The Relationship Between Factors on Informal Learning and Transfer of Learning of Managerial Knowledge and Skills Among Head Nurses in Two Government Hospitals in Kelantan
Today more and more organizations are seeking ways to establish continuous learning environment which requires organization to extend beyond formal training program to cultivate ongoing interaction among employees and to promote learning methods that are drawn upon employees previous experience....
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2005
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/6446/1/FPP_2005_13.pdf |
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| Summary: | Today more and more organizations are seeking ways to establish
continuous learning environment which requires organization to extend
beyond formal training program to cultivate ongoing interaction among
employees and to promote learning methods that are drawn upon employees
previous experience. A central ingredient of continuous learning environment
is informal learning. Hospitals are among the organizations that are
committed to employees' continuous learning. Nurses are encouraged to
continue to learn from their mistake and increase the quality of their care and
services.
The purpose of this study was to examine the role of informal learning
in developing managerial knowledge and skills and transfer of learning
among head nurses. Specifically, this study was undertaken to examine: (1)
the learning activities mostly used by the head nurses to learn managerial
skills; (2) the specific informal learning activities used by the head nurses to
learn managerial skills; (3) the relationship between informal learning,
motivation to learn and work environment and learning (i.e. level of
knowledge and skills); (4) the relationship between informal learning,
motivation to learn and work environment and transfer of learning; (5) the
mediating role of learning (i-e. level of knowledge and skills) in the
relationship between informal learning, motivation to learn, and work
environment and transfer of learning; (6) the influence of informal learning,
motivation to learn and work environment on learning (i.e. level of knowledge and skills) and (7) influence of informal learning, motivation to
learn and work environment on transfer of learning.
The theoretical framework which guides this study was Watkins and
Marsick's (1990) theory of informal and incidental learning, Vroom's (1964)
expectancy theory and Baldwin and Ford's (1988) transfer model. A total of 82
head nurses from two hospitals in the state of Kelantan participated in the
study. Data were collected by the survey method. Data were analyzed using
both descriptive and inferential statistics.
Firstly, results of the descriptive statistics analysis revealed that head
nurses gained managerial knowledge and learned managerial skills mostly
from informal learning activities. Secondly, the specific informal learning
activity used by head nurses to learn managerial skills were mostly learning
from trial and error, learning from past experience, learning through
mentoring, learning through observation, learning form interaction with
others and learning through role-modeling. Thirdly, the results of the study
showed a low and significant correlation between informal learning,
motivation to learn, and work environment with level of learning and transfer
of learning. Fourthly, level of learning was a good mediating variable for the
relationship between informal learning, motivation to learn, work
environment and transfer of learning. Finally, results of multiple regression
analysis revealed that motivation to learn explains 15.5% variance in learning
and 16.7 variance in transfer of learning whereas informal learning explain
12.2% of variance in level of learning and 13.4% of variance in transfer of
learning. Theoretical and practical implications and contributions were
discussed in Chapter 5. |
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