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Change at work and professional learning: how readiness to change, self-determination and personal initiative affect individual learning through reflection

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Abstract

Reflection offers an important means to learn effectively from changes induced by the workplace. The authors examined readiness to change and work-related self-determination as preconditions for reflection at work and expected personal initiative—defined as self-starting and proactive behaviour—to have a mediating effect. The study tested these relations using a questionnaire with 84 client advisors working in retail banking departments. These client advisors were about to undergo a range of changes in their workplaces at the time of the data collection. The changes—most importantly, the implementation of a new advisory concept accompanied by new advisory software—afforded these individuals the opportunity to learn. Further, the study conceptualised self-determination as an individual’s experience of autonomy, competence and social integration at work. Regression analyses revealed that social integration and perceived competence exert positive effects on reflection. The results indicate that personal initiative mediates the relationship between readiness to change and reflection as well as the relationship between all facets of self-determination and reflection. This paper discusses these findings in terms of their theoretical contribution to the literature on workplace learning and in relation to the practical importance of developing positive attitudes toward changes at work and active work behaviours for change-related learning activities such as reflection to succeed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Educational Science, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    Stefanie Hetzner, Helmut Heid & Hans Gruber

Authors
  1. Stefanie Hetzner
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  2. Helmut Heid
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  3. Hans Gruber
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefanie Hetzner.

Additional information

Stefanie Hetzner is Ph.D. candidate currently working in a research project called “Competence development in the work process: The role of workplace changes and reflection for workplace learning” at the Institute of Educational Science, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Current themes of research:

Workplace learning, reflection at work and professional learning.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology and Education:

Hetzner, S., Gartmeier, M., Heid, H., & Gruber, H. (2009). The interplay between change and learning at the workplace. A qualitative study from retail banking. Journal of Workplace Learning, 21, 398–415.

Hetzner, S., Gartmeier, M., Heid, H., & Gruber, H. (2011). Error orientation and reflection at work. Vocations and Learning, 4, 25–39.

Helmut Heid is Professor Emeritus of Educational Science, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Current themes of research:

Lifelong learning and principles of educational research.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology and Education:

Gartmeier, M., Bauer, J., Gruber, H., & Heid, H. (2010). Workplace errors and negative knowledge in elder care nursing. Human Resource Development International, 13, 5–25.

Gartmeier, M., Bauer, J., Gruber, H., & Heid, H. (2008). Negative knowledge: Understanding professional learning and expertise. Vocations and Learning, 1, 87–103.

Hans Gruber is Full Professor of Educational Science and currently Vice-Rector for Study Affairs of the University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. He is a member of the Review Board “Education Sciences” of the German Research Foundation and of the Executive Committee of the EARLI.

Current themes of research:

Professional learning, expertise, workplace learning, social network analysis and higher education.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology and Education:

Gruber, H., Lehtinen, E., Palonen, T., & Degner, S. (2008). Persons in the shadow: Assessing the social context of high abilities. Psychology Science Quarterly, 50, 237–258.

Rupprecht, M., Strasser, J., Gruber, H., & Harteis, C. (2010). Expertise of team leaders in analysing team conflicts. Vocations and Learning, 3, 39–54.

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Hetzner, S., Heid, H. & Gruber, H. Change at work and professional learning: how readiness to change, self-determination and personal initiative affect individual learning through reflection. Eur J Psychol Educ 27, 539–555 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0094-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0094-1

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