4.3 Level 3 – Behaviour
The interviews for investigating if the contents were
transferred into the participants’ workplace were
conducted September 2012. The interviews lasted
from 10 to 20 minutes. Nine of the 11 participants
could be included. Participants’ answers showed that
eight respondents (89%) reported changes in
their daily work due to their aquwa
participation;
five interviewees (56%) already realized an
informal learning opportunity at their
workplace after finishing the course (four of
them were implemented very successfully; one
professional did not complete the
implementation yet);
the other four former participants (44%) stated
that there was not enough time in addition to
their normal work volume to implement a
learning opportunity.
5 CONCLUSIONS
All in all the results suggest that the postgraduate
training program aquwa is a very successful e-
learning program.
We were able to foster informal learning at the
workplace. We tackled the problem of unsystematic
knowledge exchange in SMEs successfully by
providing professional with possible didactical
approaches and methods for independently
designing informal learning opportunities.
Furthermore, this further education course took
place completely online-based via an e-learning
platform and meetings in a virtual classroom. We
hold the view that neither the self-studying of texts
via the platform, nor the trainings in the virtual
classroom would have been as effective as the
combination of these two elements. In this way the
participants were independent and had full
responsibility for their learning investment while
having at the same time a clear structure, deadlines
and contact persons in case of questions. Despite
some technical problems, the knowledge acquisition
phase had been completed successfully by the
participants. In addition, six weeks after the phase
where principles and methods were emphasized no
loss in knowledge gain could be observed. This
might be because participants needed to use the
acquired knowledge afterwards in exercises and
designing a learning opportunity. The problem
solving test revealed that these activities in module 3
and 4 are effective in fostering the ability to apply
the previous acquired knowledge.
The overarching goal for a further education
course is to influence attitudes and behaviour at the
workplace. But ensuring such transfer is difficult. In
the case of the postgraduate training program aquwa,
the goal was to improve knowledge exchange by
qualifying professionals for installing appropriate
learning opportunities in their companies. It is a
great success that 56% of the interviewed persons
reported the realisation of an informal learning
opportunity. However, it also shows that it is
necessary in further education courses to show and
guide participants in applying the gained knowledge.
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