Flexible Learning in a Workplace Model: Blended a Motivation to a Lifelong Learner in a Social Network Environment

This paper presents a model of learning in a workplace, in which an online course provides flexibility for staff to learn at their convenient hours. A motivation was brought into an account of the success of learning in a workplace program, based upon Behaviorist learning approach--an online mentor and an accumulated learning activities score was applied; whereas a social constructivist concept was also blended to the online learning environment. Ninety-seven staff was in an online program for 12 weeks, with 3 mentors in a social network online platform--NING. Every three weeks, 3 hours of face-to-face meeting was blended to the 9 weeks online programs. The results showed that all staff successfully completed the online learning program. Their opinions on the mentoring system were at a very high level of satisfaction, and few active staff obtained rewards from their collected scores during the online social network activities. Correlation was found between frequency of staff's participation in social learning activities and achievement with high learning scores at the end of the program. The model was discussed on its strategies to flexible a learning in a workplace with a blended mode of online and offline, a full support from top level management to allocated staff hour for learning, recognition for the outstanding staff, and value their learned skills. Online mentors and social network took significant roles in triggering learning activities in an online social network environment, which motivated learners themselves as lifelong learners in a digital age.