Beyond 9 to 5: Learning and community design to support flexible working
Helen Whitehead, Liz Cable
Reach Further Ltd., United Kingdom
Previously, we presented (Whitehead and Cable 2008) a model for sustainably supporting networked communities of practice (CoPs) offering formal and informal opportunities for learning and collaboration. We now report on our study to extend this model to larger, more diverse communities. Action research is an appropriate methodology for this because its primary focus is on solving real problems. It is based on reflection and collaborative enquiry in a real context in which theory informs practice in a transformative cycle. This enables us as practitioners to develop our model grounded in analysis of best practice and practical experience.The Beyond 9 to 5 project aims to provide training and support in flexible working practices, for employers and managers, and for workers wishing to create flexible working opportunities for themselves. It supports employers aiming to minimise redundancies and encourages the development of opportunities for individuals, including those from economically disadvantaged groups, seeking flexible working roles.The project is workplace-based with links to the lifelong learning and vocational education sectors, and offers a choice of face-to-face, blended and entirely online courses plus ongoing peer support, professional development and sharing of best practice. It utilises existing educational technologies (specifically, open source) combined with a social media approach to the CoP.This “mega-niche portal” is designed so that each input (eg resource or course) from a company or organisation contributes to the whole, available to all, thus providing cost-effective learning and professional development opportunities. We aim to create a sense of belonging and purpose by skilful niching of communities within communities and provision of unique tools and learning opportunities.The portal was developed with feedback following a conference and workshops on flexible working. Throughout the pilot we will be surveying stakeholders via questionnaires, monitoring of community activity, course evaluations, interviews and case studies, and a community designed to capture the learner voice.Having an impact on changing the working practices of companies benefiting both the business and the employee is a dream indeed – but in this project we are testing and evaluating a practical application of learning technologies, developing a widely applicable model.Whitehead, H, and Cable, L. 2008. If you build it will they come? A model for sustainable online community networks for practitioners. Short paper presented at ALT-C 2008, Rethinking the Digital Divide, September 9-11 in Leeds, UK