The presentation reviews research on workplace learning first at a general level and second in terms of students’ work-related learning. It is divided into three parts. The first part analyses different research paradigms of workplace learning; the second part presents recent research findings; the last part puts forward challenges for future research. Although the history of research on workplace learning is short, the amount of research has increased enormously during recent years. The relationship between work and learning is a phenomenon that has attracted researchers from a range of disciplines from pedagogical and psychological approaches to organisational studies and management research. This has resulted in diversity of concepts, models and theories. Thus, the concept “learning” refers to processes taking place at different levels, from that of individuals and groups to communities of practice and organisations. The most recent extensions are the notions of network learning and regional learning. Altogether, fundamentally different phenomena have been the foci of workplace learning studies: individual development, knowledge acquisition, participatory processes, organisational and cultural transformation, innovation... The main reasons for this expansion are the rapid change of society and working life during the past few decades as well as transformations in conceptions of learning. Using the participation metaphor to illuminate the nature of learning has been typical although the cognitive paradigm and the acquisition view also are present in research. Furthermore, the increased use of the knowledge creation metaphor suggests that learning at work is increasingly seen as an innovative activity. Although workplace learning differs remarkably from learning in educational contexts there are some similarities between school-based and work-based learning, and in certain respects these different forms of learning are coming closer together. Different models of organising work experience for students as a part of formal education programmes are presented and analysed.

The presentation reviews research on workplace learning first at a general level and second in terms of students’ work-related learning. It is divided into three parts. The first part analyses different research paradigms of workplace learning; the second part presents recent research findings; and the last part puts forward challenges for future research. Although the history of research on workplace learning is short, the amount of research has increased enormously during the last few years. The relationship between work and learning is a phenomenon that has attracted researchers from a variety of disciplines ranging from pedagogical and psychological approaches to organisational studies and management research. This has resulted in diversity of concepts, models and theories in the field. Thus, the concept “learning” refers to processes taking place at different levels, from that of individuals and groups to communities of practice and organisations. The most recent extensions in the learning concept are the notions of network learning and regional learning. Altogether, fundamentally different phenomena have been the foci of workplace learning studies: individual development, knowledge acquisition, participatory processes, organisational and cultural transformation, innovation, and so on. The main reasons for the expansion of research are the unprecedented rapid change of society and working life during the past few decades as well as transformations in conceptions of learning. Using the participation metaphor to illuminate the nature of learning has been typical in research on workplace learning although the cognitive paradigm and the acquisition view also are present in research. Furthermore, the increased use of the knowledge creation metaphor suggests that learning at work is more and more seen as an innovative activity. Although workplace learning differs remarkably from learning in educational contexts there are some similarities in school-based and work-based learning, and in certain respects these different forms of learning are coming closer together.  Different models of organising work experience for students as a part of formal education programmes is presented and analysed.

The presentation reviews research on workplace learning first at a general level and second in terms of students’ work-related learning. It is divided into three parts. The first part analyses different research paradigms of workplace learning; the second part presents recent research findings; and the last part puts forward challenges for future research. Although the history of research on workplace learning is short, the amount of research has increased enormously during the last few years. The relationship between work and learning is a phenomenon that has attracted researchers from a variety of disciplines ranging from pedagogical and psychological approaches to organisational studies and management research. This has resulted in diversity of concepts, models and theories in the field. Thus, the concept “learning” refers to processes taking place at different levels, from that of individuals and groups to communities of practice and organisations. The most recent extensions in the learning concept are the notions of network learning and regional learning. Altogether, fundamentally different phenomena have been the foci of workplace learning studies: individual development, knowledge acquisition, participatory processes, organisational and cultural transformation, innovation, and so on. The main reasons for the expansion of research are the unprecedented rapid change of society and working life during the past few decades as well as transformations in conceptions of learning. Using the participation metaphor to illuminate the nature of learning has been typical in research on workplace learning although the cognitive paradigm and the acquisition view also are present in research. Furthermore, the increased use of the knowledge creation metaphor suggests that learning at work is more and more seen as an innovative activity. Although workplace learning differs remarkably from learning in educational contexts there are some similarities in school-based and work-based learning, and in certain respects these different forms of learning are coming closer together.  Different models of organising work experience for students as a part of formal education programmes is presented and analysed.

The presentation reviews research on workplace learning first at a general level and second in terms of students’ work-related learning. It is divided into three parts. The first part analyses different research paradigms of workplace learning; the second part presents recent research findings; and the last part puts forward challenges for future research. Although the history of research on workplace learning is short, the amount of research has increased enormously during the last few years. The relationship between work and learning is a phenomenon that has attracted researchers from a variety of disciplines ranging from pedagogical and psychological approaches to organisational studies and management research. This has resulted in diversity of concepts, models and theories in the field. Thus, the concept “learning” refers to processes taking place at different levels, from that of individuals and groups to communities of practice and organisations. The most recent extensions in the learning concept are the notions of network learning and regional learning. Altogether, fundamentally different phenomena have been the foci of workplace learning studies: individual development, knowledge acquisition, participatory processes, organisational and cultural transformation, innovation, and so on. The main reasons for the expansion of research are the unprecedented rapid change of society and working life during the past few decades as well as transformations in conceptions of learning. Using the participation metaphor to illuminate the nature of learning has been typical in research on workplace learning although the cognitive paradigm and the acquisition view also are present in research. Furthermore, the increased use of the knowledge creation metaphor suggests that learning at work is more and more seen as an innovative activity. Although workplace learning differs remarkably from learning in educational contexts there are some similarities in school-based and work-based learning, and in certain respects these different forms of learning are coming closer together.  Different models of organising work experience for students as a part of formal education programmes is presented and analysed.