Hybrid professional learning networks for knowledge workers: educational theory inspiring new practices

Marlies Bitter-Rijpkema, Steven Verjans

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference Article in proceedingAcademicpeer-review

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    Abstract

    Knowledge workers need to acquire new knowledge and competences at an ever-increasing pace due to the fast changes in today’s knowledge society.. In addition, new (online) technologies revolutionise the way we communicate, learn and work. They trigger structural changes in the context and nature of professional work. For knowledge workers such as journalists, librarians or product designers it is not only the tools they work with that change. Structural changes also affect the core of their profession, as ubiquitous information, delivered via new media, is readily available any time any place. Traditional professional learning cannot cope with these changes. Hence, new ways of professional learning are needed. The question we need to answer is how to address the specific learning needs of knowledge professionals. Experience shows that these needs are not sufficiently met by existing learning technologies, neither by institutional (virtual) managed learning environments (MLE) nor by web2.0 based personal environments (PLE). Both approaches have crucial shortcomings for the highly contextualized teamwork of knowledge professionals. Hence this paper introduces the concept of hybrid professional learning networks as combining the best of both worlds, by offering manageable open flexibility and connectivity as well as the safety and control that matches the professional knowledge workers’ needs.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationInto something rich and strange - making sense of the sea-change. The 17th Association for Learning Technology Conference (ALT- C 2010).
    EditorsLinda Creanor, David Hawkridge, K. Ng, Frank Rennie
    Place of PublicationNottingham
    PublisherAssociation for Learning Technology
    Pages166-174
    ISBN (Print)978-0-9566312-0-6
    Publication statusPublished - 7 Jul 2010
    Event“Into something rich and strange" - making sense of the sea-change: Association for Learning Technology Conference - University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
    Duration: 7 Sept 20109 Sept 2010
    Conference number: 17

    Conference

    Conference“Into something rich and strange" - making sense of the sea-change
    Abbreviated titleALT-C 2010
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    CityNottingham
    Period7/09/109/09/10

    Keywords

    • PLE, personal learning environment
    • professional learning
    • MLE, managed learning environment
    • web 2.0
    • hybrid professional learning networks

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