Expansive learning environment and tools for its formation

Informal learning in everyday working life is considered one of the most important ways of adults' learning (Kearns, 2015; Lancaster, 2020; Paine, 2019). Compared to formal education, it is no longer considered secondary or inferior, but a full-fledged form of work-related training (Wheeler, 2019).

Informal learning makes it possible for us to learn the basic rules of organizations (their values, standards, and role expectations) and to share skills and know-how, in addition to bringing inspiration. Also, it is associated with the specific life experience of adults, so it is directly relevant to learners, enhancing its meaningfulness which is the main reason for most adults to continue in their learning (Eagleman, 2020).

For this form of learning the characteristics of the workplace environment are crucial as they directly affect what this learning looks like – how much people can learn from each other, if they can participate in it, what frequency the learning has, and how much adults can benefit from it. Due to that, the work environment is also a learning environment, and some researchers (e.g., Massman et al., 2018) believe that they are inseparable. The learning process and the learning context, the learners and the organizations, permeate and shape one another.

What are then the features of a workplace environment that makes it possible to encourage mutual social learning? One possible answer to this question is offered by Alison Fuller and Lorna Unwin (2004, 2013) in their distinguishing between "expansive" and "restrictive" aspects of the workplace environment. Based on the theory of social and situational learning by Etienne Wenger (Lave & Wenger, 1991, Wenger, 1998), the authors created a categorization of features that enable or hinder the development of informal learning.

They used two sets of characteristics to describe a workplace environment. On the one hand, it is about understanding the organizational context and culture of the organization, and on the other, how employees in the organization learn through various forms of participation. They describe an environment that is highly inclusive and reinforces informal learning as "expansive", while they label an environment where such forms of learning are hindered as "restrictive". There is a relatively broad continuum between these two where most organizations operate.

The checklist of ten basic attributes of an expansive learning environment, which organizations can check below, contains the following items (Fuller & Unwin, 2004, p. 136; 2013, p. 52):

1. Participation in different communities of practice is encouraged.
2. Primary community of practice has shared participative memory.
3. Vision of workplace learning.
4. Recognition of and support for workers as learners.
5. Workforce development used as vehicle for aligning goals of the organization and of the individual.
6. Skills widely distributed through workplace.
7. Multi-dimensional concept of expertise.
8. Deeper learning beyond immediate job requirements.
9. Managers given time to support workforce development and facilitate workplace learning.
10. Workers given discretion to make judgements and contribute to decision-making.

As part of a challenging but extremely valuable road to building an organization with an expansive learning environment, a variety of tools can be used as described in the current literature (Kearns, 2015; Lancaster, 2020; Massman et al., 2018; Paine, 2019; Wheeler, 2019). Persons responsible for Learning & Development in a certain organization can create from them a repertoire of measures "tailored" to requirements of the organization.

Tools for increasing participation in different communities of practice

• Systematic involvement of employees in various work teams. Using the principle of short-term and medium-term rotation of work.
• Guiding employees to actively build personal learning networks related to their tasks, professions or sector of activity, e.g. through social networks (Linkedin, Twitter, etc.), web tools (blogs and discussion forums), or education outside the organization (conferences, seminars).

Tools for building shared participative memory

• Creating repositories of information materials to which all members of the organization have access. Enabling the widest possible participation in sharing information and experience.
• Organizing regular events to promote shared learning (discussion groups, internal meetings and conferences) with an emphasis on the personal experience of the participants and the opportunity to actively participate in debates and in sharing information and experience.
• Selecting the topics of such events based on the current educational needs of the employees, using them to regularly monitor educational needs and to give feedback on the quality of informal learning in the organization.

Tools for creating vision of workplace learning

• Making social learning one of the core values of the organization, promoting it and systematically making it visible and rewarding.
• Formulating a clear position of mutual learning for the further professional growth of the employees both within the organization and within their fields of work.
• Including the building of a strong culture of mutual learning among the strategic goals of the organization.
• Unambiguously defining the functions and benefits of informal learning for organizations.

Tools for support workers as learners

• Creating a specific time space for mutual learning during the working day, week and year (e.g. in breaks during the day - a longer lunch break, or at the end - short reflective meetings).
• Using appropriate physical spaces (architectural layout) as well as virtual infrastructure (e.g. the existing social networks, discussion forums and other digital communication platforms) to support informal learning.
• Motivating newcomers to actively engage in communication and information sharing. Using both formal or informal mentoring and coaching to achieve this goal.

Tools for interlinking workforce and organization goals

• Unambiguously defining the functions and benefits of informal learning for the organization and for each employee.
• Linking the educational goals of individuals (their individual career and educational plans) with the educational strategy and business strategy of the organization.

Tools for widening distribution of skills through workplace

• Building interdisciplinary work teams where individuals can gain new knowledge and skills.
• Disseminating the educational content based on "best practice" through information brochures, case studies, newsletters, etc.
• Identifying the holders of key skills and subsequently motivating them to pass on the key skills to other members of the organization.

Tools for enhancing multi-dimensional expertise

• Building interdisciplinary work teams.
• Systematically obtaining feedback from the external environment on the key tasks and challenges of the organization, e.g. through invited experts, etc.
• Involving experts from the external environment in the functioning of the organization.

Tools for deeper learning beyond immediate job requirements

• Enabling the employees to deepen their key skills in areas critical to the organization over a longer period through weekly, monthly or semi-annual sabbaticals.
• Using mentoring and coaching outside the organization.
• Using internships in other organizations.

Tools for increasing involvement of managers in learning

• Making involvement in informal learning one of the main activities of the managers. Allocating part of the work capacity to actively encourage social learning and support the employees at work.
• Motivating the management to a thorough analysis of educational needs for the implementation of the strategic goals of the organization and for coping with challenges the organization faces.
• Evaluating the contribution of informal learning for changes in teamwork and achieving positive changes in the organization.

Tools for engagement of workers

• Involving the employees in the choice of goals and forms of education, including an assessment of its contribution to the work of each specific employee.
• Supporting the employees in self-regulated learning and forming their ability of self-directed learning. Supporting the self-reflexive practices of employees, e.g. in the form of creating "critical" work notes, self-reflective diaries, or suggestions to improve their own work and the operating of the organization.
• Involving the employees in the creation, adjustment, and dissemination of the educational content, making them co-creators and actors in everyday educational practice.
• Having a tolerant approach to the employees' mistakes, analysing them regularly. Encouraging sharing and experimenting, e.g. through the managers’ targeted mentoring/coaching.
• Using an inspiring and informal environment (e.g. cafes, places outside the organization, etc.) to deepen the appeal and inspiration of mutual learning.

References

Eagleman, D. (2020). Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain. New York: Pantheon Books.

Fuller, A. & Unwin, L. (2004). Expansive Learning Environments: Integrating Organizational and Personal Development. In Rainbird, H., Fuller, A, & Munro, A. (eds). Workplace learning in Context. London, New York: Routledge.

Fuller, A. & Unwin, L. (2013). Workplace Learning and Organization. In Malloch, M., Cairs, L., Evans, K. & O´Connor B., N. (ed.) The SAGE Handbook of Workplace Learning London: Sage.  

Kearns, P. (2015). Organizational Learning and Development. From an Evidence Base. London, New York: Routledge.

Lancaster, A. (2020). Driving Performance Through Learning. Develop employees through effective workplace learning. London: Kogan Page Limited.

Lave,J. & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated Learning. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

Messmann, G., Segers, M. Doochy, F. (eds). (2018). Informal Learning at Work. Triggers, Antecedents and Consequences. London, New York: Routledge.,

Paine, N. (2019). Workplace Learning. How to build a culture of continuous employee development. London: Kogan Page.

Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wheeler, S. (2019). Digital Learning in Organizations. Help your workforce capitalize on technology. London: Kogan Page.