Loo, S

Sutton, B

English

UCL Discovery

Informal Learning, Practitioner Inquiry and Occupational EducationProfessor Brian Sutton and Dr Sai LooUALL Work and Learning Network Annual Conference 2019, University of the Arts, London @ 28 JunIntroduction• Theoretical Framework 1 – Informal learning– Rationale of this project– Informal learning– Professional inquiry– Occupational education• Project details – 11 ‘case studies’• Theoretical Framework 2 – Informal learning• Preliminary findings• Tentative conclusionsTheoretical framework – I (Informal learning)• Learning continuum/spectrum: formal (Clarke and Winch, 2004) and informal (Coffield, 2000; Hager, 2004; Hager and Halliday, 2008; Marsick and Watkins, 2016; Segers, Dochy and Messmann, 2018)• Perspectives of informal learning• Perspectives of know-how from an epistemological approach(Evans 2016; Loo 2018)• Relevance of informal learning and related know-how to the case studies of this project• Possibility of capturing the nuanced insights from the ‘empirical case studies’ to formulating a conceptual framework of informal learning, professional inquiry and occupational educationProject details11 Case Studies• 2 Board level coaches• 2 Nutritional therapy academics• 1 academic – equine assisted leadership development• 1 corporate leadership trainer/consultant• 1 head of a professional body• 1 road transportation strategist• 1 police consultant – child homicide• 1 Jazz musician / marketing academic• 1 ActorHE Exposure• 3 Mdx Transdisciplinary MProfgraduates• 2 Mdx DProf by Public Works graduates• 3 Mdx DProf graduates• 2 current Mdx DProf students• 1 no exposure to Mdx pedagogyTheoretical framework II – Practitioner inquirySignature tools that underpin informal learningSocial / collaborative relationships that underpin informal learningSignature processesthat underpin informal learningPreliminary findings• 8 of the 11 cases report one or more mid career shifts of profession– Nursing Law Board level coaching– Industrial psychologist academic Equine assisted leadership– European languages foreign aid Nutritional Therapy– To be explored• Does achievement in one profession conveys transferable skills and approaches that reduce time to competence and increase success in a new profession?• 7 of the 11 cases highlighted the collaborative nature of learning and sense making with and through others.– We are already seeing a• Social element• Process element• 6 of the 11 cases operate with emerging professionsTentative conclusions• Based upon this small sample we are seeing some interesting trends that may be pointers to a wider patterns of how professionals learn and develop within and across careers– All 11 have careers that are punctuated by rather than built upon formal education programmes.– Only 2 of this sample are operating within the profession for which they were originally educated– 8 of the 11 are consistently engaged in the creation of new understanding and modes of practice rather than the direct application of existing theory• None of them think of themselves as researchers and too often their theoretical insights do not feed back into the academy• All exhibit natural curiosity– 5 of the 11 speak of the importance of• Embodied knowledge• Co-creating understanding in the momentTheoretical framework II – Practitioner inquirySignature tools that underpin informal learningSocial / collaborative relationships that underpin informal learningSignature processesthat underpin informal learning• Journaling• Reflection• Multiple feedback loops• Experimentation• Improvisation•Imitate – Assimilate - InnovateInformal professional learning appears to be focused primarily on finding new ways of being in the world. • Experiencing• Negotiating• Relating• TranslatingReferences• Clarke, L. and Winch, C. (2004). Apprenticeship and Applied Theoretical Knowledge. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Incorporating ACCESS, 36(5), 509-521.• Evans, K. (2016). Higher vocational learning and knowledgeable practice: The newly qualified practitioner at work. In S. Loo and J. Jameson (Eds.) Vocationalism in Further and Higher Education: Policy, Programmes and Pedagogy. (pp. 117-130). Abingdon: Routledge.• Hager, P. (2004). Front-loading, Workplace Learning and Skill Development. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Incorporating ACCESS, 36(5), 523-534.• Loo S (2018) Teachers and Teaching in Vocational and Professional Education. Abingdon, Routledge.

Practitioner Inquiry, Informal Learning and Occupational Education: Learning and transformation

https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10114547/1/Loo_UALL2019SuttonLooV1.0.pdf

Practitioner Inquiry, Informal Learning and Occupational Education: Learning and transformation

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