Abstracts Category : Other

Exploring artisanship through workplace learning at a South African mine

by Noel Patrick Smit

Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. Curriculum Studies ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The workplace provides a fertile learning environment where apprentices can improve and fine-tune their trade to develop from apprentice to artisan. The experience and expertise of a seasoned employee transferred to the novice apprentice in this setting through informal workplace learning could contribute to the development of artisanship. Apprentices apply trade theory to what was learned during formal training and reflect on this learning by trial and error. Workplace learning could be provided in the mining context through different modes that could include formal, non-formal as well as informal learning. Various authors emphasise that the workplace provides a legitimate setting for informal workplace learning, which has received increased prominence over the past years. Also, the literature suggests that employees develop significantly more skills and expertise in the workplace through informal learning, which was identified as a leading mode for learning delivery in that environment. Learnerships offered by a mine in South Africa for the development of artisans as a requirement in its Social and Labour Plan to drive community development and organisation sustainability provide a unique opportunity to focus on informal workplace learning. This study explored artisanship through workplace learning to investigate which organisational factors (if any) influenced artisan development, how informal workplace learning is facilitated, and how it occurs at a mine. Data were collected through 18 semi-structured interviews, which were analysed by way of conventional content analysis. The results indicated that informal workplace learning facilitated the development of artisan apprentices in the mining sector. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die werkplek bied 'n vrugbare leeromgewing waar die vakleerlinge hulle vaardigheid kan verbeter en verfyn om van vakleerling tot vakman te ontwikkel. Die ervaring en kundigheid van 'n ervare werknemer wat oorgedra word aan die beginner-leerder in hierdie konteks deur middel van informele werkplek-leer kan bydra tot die ontwikkeling van vakmanskap. Vakleerlinge pas vakteorie toe op dit wat tydens formele opleiding geleer is en besin proefondervindelik oor hierdie leer. In die mynbou-konteks kan werkplek-leer op verskillende wyses voorsien word; dit kan formele, nie-formele sowel as informele leer insluit. Verskeie skrywers beklemtoon dat die werkplek 'n geldige plek bied vir informele werkplek-leer, wat verhoogde status oor die afgelope jare geniet het. Die literatuur dui ook daarop dat werknemers aansienlik meer vaardighede en kundigheid in die werkplek ontwikkel deur middel van informele leer, wat gedentifiseer was as 'n voorkeurmetode vir die lewering van leer in daardie konteks. Leerlingskappe wat vir die ontwikkeling van ambagsmanne deur 'n myn in Suid-Afrika aangebied word as 'n vereiste in sy Sosiale en Arbeidsplan om gemeenskapsontwikkeling en organisatoriese volhoubaarheid te dryf, biedAdvisors/Committee Members: Frick, Prof. B. L..