The supervisor's influence on workplace learning

Abstract

Supervisors are often urged by the workplace learning literature to take active roles as facilitators of the learning of their staff. The role that is envisaged is similar to the facilitative role developed in the humanistic traditions of adult education, in which facilitation is supportive but also proactive, challenging and interventionist. However, an exploration of the experiences and concerns of workplace learners raises issues of identity and trust that suggest that such a facilitative supervisory role may not be realistic. This is not to say that supervisors can have no impact on workplace learning; rather, their role is more indirect than direct, and that it is exercised through quite traditional supervisory activities. Issues of identity and trust development for workplace learners will be examined in this paper, and the implications for supervisory action in relation to learning explored. The paper draws on doctoral research with workers new to administrative positions in the public sector.

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