Theories of Learning for the Workplace：Building blocks for training and professional development programs

Workplace and professional learning, lifelong learning, adult learning, learning in different contexts have become of more and more interest and now dominate all aspects of 21st century life. Learning is no longer about ‘storing and recall’ but ‘development and flow’.

Theories of Learning in the Workplace offers fascinating overviews into some of the most important theories of learning and how they are practically applied to organisational or workplace learning. With each chapter co-authored by an academic researcher and an expert in business or industry, this unique book provides practical case studies combined with thorough analysis of theories and models of learning.

Key figures in education, psychology and cognitive science present a comprehensive range of conceptual perspectives on learning theory, offering a wealth of new insights to support innovative research directions.

Containing overviews of theories from Schön, Argyris, Senge, Engeström, Billet, Ericsson, Kolb, Boud and Mezirow, this book discusses:



adult learning;


workplace learning;


informal learning;


reflective practice;


experiential learning;


deliberate practice;


organisational and inter-organisational expansive learning.


Combining theory and practice, this book will be essential reading for all trainee and practicing educational psychologists, organisational psychologists, researchers and students in the field of lifelong learning, educational policy makers, students, researchers and teachers in vocational and higher education.

Filip Dochy is Professor of Research on Learning & Development and Corporate Training at the University of Leuven, Belgium. He is founding editor of the Educational Research Review and a member of the EARLI Executive Committee. He is also a Special Professor of Educational Innovation & IT at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
David Gijbels is Assistant Professor of Learning and Instruction at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. He is Associate Editor of Educational Research Review and coordinator of EARLI's special interest group on Learning and Professional Development.

Mien Segers is Professor of Corporate Learning in the Department of Educational Research and Development at the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, the Netherlands. She is also Series Editor for the EARLI book series, New Perspectives on Learning and Instruction.

Piet Van den Bossche is Assistant Professor at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, and at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.

Chapter 1. Deliberate practice, the highroad to expertise - K. A. Ericsson Margje W. J. van de Wiel, Piet Van den Bossche & Richard P. Koopmans

Chapter 2. Workplace curriculum: practice and propositions Stephen Billett

Chapter 3. Transformational learning. The perspective of J. Mezirow Mien Segers & Maurice De Greef

Chapter 4. The Experiential Learning Theory: Kolb and Boud Mien Segers & Selma Van de Haar

Chapter 5. From the theory of situated cognition to communities of practice – J. Lave and E. Wenger Stephen Hargreaves & David Gijbels

Chapter 6. The reflective practitioner – D. Schön Piet Van den Bossche & Simon Beausaert

Chapter 7. Systems thinking and building learning organisations – P. Senge Filip Dochy, Jan Laurijssen & Eva Kyndt

Chapter 8. On organisational learning – C. Argyris David Gijbels & Roel Spaenhoven

Chapter 9. Interorganisational expansive learning at work Filip Dochy, Yrjö Engeström, Annalisa Sannino and Niel Van Meeuwen