Introduction
Adult learning is essential for professional development and productivity in organizations. The concept has gained increased attention in previous years, with many institutions and businesses adopting it to increase employee skills and expertise. Despite the increased adoption of adult learning, many organizations and educational institutions face challenges in developing effective techniques for adult learning. Adult learners in the workplace present unique qualities that institutions must understand to ensure effective learning. The learners possess a wealth of experience from previous knowledge, which is applicable in the learning process for positive outcomes. At the same time, adult learners in the workplace are highly motivated to add skills and expertise that might enhance productivity and promotions. Finally, adults are self-directed and goal-oriented, requiring learning approaches that satisfy their demands. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the learning techniques, which may provide a comprehensive learning process enhancing professionalism that can be applied to organizational productivity. This essay discusses adult learning perspectives and applicable techniques for learning, drawing data from peer-reviewed literature regarding adult learning at the workplace.
The peer-reviewed articles chosen for the literature review include four journals discussing various learning methods for adult learners in the workplace. The articles provide valuable information on how institutions and organizations facilitate adult workplace learning to promote professionalism and productivity. The article’s findings illustrate the importance of incorporating adult learners’ unique characteristics in instructional methods to achieve the desired outcome. The articles focus on informal and self-directed learning methods, which can be adapted to create an efficient and holistic learning process that facilitates positive outcomes for employees, the organization, and the community.
Intentional Incidental Learning
Incidental learning is an effective method of informal adult learning in the workplace. The technique involves education that occurs unintentionally and randomly where the learning objective is not paramount to the learner. For instance, a learner can learn through observation of daily activities without being conscious of acquiring skills and expertise in the learning process. Intentional learning refers to learning that takes place deliberately with an aim and objective at the end of the learning process. For example, a learner may research various literary works to understand a particular phenomenon. From the explanations, the incidental intentional technique combines random and objective-oriented learning to achieve the desired result. According to Hunter (2014), intentional incidental learning occurs when employees obtain expertise and relevant knowledge through daily activities and interactions instead of formal training. Therefore, individuals acquire professionalism unconsciously while performing intentional duties at the workplace and other places to enhance their knowledge.
Intentional incidental learning offers numerous benefits to the individual and organization. The technique is unpredictable and dynamic, enhancing attention and critical thinking since the learner is always alert to acquire relevant knowledge during the learning process. Fenwick (2010) argues that effective adult learning in the workplace should be dynamic and unpredictable, which can help employees navigate uncertain and complex situations. At the same time, adult learning in the workplace should focus on promoting critical thinking and the ability to work with unstructured plans due to evolving workplace dynamics (Hunter, 0000). Therefore, intentional incidental learning is a practical approach to adult learning in the workplace to enhance critical thinking and the ability to face challenging and unpredictable situations. Consequently, intentional incidental learning is lifelong, offering knowledge, skills, and professional expertise that last for a lifespan. According to Hunter (2014), the approach allows employees to acquire knowledge and skills through on-job activities, the community, and lifestyles, which stays with them throughout their lives. Hence, employees learn to become aware of their surroundings at home, work, community, and social places to enhance their skills and professionalism.
Community Learning
Community learning has gained much attention as an effective approach to training and adult learning in the workplace. The technique involves learning through actions provided by cultural and social factors that enhance cognitive skills (Fenwick, 2010). Community learning is achieved through community learning centers CLCs that provide a basis for informal education through participation, study circles, and group work. Balete et al. (2022) define CLC as an external local and informal learning area. The environment is a mediating factor for individual learning, where employees obtain knowledge from the community and their surroundings. The community effect learning by providing resources and opportunities for action, which influence individual behaviors. In turn, individuals inject their knowledge, experience, and expertise into the community, creating a cycle of learning that is individually beneficial at the organization and community levels.
Community learning effectively provides wholistic education and empowers employees and community members to become productive citizens. CLCs significantly promote education locally and nationally, facilitating the equal acquisition of relevant knowledge and expertise for improved organizational and community productivity. Balete et al.’s. (2022) research shows that numerous countries worldwide have adopted CLCs, which have enhanced the building of national associations that provide support services for adult learning in the workplace. Mukeredzi (2020) supports the claim that workplace learning in adult education and training centers promotes fair distribution of skills and expertise, reducing inequality in education among community members. The community learning centers promote active citizenship leading to local and national transformation, which increases organizational productivity. Further, learning in community centers improves work quality, incidental learning, and learning decision-making, which is vital in the dynamic and unstructured changes in the labor market (Mukeredzi, 2020). Therefore, institutions and organizations should adopt the approach to ensure equal opportunities and all-around skills acquisition that enhance professionalism, productivity, and competitiveness.
Networking
Finally, networking has been highlighted as an effective technique in adult learning in the workplace. The approach refers to sharing information between individuals and groups within an organization (Fenwick, 2010). The information can be shared manually or electronically using modern technology such as email, online chat groups, and discussion forums. Networking is essential in sharing experiences, knowledge, and skills that enhance organizational productivity. The approach enhances healthy competition between employees as an individual is pushed to obtain additional knowledge to gain an upper hand that can be shared with time. According to Fenwick’s (2010) findings, organizational managers encourage networking to pool information and professional contacts, which can be used to get new opportunities. Thus, the technique is efficient in adult learning processes in the workplace as it ensures the flow of information and keeps up with organizational trends to ensure productivity and professionalism.
Conclusion
Overall, adult learning in the workplace has gained popularity over the years, demanding effective strategies that meet the unique qualities of adult learners. The literature review highlighted three informal methods that can be adopted for practical adult education in the workplace: networking, intentional incidental learning, and community learning. The techniques provide critical learning elements, which embrace uncertainty, complex workplace dynamics, critical thinking, and wholistic learning that facilitate professionalism and organizational productivity. Therefore, adopting the techniques can lead to developing the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to deal with complex situations in the workplace and community, creating a positive impact locally, nationally, and globally.
References
Belete, S., Duke, C., Hinzen, H., Owusu-Boampong, A., & Khau, H. P. (2022). Community learning centers (CLCS) for adult learning and education (ALE): Development in and by Communities. International Review of Education, 68(2), 259–290. Web.
Fenwick, T. (2010). Workplace ‘learning’ and adult education. European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults, 1(1-2), 79–95. Web.
Hunter, C. (2014). Perspectives in AE-intentional incidental learning in the workplace: Implications for adult learning. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 26(2), 49–53. Web.
Mukeredzi, T. G. (2020). An exploration of workplace learning of center managers and educators in South African adult education and training centers. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 28(1), 5–26. Web.