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Goal Rationalities as a Framework for Evaluating the Learning Potential of the Workplace

University of Twente, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences/University of Tilburg, IVA, Institute for Policy Studies

Marianne Van Woerkom

University of Tilburg

There is conflicting empirical evidence regarding the learning potential of the workplace. Some studies conclude that workplaces should be seen as strong learning environments, whereas others show evidence of the ineffectiveness of the workplace as a learning environment. In this article, we argue that this disagreement might be caused by different goal rationalities in relation to the institutions that are involved in workplace learning. For economic reasons, societies have organized learning in a preparatory rationality: education as preparation for work. The learning potential of the workplace is often discussed from this goal rationality. In this article, this preparatory goal rationality is challenged by arguing that other rationalities in workplace learning should also be taken into account. Rationalities of optimizing goals, transformative goals, and personal goals are discussed. The model of goal rationalities that is developed in this article must be kept in mind when evaluating the learning potential of the workplace: different goals imply different evaluation criteria.

Key Words: workplace learning • goal rationalities • effectiveness • learning potential

Human Resource Development Review, Vol. 6, No. 1, 64-83 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1534484306296432


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