Article 2024

Exploring the Social Context of Self-directed Learning in the Contemporary Workplace

Human Affairs
Journal · Vol. 34 · Issue 2 · pp. 295-310
Abstract

The evolving landscape of workforce learning underscores the increasing importance of self-directed learning (SDL) within business organizations. SDL shifts the learning responsibility to learners themselves, requiring self-control, self-management, and autonomous motivation. Despite its numerous benefits for both business organizations and workers, it is challenged by the varying degrees of workers' individual self-direction. This literature review aims to articulate the significance of social context - the support from leaders and peers - in facilitating workers' SDL. It highlights leader autonomy support as the key factor of fostering workers' autonomous motivation in SDL. Moreover, it examines the role of learner-peer interactions, including help, feedback, and information seeking, as specific aspects of peer support. These interactions further facilitate positive attitudes towards SDL and advance problem-solving, potentially leading to collaborative learning. The literature review is concluded by outlining possible future research directions. © 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

Keywords

Author Keywords

workplace learning self-directed learning peer support Social context autonomous motivation leader support

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Department of Psychology, Filozofická Fakulta Univerzita Karlova, Prague, Czech Republic
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
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