Humans’ work alongside machines is ever-changing. “While nearly 50% of all companies expect their full-time workforce to shrink by 2022 as a result of automation, almost 40% expect to extend their workforce generally, and more than a quarter expect automation to create new roles in their enterprise” (Cann, 2018). While humans will never be replaced by machines, their ability to adapt to a rapidly-changing work environment is imminent. Companies need workers who can learn and adjust quickly, both independently and collaboratively. That is, adult learners need to value problem-solving and learning over traditional methods of corporate training. Workers who can push innovation to the edges from the bottom up in every role (Ito, 2014).
“I would like to introduce new approaches to working with the existing technology that we may push toward a paperless working environment. This means changing the environment in which we work to provide reskilling opportunities” (Stateler, 2021). Furthermore, as a means to support reskilling of current employees, we must create environments for ongoing professional learning in face-to-face, blended, and virtual training opportunities. By doing so, we can is to provide and promote virtual collaborative learning spaces in face-to-face, blended, and completely virtual environments. I hope to determine the effectiveness of their implementation and use.
Asking Good Questions
For my action research, my question is:
To what extent will the integration of collaborative spaces within and outside of training environments change the number and type of help tickets that administrative assistants input into the system?
- I will use a mixed-methods explanatory research design approach.
- For the quantitative research, I will use a correlational study.
Parallel by Design
By using explanatory mixed methods, I will focus on quantitative data first, then qualitative data. While my question lends itself to quantitative data, I hope to use the qualitative data to “shed further light on or explain more deeply the results of the primary analysis” (Mertler, 2019, p. 197). By using a correlational study for the quantitative data, I can determine if a statistically significant relationship exists between the use of collaborative spaces and the number and kind of help tickets that collaborative space users input.
Look to the Literature
My literature review will focus on the benefits of collaborative learning and the use of professional learning networks to create collaborative learning environments for adult learners in blended, face-to-face, and virtual environments. Cooperative learning is characterized by “mutual help, open communication, and the exchange of resources” (Denton, 2012, p. 36). These are characteristics that are “widely valued by professional organizations” (Denton, 2012, p. 36). How might professional learning networks support cooperative learning? Chiefly, professional learning networks create “new learning partnerships between and among students and teachers” (Fullan & Langworthy, 2014, p. 10). Therefore, I seek to better understand the literature on these topics.
References
Cann, O. (2018, September 17). Machines Will Do More Tasks Than Humans by 2025 but Robot Revolution Will Still Create 58 Million Net New Jobs in Next Five Years. The World Economic Forum. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/press/2018/09/machines-will-do-more-tasks-than-humans-by-2025-but-robot-revolution-will-still-create-58-million-net-new-jobs-in-next-five-years/
Denton, D. W. (2012, July/August). Collaborative learning Enhancing Instruction through Constructivism, Cooperative Learning, and Cloud Computing. Tech Trends, 56(4), 34-41.
Fullan, M., & Langworthy, M. (2014, January). A Rich Seam How New Pedagogies Find Deep Learning. Pearson.
Ito, J. (2014, July 7). Joi Ito: Want to innovate? Become a “Now-ist”. TED. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.ted.com/talks/joi_ito_want_to_innovate_become_a_now_ist/up-next?language=en
Mertler, C. A. (2019). Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators. SAGE Publications.Stateler, K. (2021). My Proposal: Paperless Office, Paperless District. Cookies ‘N Cache. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://karinstateler.com/?page_id=95