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      Rethinking informal and incidental learning in terms of complexity and the social context

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          Abstract

          Background and aims

          Informal workplace learning research suggests that it is highly contextual and social. Early models of such learning emphasized individual agency and control, but subsequent theorizing based on sociocultural and complexity theory unveils different interpretations of the dynamics of informal and incidental learning. The aim of this article is to critique and revisit conceptualizations of informal and incidental learning in light of recent research and theorizing that account for the dynamic complexity of learning that occurs on multiple planes or domains in the workplace.

          Methods

          In this conceptual article, drawing on the literature, the authors trace the development of informal and incidental learning theory from early conceptualizations of individual learning to today’s perspectives that account for the social and contextual nature of learning in the workplace. To extend current theory, we examine informal and incidental learning from the theoretical perspectives of sociocultural-historic and complexity sciences.

          Results and conclusion

          The results identify implications for how informal and incidental learning is described and theorized on a number of dimensions. We conclude that these more complex and dynamic theories give rise to an enriched understanding of informal and incidental learning as organic self-organizing systems and explore implications for how adult and workplace learning is conceptualized.

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          Most cited references24

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          Relational Interdependence Between Social and Individual Agency in Work and Working Life

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            Situated learning: Bridging sociocultural and cognitive theorising

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              Informal learning in the workplace

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                Author and article information

                Journal
                jalki
                JALKI
                Journal of Adult Learning, Knowledge and Innovation
                JALKI
                Akadémiai Kiadó (Budapest )
                25 March 2017
                : 1
                : 1
                : 27-34
                Affiliations
                [ 1 ]Department of Organization and Leadership, Teachers College, Columbia University , New York, NY, USA
                [ 2 ]Department of Lifelong Learning, Administration, and Policy, The University of Georgia , Athens, GA, USA
                [ 3 ]Human and Organizational Learning Department, The George Washington University , Washington DC, USA
                Author notes
                [* ]Correspondence: Victoria J. Marsick, PhD, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, 207 Zankel Hall, New York, NY 10027, USA; Phone: +1 212 678 3754; Fax: +1 212 678 3957; e-mail: marsick@ 123456tc.columbia.edu
                Article
                10.1556/2059.01.2016.003
                4c3efce8-b110-4d6f-9bc9-a8026b0e7d72
                © 2017 The Author(s)

                This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author and source are credited.

                History
                : 18 July 2016
                : 30 October 2016
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 1, Equations: 0, References: 48, Pages: 8
                Funding
                Funding sources: No financial support was received for this study.
                Categories
                ORIGINAL ARTICLE

                Evolutionary Biology,Medicine,Psychology,Educational research & Statistics,Social & Behavioral Sciences
                informal learning,incidental learning,social context,workplace learning

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