Co-Occurrence of Sociocultural Elements and Self-Direction in Learning Situations: A Police Organization Case Study

Abstract

Adult’s self-direction and self-directed learning (SDL) have become topics in the discussion of work-related adult learning and an autonomous approach, emphasizing responsibility and independence, has received increasing attention in studies of learning. In the context of SDL, in contrast, the importance of the learning environment and community has received less empirical attention. The aim of this article is to increase the understanding of the co-occurrence of sociocultural elements and self-direction in learning situations at work. From a practical viewpoint, it is important to understand both, the sociocultural and self-directed nature of different learning situations at daily work, so that organizations and workplaces can develop the practices that support learning and self-directedness in the work environment and create appropriate expectations for individual self-direction. In this study, we examined the elements of sociocultural learning and self-direction in police organization. The content analysis focused on interviews with 26 police officers, examining their descriptions of learning situations. The findings show that in learning situations at work, individual responsibility alternates with collectivity, peers, supportive supervisory work, and tools. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are highlighted.