Student Negotiated Assessment: Workplace Learning Report - Semester 1

This report delves into the concept of workplace learning, emphasizing its importance in enhancing skills and knowledge through continuous professional development within a business context. It analyzes the role of workplace culture, exemplified by Vertel Communication, in fostering employee loyalty and contribution. The report explores various approaches to learning, including communication, collaboration, and self-management, highlighting the significance of preparation, training, and trial-and-error methods. It further examines the model of ongoing professional development, particularly the need for technology-related training to adapt to changes. The report emphasizes the role of mentors in facilitating skill development, providing training, and fostering a positive work environment, with a specific focus on MS-Excel training for colleagues to improve data management skills. The report also discusses the application of learning theories like Law of Effect, Law of Readiness and Law of Exercise.

Student Negotiated Assessment

Table of Contents
Workplace Learning.........................................................................................................................1
Concept of business context...................................................................................................1
Approaches to learning...........................................................................................................2
Model of Professional Learning.......................................................................................................3
Preparation and Training........................................................................................................3
Learning through trail and error.............................................................................................4
Model of on-going Professional Development.......................................................................5
Importance and need of PL Plan......................................................................................................6
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................7

Workplace Learning
Concept of business context
Workplace learning refers to a process by which an individual enhance own skills and
knowledge through continous and professional learning. It has examined that whatever a person
learns at workplace, 70% of it they gain from daily working practices. For example: When
individuals recieve a new assignment or challenging job then to do work this work then with the
help of trial and error method, they gain a new learning experience. Similarly, 20% of learning
part, they develop by instructions and feedback of their colleagues and mentors who trained them
to work as per requirements of business (Freshney, 2015). Apart from this, rest of part, they
extract from training and learning context. In general workplace learning mainly focuses on
developing competencies among people and make them able to take challenging job roles in
business.
Currently I am working in Vertel Communication which is a business-to-business
communications provider. It is one of a leading independent communication enterprise of
Australia that offers a wide range of national networks. It always ensures that specialists will
retain the ability for delivering flexible and besopke packages. In order to provide best coverage
to customersand deliver amazing cost savings services, this company gives employment to high
skilled workers who have possessed technical knowledge.
Workplace context inlcudes the working culture which encompases behaviours, thought
processes, ideologies and principles of organisation (Aronowitz, 2014). An organisation is
formed for achievement of specific goals and objectivies, which could be achieved only by
efforts and high contribution of workers. In this regard, it is essential for a company to develop
effective culture at workplace, which create a sense of loyalty by employees towards business
objectives. It also plays a crucial role in extracting the best work from workers and retain them
for longer duration. With this assistance, the culture of Vertel Communication is created as a one
family environment. Here, every worker has given opportunity to participate in decision-making
procedures and give their feedback for formulating effective policies of business. Along with
this, every kind of information related to change in orgaisational structure and technology, has
provided to each staff member. This would help in generating feeling of equality among workers
and gain their loyalty towards achievement of business objectives.
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Every company has own purpose and goals to run business. In this regard, they encourage
workers to give contribution in achievement of business objectives. In context with Vertel
Communications, this company mainly seeks to improve customer service. It has examined that
ineffective team at workplace lead to provide poor customer service. Therefore, under this
condition, mentors are required to roll out a plan for encouraging team-members to give their
best. As a mentor in this company, I have set up regular design sessions to improve and develop
skills of my mentees. I am working in technical department where every worker need to possess
knowledge about computer applications. As Vertel Communication has large customer base
therefore, to make record of overall information of each customer, it use MS-Excel software.
Therefore, main work of mine is to manage records of business clients and teach colleagues how
to work on this software. Therefore, the current main learning goal of mine it provide training to
my colleagues. This would make them able to work on MS-Excel and prepare records of entire
information of customers as well as business data (Watson, 2014). For this process, I have hired
a professional at workplace who will give one hour training on daily basis after office hours.
This would aid workers to enhance their capabilities and increase technological skills. It also
helps in career development and generate job satisfaction among employees so that high
retention of them can be gained.
Approaches to learning
The term approaches to learning can be defined as process to ascertain how an individual
learns a new things. It enables people at workplace to develop a variety of abilities and skills that
make them able to become a better leader. It includes communication, collaboration, self-
management and critical thinking. I have evaluated through personal experience while working
in Vertel Communication that by sharing thoughts and information through effective interaction,
aid a person to give and receive a proper or meaningful interaction. Negotiate ideas and
collaborate with colleagues help in developing trust among people at workplace. For this
process, as a mentor I have to handle and manage conflicts of team members. By negotiating and
encouraging others to give high contribution in business growth help in developing collaboration
skills among them. Through self-management plans, individuals can meet deadlines of short-
term or long-term deadlines. Other than this, I have also identified that self-learning practices
help people can develop good concentration and overcome from distraction more easily (Kelly,
Lesh and Baek, 2014). This would also aid to have a control on impulsiveness and anger so that
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people can prevent themselves from bulling at workplace. Managing stress, anxiety and conflicts
with others in own manner, a person can self-motivated itself also. As a learner I have evaluated
that for effective learning, it is essential to develop my own skills and techniques. It is essential
to review what I have learned today and what has to be done on next day, increase learning
power of mine.
By giving training to colleagues related to information skills like MS-Excel, they can
learn how to collect, record and verify data. They can access data of any business client which
are prepared on Excel-sheet more easily. In order to
Model of Professional Learning
Preparation and Training
Preparation and training for work is generally designed to aid a person to learn job skills
for transition into employment. They can learn multiple skills in interested areas and experience
a real-life working setting. It includes life and employment goal setting; budgeting and time
management; effective communication; team-work collaboration etc.
In order to deal with challenging environment, it is necessary for persons to prepare
themselves and understand in what manner they have to be performed. It has assumed that giving
a challenging environment can help in getting high performance of workers (Marsick and
Watkins, 2015). This would also aid workers to grow their careers on professional basis. The
main goal of mine at workplace of Vertel Communication is to take my mentees to an innovative
level where they can understand better how to perform in best manner. This would lead to obtain
high outcomes of business also. Along with this, I have also valued certain things such as
effective communication skills, positive working as well as learning attitude. By learning
approaches, people can analyse need of preparation before actually doing a work. For example:
To do a task related to collection of information about particular demand of targeted audience,
people at workplace formulate a proper plan first. Under this plan, activities related to extract
information about customer’s data is explained. It also includes strategies, roles and
responsibilities of each team-member etc. Therefore, in this regard, they will get opportunity to
complete such tasks before deadline and obtain higher outcomes as well.
Similarly, training also aid people to develop potential skills and knowledge required to
do functions in best possible manner. By providing proper training to new and existing workers,
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a company can gain advantage to develop professional skills under them. This would also helps
in reducing skill gap among staff members and management staff by giving professional
development classes (Willis, 2017). Under this process, it is essential for organisations to
carefully planned training programs which will prove beneficial for increasing productivity of
workers. Thus, it has evaluated that preparation for work and take proper training, give various
advantages to people in developing their potentional and professional skills. It make them able to
face difficult challenging roles and give performance at best level. In context with Vertel
Communication, it has diverse culture at workplace where both high skilled and semi-skilled
workers are working with each other as a team. But due to difference in educational background,
it generates feeling of insecurity and inferiority among less-skilled employees. It often leads to
rise conflicts at workplace also which impact on performance of workers in negative manner. In
this regard, by giving professional learning sessions for some period of time in daily working
hours, help in reducing skills gap among staff members. In addition to this, it also encourages
and boost morale of workers to work in collaboration and give best performance.
In order to motivate my colleagues or mentees, as a mentor I have provided technical
training to them during probabtional period (Honey, Pearson and Schweingruber, 2014). For this
process, by hiring a professional trainer, colleagues get chance to take learning sessions for three
months. It will aid them to enhance technological skills required for preparing, keeping and
accessing data easily.
Learning through trail and error
Need of learning actually begins when a person face difficulties in carrying out a task.
Under this phase, most learning approaches counters as errors with repeated trials. Trial and
Error Learning concept is considered as one of the best approach which includes various forms
of theories- Insight; Latent and Observational. It drives an essential factor which triggers various
situations that leads to reduce number of errors. For example: When a difficult task is given to a
team who have no knowledge how to work on, then under this situations, by attempting number
of times, they get success to achieve final outcomes. Since accidental success is not considered
as ultimate solution of a specific problem. Therefore, it is essential for persons to keep try to do a
task in perfection manner. Using trial and error method i.e. repeated trial leads to get effective
and error free outcomes. It also helps in increasing learning and potential skills among learners
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through which they can identify right response towards a problem. But this methods involves
certain laws-
 Law of Effect: This law states that by giving reward to people for their work enhance to
satisfaction to them. They will now concern more on repetitively doing a task until
achievement of best outcomes.
 Law of Readiness: It is considered as the main function of motivation which states that
instead of reward, assist people to become ready for doing a particular task. Preparation
for work lead them to face challenges and grow their career also (Borko, Koellner and
Jacobs, 2014).
 Law of Exercise: It refers to fundamental basis of trial and error method of learning
approach because a person enhance self-learning skills only by repeatedly do an activity.
The law has divided into two major parts: Law of Use and Law of Disuse. As per law of
use, if any task is conducted in repeated manner under a specific condition then learning
will occur. Similarly, according to law of disuse, if same thing will not repeat then there
will be no learning occur at such situations.
Model of on-going Professional Development
This model stated as technology-related plans of professional learning which update
skills and knowledge of people as per changes in technology. In general when an organisation
planning for change infrastructure and existing system of workplace, then it looks out for budget
only. It leads to delay in successful implementation of a project because such companies fail to
concern the requirement for professional learning (Evans, 2014). Therefore, to meet requirement
of workers to work on new system, it is necessary for managers of such companies to provide
relevant training. Along with this, they should also ensure to give such learning sessions on
regular basis whenever changes are done at workplace. In this regard, I have evaluated that for
professional development, on-going training (e-training) is important for optimising the quality
of services or products. In generaly, the main learning strategies for on-going training are-
Lectures, Audio-Visual, Reading, Demonstration, Practical doing, Discussion and Teaching
others.
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Importance and need of PL Plan
In order to gain a good position in business and give a better performance, it is necessary for
a person to update own skills and knowledge (Redmond, 2017). When an individual works as a
team leader then to make colleagues able to work as per requirement of business, it is essential to
develop a professional learning plan. For this process, I have measure performance of each
mentee who work under my supervision. Through this procedure, I can examine strengths and
weaknesses of them appropriately. This would helps in evaluating the need of training and
professional learning plan. By taking such session, workers can improve and enhance skills in a
particular field and become able to work as per desired manner. In order to design professional
learning plan, it is also necessary to determine problems occur at workplace also. For example: If
there is a difference between working staff due to different educational background then, it is
necessary to provide training for professional development. Under this process, training plan is
designed as per skill gap. Similarly, when a company introduce new technology at workplace for
increasing performance of business then it also demands to develop PL plan. This would help in
developing abilities of workers and make them familiar about new technology. It will prove
beneficial for both workers and employers of a company. By getting learning sessions,
employees will get benefits to make their career more bright and face future challenges also.
Similarly, employers get advantage to explore best performance from high skilled staff members.
It also helps in reducing high labour turnover by getting retention of workers for longer period.
Thus, from this report it has concluded to gain competitive advantage and bring sustainability in
business, a company should provide proper training program to its employees.
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REFERENCE
Books and Journals
Evans, L., 2014. Leadership for professional development and learning: enhancing our
understanding of how teachers develop. Cambridge journal of education. 44(2). pp.179-
198.
Redmond, B., 2017. Reflection in action: Developing reflective practice in health and social
services. Routledge.
Borko, H., Koellner, K. and Jacobs, J., 2014. Examining novice teacher leaders’ facilitation of
mathematics professional development. The Journal of Mathematical Behavior. 33.
pp.149-167.
Honey, M., Pearson, G. and Schweingruber, H. eds., 2014. STEM integration in K-12 education:
Status, prospects, and an agenda for research. Washington, DC: National Academies
Press.
Watson, C., 2014. Effective professional learning communities? The possibilities for teachers as
agents of change in schools. British Educational Research Journal. 40(1). pp.18-29.
Kelly, A. E., Lesh, R. A. and Baek, J. Y. Eds., 2014. Handbook of design research methods in
education: Innovations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning
and teaching. Routledge.
Marsick, V. and Watkins, K., 2015. Informal and Incidental Learning in the Workplace
(Routledge Revivals). Routledge.
Willis, P., 2017. Learning to labour: How working class kids get working class jobs. Routledge.
Aronowitz, S., 2014. The politics of identity: Class, culture, social movements. Routledge.
Freshney, R. I., 2015. Culture of animal cells: a manual of basic technique and specialized
applications. John Wiley & Sons.
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