Connecting work and learning in industrial design and development

Abstract

This chapter discusses individual learning in the workplace in the light of a study of Finnish design engineers' and product developers' learning through their work. The designers' work practices and their learning in the course of these activities are described as perceived by the designers themselves. The chapter also examines their learning through the various individual and social processes ongoing in the workplace. The chapter proceeds as follows: first, phenomenon of workplace learning or learning through work is described. Second, the work of product designers and development engineers is conceptualised on the basis on the recent literature and studies in the field. Third, the methodological choices made in the course of the research process are briefly described and evaluated and the main findings obtained from the different phases of the research process are summarised. Finally, the findings of the study are drawn together. Further ideas for researching designers' learning through their work and how the formal education of designers could be developed in connection with these ideas are offered. In addition, more general suggestions concerning the guidance of workplace learning are given, and the challenges presented by guiding and assessing workplace learning in the vocational education context are examined. Of particular interest in the above-mentioned study is the connection at various levels between learning and work. The results indicate a need for more effective integration between education and working life. Also of interest is the connection between work and learning. The concept of connectivity here is thus approached from two perspectives. First, the need to connect the theoretical knowledge acquired at school with the practical knowledge gained from everyday work practices and, second, the need to see individual and social learning processes at work as linked.©Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.