Fostering informal learning strategies in the workplace: A training study

Abstract

BackgroundMost workplace learning is informal. However, some employees struggle to execute informal learning strategies effectively because they lack the necessary knowledge or skills or use their knowledge and skills ineffectively or not at all.ObjectivesWe examined the effects of computer‐based micro‐learning interventions that provide strategy knowledge, prompts, or both, on strategy knowledge, strategy use, and goal achievement—to compensate for these deficits.MethodsA total of 122 employees were randomized into four interventions groups, that is, knowledge, prompts, both, and waiting control group, for a longitudinal micro‐learning training experiment. The participants received 10 micro‐learning nuggets over a month.Results and ConclusionCompared with the control group, results of the interventions suggested that providing knowledge led to more declarative knowledge. Surprisingly, prompts resulted in more declarative knowledge. Combined interventions led to greater declarative knowledge, but no further synergetic effects could be observed. Over the training course, results showed positive, cubic effects on strategy use and for individual goal achievement for the prompts and combined intervention group. Qualitative data suggest a self‐assessment adjustment of strategy use. In future studies, interventions could be custom‐designed to compensate for the different deficits.

Continuous learning at work: the power of gamification

“…While scholars reported the harmful potential of persuasive design for intrinsic motivation and creativity (Prendergast, 2008), later research proved that, as long as individuals have some control over the given reward, they perceive more autonomy and motivation (Patall et al, 2008;Gerhart and Fang, 2015). Gamification needs other learning strategies to allow individuals to develop and build their skills and knowledge properly (Kittel and Seufert, 2023b). The most common combinations involve strategies like reflection and experimentation or different features (Luarn et al, 2023), such as game design mechanics or principles.…”