This Special Issue of the British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET) is devoted to TechnologyEnhanced Learning (TEL) in the workplace. Following a stream devoted to this subject at the University Forum for Human Resource Development Conference in 2013, we wanted to stimulate discussion on the use of such technology as part of learning in work situations. Therefore, this issue brings together contributions that provide relevant and current thinking about such learning, evidence of how it occurs and theoretical frameworks to enable its use.In 2006, Latchem undertook a content analysis of this journal, looking at editorials, refereed articles and colloquia in 31 issues of the publication between January 2000 and November 2005. Of these 374 items, only 3% were from "colleges, industry and the 'learning and skills sector' " (Latchem, 2006, p. 507)-the "learning and skills sector" included places of work-based learning, using the definition supplied by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) (2005), the then British government agency leading the national drive to ensure the effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning. This low input from nonacademic organisations was despite, as Latchem noted, many editorial reminders. For example, Rushby's January 2004 editorial (Rushby, 2004) stressed that BJET is as much for trainers in workplace settings as it is for those in academia. Consequently, Latchem's first conclusion was that BJET should aim to include more papers on educational technology in the workplace. Although it is not until now that a whole issue has been devoted to this subject, we hope that the articles in this Special Issue will encourage further dialogue and submissions on workplace TEL. Workplace learning in practiceMost people learn at, or through, work rather than by way of formal education courses-and yet, as Latchem (2006) shows above, literature relating to TEL in the workplace has paid scant attention to this. This Special Issue aims to bridge that gap by addressing Latchem's call for BJET to include more workplace-learning articles in order to help "translate rhetoric into action and research into practice" (p. 510).With its advantages over traditional face-to-face training, in respect of saving time, money and travel and being flexible, easily accessible and capable of being personalised for individual learning styles
This paper offers a critical review of the literature that explores the building and development of trust in workplace learning, particularly in a virtual context and its implications for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) in business. Trust is increasingly recognised as important in both business and education, and is the focus of increasing attention in relation to the virtual environment. TEL offers a range of potential benefits, but adoption levels remain low. However, there are indications that trust may be a significant factor in both low workplace participation in TEL and its effectiveness as a learning medium. Although savings in both money and time are the main perceived advantages of TEL, this review highlights the positive role of face-to-face contact in increasing TEL take-up and effectiveness, even though this diminishes cost savings. This paper highlights the scant level of research into TEL, particularly in work situations, and the extent to which trust has been overlooked in this context. In the light of this gap in knowledge, further investigations are suggested to contribute to understanding the issues affecting TEL in the workplace.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the implications of national and international standards for human resource development (HRD) practice. It focuses on the experiences, perceptions and learning of those involved in the social construction of standards and standardisation processes. Design/methodology/approach The research is grounded in institutional and organisational excellence theories and adopts a qualitative approach based in social constructivism. Thematic analysis of the data obtained from 13 semi-structured interviews leads to a discussion of awareness of standards, standards adoption including constraints, and impact of standards. Findings The findings indicate that that there has been a disconnect between the potential impact of British Standards Institute (BSI) HR standards and what has occurred in practice with little awareness of the BSI standards among practitioners. Research limitations/implications This paper identifies an absence of institutional isomorphism in the HR arena and highlights the potential for a “standards-practice” gap where HR standards formation processes are perceived as detracting from flexibility and innovativeness in organisational practice. Originality/value This study contributes a new perspective of the implications of HR standards formation from the perspective of those involved and further contributes to the wider theorisation of standards in the HRD field.
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