Envisioning the Future

Each chapter of this book has examined “extraordinary learning in the workplace” from a major area of educational theory and research, namely curriculum, instructional design, learning, assessment, and faculty development. The purpose of this chapter is to present a framework for workplace learning, to synthesize the findings of the preceding chapters as they relate to this framework, and to discuss opportunities to advance research on workplace learning and improve student learning in professional workplaces. The framework contains three themes – selection of tasks and activities, relationships within the practice community, and the nature of work practices – and draws on behavioral, cognitive, constructivist, and social learning theories as they apply to learning through real work practices. Curriculum, instruction, assessment, and faculty development are also discussed within this framework when they pertain to one of the themes, thus providing an opportunity to incorporate much of what the authors presented in previous chapters of this book.