How IT workers learn in the workplace

Abstract

This paper describes a research project investigating the workplace learning experience of information technology (IT) workers in Hong Kong. The research project explored in depth the workplace learning experiences of 65 IT workers from three different work sites. It went beyond the identification of workplace learning methods and resources workers used at work by probing into the complexities of workplace learning processes and the theoretical issues of workplace learning. A qualitative approach was used, relying primarily on data collected via in-depth interviews. This paper reports that (1). IT workers found troubleshooting, project work and installation of hardware and software, the most likely contexts to produce significant learning; and that (2). the rapid pace of technological growth in the IT industry results in a different learning environment to traditional industries such as tailoring, thus raising questions about the applicability of the notion of the community of practice as proposed by Lave and Wenger (1991). Furthermore, by probing into the processes of known workplace learning methods such as learning from colleagues and vendors, this study uncovered many interesting findings about the workplace learning experience of IT workers.

Keywords:

• workplace learning
• community of practice
• informal learning
• information technology

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dr Elizabeth Stacey and Dr Peter Smith of Deakin University of Australia for their guidance on this research project. Special thanks also to Dr Elizabeth Mavis Kelly, an old friend of the author, who spent hours helping me to restructure and improve the readability of the paper, and Chris De Boos for her editing work.