Learning alongside work

Motivation

For quite some time now, it has been necessary to familiarize oneself with a new subject area in an ever shorter time in order to solve current problems promptly - and by applying the acquired knowledge. In the sense of the keyword lifelong learning, we no longer learn everything we need to know later in our jobs or everyday life, at school or in training, but we actually learn parallel to our everyday work.

How can this process of lifelong learning be optimally supported? How can the necessary information be provided in a timely and context-centered manner?

Solution

Our goal is to provide learning opportunities in a timely and practical manner so that they can be used immediately to solve problems.

Currently we are looking at:

Coupling of assistance and learning systems
Integration of informal learning
Cooperative knowledge transfer
Mobile assistance and mobile learning

Linking of assistance and learning systems

When dealing with complex problems, such as the evaluation of radar satellite images, several assistance and help systems are usually used to support the user in his work and provide him with information.

The goal is the intelligent coupling of assistance and learning systems so that the work and learning process is optimally supported.

Integration of informal learning

We are constantly learning. Informal learning describes the learning process outside of a formal learning plan (curriculum). As a rule, a very high motivation to learn and thus learning efficiency can be found here, since informal learning is very often problem-oriented in a concrete context of interest.

The question is how informal learning can be used for knowledge transfer relevant to the workplace.

Cooperative knowledge transfer

Working on a topic together in a group promotes the exchange of information, the development of new ideas and of course learning on several levels.

"Social Learning" is the trend towards joint learning about "social services". E-learning no longer takes place primarily at one's own workplace, but is expanded to "virtual group work" through networking with other learners.

The question is, how the transfer of knowledge can be optimally supported in the sense of e-learning through cooperative work on a topic.

Mobile assistance and mobile learning

Many application scenarios are not limited to a concrete location, and learning does not primarily take place in the classroom or at the desk. Instead, many unknown questions arise on the road and learning also takes place in the sense of informal learning on the go.

With the help of mobile platforms, for example smartphones, tablet PCs, etc., learning opportunities can be offered independent of location and time, which fit the current question and can be integrated into the mobile work context.