World Café

Question 2:
In the organizational setting, in what ways should learning from practice be intentionally formalized?

Institutions and organizations may be required to change in order to implement practice-oriented learning. They may need to revise traditional concepts of learning. Even academic institutions have traditionally been resistant to change, especially if programs have already been developed. To address such reactions, we may need to create new and evolving models, especially as resistance decreases.

The need for structured learning situations may vary, depending on factors such as the developmental stage of the student, the type of knowledge being conveyed, and the type of learning that needs to take place. Participants may resist if the learning situation is too structured; however, there may be a need for some structure (e.g., guidelines for reflection). There may be a developmental process of letting go of structure – where students move from a high degree of structure to less structure. Certain types of knowledge, such as technical knowledge, may be more effectively conveyed in a structured way.

Questions raised in the discussion:
• Is the type of learning different in structured and unstructured situations?
• How can we start designing unstructured programs?
• How can we teach learners to immediately identify their own learning?
• Is there a method to structure mutual learning and mutual critique?

The university and the employer need to collaborate to maximize the student’s learning. There should not be a dichotomy between learning in the workplace and in the university, although each may provide different kinds of structure and foster different types of learning. Communication between the employer and university should occur in both directions; each can learn from the other.

A question raised in the discussion:
• How can we bring the university and workplace together so that they are not mutually exclusive?

• Return to World Café page