The Push and Pull of Reflection in Workplace Learning: Designing to Support Transitions between Individual, Collaborative and Organisational Learning

Abstract

In work-integrated learning, individual, collaborative and organisational learning are deeply intertwined and overlapping. In this paper, we examine the role of reflection as a learning mechanism that enable and facilitates transitions between these levels. The paper aims at informing technological support for learning in organisations that focuses on these transitions. Based on a theoretical background covering reflection as a learning mechanism at work as well as the abovementioned transitions, and on observations in two organisations (IT consulting, emergency care hospital unit), we argue that such technological support needs to implement two inherently different, yet complementary mechanisms: push and pull. “Push” subsumes procedures in which reflection outcomes transcend individual and collective ownership towards the organisation through efforts made by the reflection participants. “Pull” subsumes situations in which the effort of managing the uptake of results from reflection is shifted away from the reflection participants to third parties in the organisation. We illustrate each mechanism with an application built to support it.