self-directed learning at the workplace
“Funny thing is, although I work in the Department Educational Sciences, my actual work is not focused on education in schools or universities”, says Maaike Endedijk, a professor in Professional Learning in Organizations and chair of the department Educational Sciences. “My main research line is focused on self-directed professional learning at the workplace, both on the individual and team-level. My ambition is to use innovative measurement techniques, like sensor technology and mobile apps, to get more insights in the black box of workplace learning processes.”
The professor explains: “These new technologies enable me to do research and contribute to better understanding of the dynamics, predictors and outcomes of these learning processes. This descriptive and explanatory research is the starting point for developing interventions to support workplace learning of professionals and facilitate continuous learning. Most of my research is located in the health and the technology sector, including both current employees as students during the transition from (higher) education to the labour market.”
Self-directed learning is the core of all her research, says Endedijk. “The most important question is how technology can deliver the best support for self-directed learning. Learning on and from the job is the ultimate driver of innovation. We know a little about workplace learning processes, but not nearly enough to develop a method that supports continuous professional learning. I connect my research to daily practice and provide feedback to employees and organizations, to ensure that they really learn from their participation in a project. In our project Bridge the gap! on the tranistion of STEM-students to the technical labour market, we provide (future) employees insights in their own professional identity. Companies and organisations consult us to learn more about their teams and what kind of employees they need to hire and how to treat them so they feel at home and perform well. And employees gain insights in their own identity and the way they function in teams. We use the data to better understand the mechanisms of why some students so, but also large groups don’t opt for a career in the technical sector.”
Education
Endedijk is a teacher of the course Regulation and facilitation of workplace learning, which is part of the MSc Educational Science & Technology program. “In this course we do what I love most: discuss different theories as a foundation for practical solutions to facilitate workplace learning. Students visit companies, analyse the corporate curriculum and give grounded advice on how to facilitate employees' workplace learning.” In addition, the professor also developed the minor Module Professional Learning in Organizations. “In this module, students act as a consultancy team to tackle a challenge of an organisation related to professional learning. Besides these formal courses, I am also supervising students during their Final Project.”
About Maaike Endedijk
Maaike Endedijk works as a professor in Professional Learning in Organizations at the department Educational Sciences. Her main research interest is in self-directed professional learning at the workplace, with a focus on the technology, health and education sector. In her research projects, she is developing innovative measurement techniques (e.g., using sensor technology) to understand and improve individual and team learning processes. In addition, she also studies learning and professional identity development of students in the transition from education to work. She is a teacher in the program Educational Science & Technology and coordinator of the Module Professional Learning in Organizations.
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