Part IV Creating Learning Environments
10.7 Future Work
Some concluding aspects can also be made concerning future work. At the moment, I see the following prospects.
• Continued development of the system
As said earlier, there are not yet any evidence of real system use and effects due to that the system not yet has been implemented on a large scale in the manufacturing workplace. I find this to be a drawback in this thesis work regarding the legitimacy claims of the thoughts and ideas this work proposes. There are plans for implementing the system and it is going to be interesting to see what such an implantation brings about concerning real and not only anticipated effects on the workplace and the company.
10 Concepts in Creating Learning Environments in Manufacturing Workplaces
• A more widespread and profound theoretical analysis.
This thesis work represents a first step in theorizing about developing information systems for learning and acquiring of work knowledge in manufacturing workplaces. The primary goal when relating the empirical work to theory has been to find insights that are ‘directly’ applicable to the concepts found in the empirical work. In doing that, it is hard to know when to stop due to that it is always possible to find more aspects to relate and make something out of. In that sense the empirical work, or parts of the empirical work, can be further analyzed with respect to theory.
• An actor sensitive approach to knowledge and learning
Another possible direction concerning future work is to more profound study the ‘meaning’ of systems for learning and knowledge from different actors’ point of view by having an actor sensitive approach to information systems. It could be interesting to further study the way different actors or actor groups give and embed meaning to such systems.
• The artifact- activity and learning relationship
A central theme in this thesis work is the relationship between artifact and activity and in what way that relationship ‘sets the scene’ for learning. It would be interesting to further investigate that relationship in more detail and in relation to other industries.
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LINKÖPINGS UNIVERSITET Rapporttyp Report category Licentiatavhandling Examensarbete C-uppsats D-uppsats Övrig rapport Språk Language Svenska/Swedish Engelska/English Titel Title Författare Author Sammanfattning Abstract ISBN ISRN
S e rietitel och serienummer ISSN
Title of series, numbering
Faculty of Arts and Sciences thesis 69
Nyckelord
Keywords
Datum
Date
URL för elektronisk version
X X 2003-11-19 Avdelning, institution Division, department Institutionen för datavetenskap Department of Computer and Information Science
Information Technology for Learning and Acquiring of Work Knowledge among Production Workers
Fredrik Ericsson
This thesis is about information technology for learning and acquiring of work knowledge among production workers in a manufacturing company. Focus is on production or factory workers in workplaces where the job workers do have a routine character. The thesis builds upon a research project aiming at developing an information system for learning and acquiring of work knowledge among production workers. The system manages manufacturing related operational disturbances and production workers use the system to learn from operational disturbances in such a way that workers do the job grounded on knowledge of prior dis turbances. The thesis covers intervention measures aiming at integrating learning and work by developing an information system. The thesis presents and elaborates on the process and outcome of such a development. The empirical work in this thesis is based on an action case study research approach.
The thesis proposes three interrelated aspects concerning use of information technology for learning and acquiring work knowledge among production workers. Such aspects are the (a) work practice, (b) learning and acquiring of work knowledge and (c) information systems. These aspects must be considered as a coherent whole to seek to integrate learning and work (i.e. to create a learning environment). The work practice sets the scope for workplace learning (to what extent learning takes place at work). The scope for learning is related to for example, machinery and equipment, management and the organizing principle of work. Learning and acquiring of work knowledge is related to in what ways workers learn about the job. Information systems must be in alignment with the practice and the ways workers learn and acquire work knowledge.
Workplace learning, information systems, experiential learning, learning, knowledge, knowledge management 91-7373-763-1
Department of Computer and Information Science Linköpings universitet
Linköping Studies in Science and Technology Faculty of Arts and Sciences - Licentiate Theses
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