning as a Practice of Workplace Learning : Interpretative Repertoires of Self-Directed Learning in ICT Work
Lemmetty, S., & Collin, K. (2020). Self-Directed Learning as a Practice of Workplace Learning : Interpretative Repertoires of Self-Directed Learning in ICT Work. Vocations and Learning, 13(1), 47-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-019-09228-x
Published in
Vocations and LearningDate
2020Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019
Changing technologies and competition in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) are challenging the learning of individual workers and teams alongside and through work. Organisations call for employees’ autonomy and self-directedness executed by agile operations and low hierarchies, where learning is also increasingly the responsibility of the individuals and teams themselves and occurs in practice without strong control of the organisation. Therefore, the multidimensional concept of self-directed learning becomes essential in the context of learning at work. In this study, we examine how employees in the ICT sector describe self-directed learning practices in the context of workplace learning. Our data consist of interviews with ICT employees in two organisations, which undergo an applied discourse analysis. The workers talked about self-directed learning as an obliged, creativity-enhanced as well as flexible and fast-paced practice. Self-directed learning was also described as a practice tied to work itself. The paper concludes with a discussion on how these partly conflicting discourses about self-directed learning practice in work could be considered in practices related to enhancing such learning in the ICT field. Suggestions for future investigations are also presented.
...
Publisher
Springer NetherlandsISSN Search the Publication Forum
1874-785XKeywords
Publication in research information system
https://converis.jyu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/32180462
Metadata
Show full item recordCollections
Related funder(s)
Finnish Work Environment FundFunding program(s)
OthersAdditional information about funding
This work was supported by the Finnish Work Environment Fund (project number 117300). We would like to thank the target organisations and the participants who voluntarily spent their time with us.License
Related items
Showing items with similar title or keywords.
-
Employee opportunities for self-directed learning at technology organisations : features and frames of self-directed learning projects
Lemmetty, Soila (Routledge, 2021)The importance of self-directed learning (SDL) in a business environment has been highlighted as a way to increase an organisation’s competitiveness and innovativeness. While organisations increasingly require SDL from ... -
Self-organised structures in the field of ICT : challenges for employees’ workplace learning
Collin, Kaija Marjukka; Keronen, Sara; Lemmetty, Soila; Auvinen, Tommi; Riivari, Elina (Emerald, 2021)Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the challenges of low hierarchy and self-organised structures for employees’ learning and competency development at work. In the past decade, interest in employees’ and ... -
University students’ interpretations of study-related peer sociality
Kosonen, Toni; Mäkinen, Marita; Annala, Johanna; Penttinen, Leena (Routledge, 2023)This article explores university students’ interpretations of peer sociality in the context of academic studies. The study draws on thematic interviews with Finnish students (n = 28) representing two sets of study fields ... -
Co-Occurrence of Sociocultural Elements and Self-Direction in Learning Situations : A Police Organization Case Study
Lemmetty, Soila; Collin, Kaija (SAGE Publications, 2022)Adult’s self-direction and self-directed learning (SDL) have become topics in the discussion of work-related adult learning and an autonomous approach, emphasizing responsibility and independence, has received increasing ... -
Self-direction
Lemmetty, Soila; Collin, Kaija (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020)Self-direction refers to an individual’s responsibility and active role in relation to their own activities. It has largely been considered from the perspective of the individual, with self-direction being seen as a ...