Worlds within Worlds: The Relationship between Context and Pedagogy in the Workplace: Learning as Work Research Paper, No. 4 July 2005

This paper explores the different ways in which people engage in teaching and learning in the workplace. There is now much more awareness of the symbiotic relationship between workplace learning, the organisation of work, level of employee involvement, and organisational performance, and the broader economic, regulatory, and social context, within which organisations have to operate. The paper argues that we have to identify and take serious account of the contextual factors (external and internal) which affect all organisations as these are central to developing our understanding of the nature of pedagogical practice within any workplace setting. By closely examining the nature and impact of these contextual factors, we can gain greater insight into the mystery of why organisations adopt different practices and why they create such different learning environments. The paper draws on our tentative initial findings from the Learning as Work project and includes vignettes from both the public and private sectors to highlight the issues raised.