Conceptual Change in the Face of Digitalization: Challenges for Workplaces and Workplace Learning

Abstract

The article discusses the explanatory power of conceptual change for research on workplace learning in digitalized workplaces. Interestingly, research on conceptual change is well-established within the area of science education but widely neglected within the broad area of workplace learning research. Digitalization of work establishes new quality of tasks and tools by integrating workers and machines into digital networks. Hence, conceptual change can be considered a core concept for identifying workers' successful adaption to digital transformation. Therefore, conceptual change research in the area of workplace learning in digitalized workplaces is highly relevant. The article reflects upon reasons, explores the potential of conceptual change for understanding workplace learning in digitalized workplaces, and illustrates the argumentation by exemplarily referring to digitalized farming. Finally, the article provides suggestions for future research.

Perspectives on Participation in Continuous Vocational Education Training–An Interview Study

“…First, it should be noted that, even if CVET is seen in the literature as an important way to meet the aforementioned challenges, focusing on the reasons for and barriers to participate or offer CVET does not initially take account of research work and its findings on the impact of CVET on learning outcomes and its adoption in the job (see, e.g., Hinrichs, 2014 ; Sandmeier et al, 2018 ; Harteis et al, 2020 ). Thus, when it comes to the actual impact of CVET on the mentioned challenges, its consideration in further studies is therefore essential.…”

“…As the rationalization of human work is becoming a focus, a shift from manufacturing companies to service providers is expected and will make simple help activities less necessary (Bellmann et al, 2014;Mönnig et al, 2019). This structural change is being accelerated by digitization and has fundamental consequences for the human resource planning of companies (e.g., Gebhardt et al, 2015;Frey and Osborne, 2017;Fischer et al, 2018;Harteis, 2018;Harteis et al, 2020). Thus, more information technology positions have to be filled, such as in the software and application development or artificial intelligence, for which there is already a great demand on the labor market.…”

“…This organizational and technological changes require a continuous adaptation of the human resources, and the skills and abilities of employees must adapt accordingly (e.g., Bellmann et al, 2014 ; Gebhardt et al, 2015 ; Harteis, 2018 ; Harteis et al, 2020 ). On the other hand, companies face the risk of shortages of skilled labor due to demographic developments ( CEDEFOP, 2015 ; Paul, 2016 ).…”

“…For this reason, CVET is seen as a collective good, from which all participants in the labor market, as well as the state and society, benefit equally ( Becker and Hecken, 2009 ; Rubenson and Desjardins, 2009 ; CEDEFOP, 2015 ). Although this relationship between CVET participation and the achievement of the desired effect is greatly simplified and does not take into account a number of factors influencing the learning transfer, such as the quality or suitability of the CVET, the working environment in which the new knowledge has to be applied, or trainee characteristics (see Hinrichs, 2014 ; Sandmeier et al, 2018 ; Harteis et al, 2020 ), access to CVET is an important basis for any learning process. Therefore, research results that point to considerable disparity in CVET participation are critical.…”

Gratitude Questionnaire–20 Items (G20): A Cross-Cultural, Psychometric and Crowdsourcing Analysis

“…Digitalization has revolutionized many areas of human life; specifically, research has advanced by leaps and bounds with all the new possibilities offered by the rapid changes in technology ( Moret-Tatay et al, 2019 ). One advancement that has radically changed in the field of psychology has been the increased possibility of recruiting participants through different social networks and electronic devices ( Harteis et al, 2020 ). These new possibilities of digitization have extended the variety of participant sample pools.…”