Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥

Throughout her career, Professor Kaija Collin's research has focused on adult learning at work. During her more than twenty years of research, she has examined the phenomenon from the perspectives of multi-professional collaboration, professional identity and agency, leadership and sustainable learning at work. Her current research interests include the links between learning at work and well-being at work, and how different generations respond to the demands of continuous learning and learn together at work.

– We have a general assumption that learning is terribly fun and awesome, and that progress is rapid and purely positive. We don't have any research on this yet, but the demands of learning are certainly among those that take their toll. Research on the subject is therefore particularly important now, when the pace of working life and the demand for skills are constantly accelerating, says Collin.

Research on different generational attitudes to learning

The research project, funded by the Academy of Finland and launched in early September, takes Collin's research in a new direction, with researchers looking at different generations working side by side in the world of work. The project will examine whether workers of different ages have different attitudes to continuous learning and what key experiences they have of learning at work. The research will be carried out in Finland, Sweden and Denmark in workplaces in the healthcare and ICT sectors.

– It will be interesting to find out how the possible generational differences are reflected in everyday working life. Do they create tensions in the workplace, or could there also be strengths to be found in possible differences, says Collin.

Supporting learning in everyday structures

Whatever the sector or organisation, the challenges of learning at work are often similar. For example, a lack of support and appreciation, or a lack of understanding of how learning works within organisations, can hinder continuous learning.

– Organisations should better understand the importance of continuous learning in everyday work. Learning should be supported both by staff developers and line managers, and by the structures put in place by senior management, says Collin.

Collin's research has also shown that the experience of learning at work is also shaped by the specific characteristics of the job and the organisational context. Structural hierarchies and power structures can influence the challenges to learning and how learning is valued.

A long career in research and development

Kaija Collin received her PhD in Education in 2005 and has since worked at the Department of Education at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥. She has been an Associate Professor since 2020 and her expertise has been widely used in both domestic and international research communities. His expertise has also been used in practical workplace development and in building practices that support leadership learning.

This article has been translated from Finnish with the help of AI.