Editorial

Citation

Cervai, S. and Kekale, T. (2012), "Editorial", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 24 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/jwl.2012.08624faa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Workplace Learning, Volume 24, Issue 6

Despite our aim to publish only original empirical research, we sometimes also get conceptual papers, literature reviews and proposed frameworks that to our, and our reviewers’ opinion, merit publication. We have chosen to save a couple of these articles for this issue in order to publish them together.

This issue again contains four articles. The first one, “A practitioner friendly and scientifically robust training evaluation approach”, by Richard Griffin, suggests that robustness and efficiency of training evaluation is partly a question of process choices (for example taking a stakeholder approach), partly of understanding the factors that shape learning in the workplace (a systems-wide approach) and finally of collecting corroborative data (by using mixed methods) for better validity and credibility. The second article by Per Nilsen, Gunilla Nordström and Per-Erik Ellström presents a theoretical framework on how reflection can provide a mechanism to integrate research-based knowledge with the pre-existing practice-based knowledge. Two mini cases provide here an illustration of how the framework could be utilized to improve knowledge integration among managers in the public sector.

In the third article, David Gjibels, Isabel Raemdonck, Dries Vervecken and Jonas Van Herck examines the relation between the independent variables of self-directed learning orientation, job demands, job control and job support, and the dependent variable of work-related learning behaviour. This article is more typical of JWL in that it is based on an empirical study in an ICT organization. Gjibels et al. find that self-direction in learning is affected as much by personal traits as by characteristics of the environment and is therefore amenable to training. Organisations might then stimulate a self-directed learning attitude among those who show low levels of self-directed learning orientation through coaching and direct instruction and by implementing opportunities to learn while working. The last actual article in this issue is a brief literature review piece by Enzo Caminotti and Jeremy Gray on the use of storytelling in adult learning. They conclude that the nature of adult learning makes storytelling, role-plays and case studies effective tools when working with adults.

Finally, our colleague Massimo Borelli has read and evaluated a couple of recent methodology books. The first is Bruno Falissard’s recent book on how to analyse questionnaire-based data by using the open source R language for those who do not like the commercial stats packages or for whom cost is an issue. The second is Brian Everitt’s book Multivariable Modeling and Multivariate Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences – also based on the use of R code.

Again, we wish everybody good reading.

Sara Cervai, Tauno Kekäle