Methods for Researching Professional Learning and Development

Michael Goller (PhD Educational Sciences) is a research associate and postdoctoral scholar at the Institute of Educational Science at the University of Paderborn, Germany. Between October 2018 and March 2020 he served as full visiting professor at the University of Bamberg. His current research interests comprise among others expertise development and workplace learning in general and in contexts of digitalisation in particular, as well as professional learning and development of students at the boundary of institutionalised and less institutionalised learning environments like internships or particular learning arrangements in VET. In his research, he adopts a mix of research methods covering both qualitative as well as quantitative approaches (diaries, document analysis, qualitative content analysis, thematic analysis, PLS-based SEM, latent profile analysis, latent moderator SEM).

Eva Kyndt (PhD Educational Sciences) is an associate professor in human resource development and management at the Centre for the New Workforce (Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia) and Department for Training and Education Sciences (University of Antwerp, Belgium). The common thread in her research is the attention of the intersection between learning and working. She has a profound interest in sustainable careers and focuses on lifelong learning and wellbeing of (prospective) employees. Her research interests include preparing graduates for sustainable careers, social networks in organisations, wellbeing at work and workplace learning. While she has conducted several mixed methods studies, she primarily adopts advanced quantitative methods including multilevel analysis, mixture growth models, generalized cross-lagged panel models and neural network analysis. In addition, she is currently venturing into emerging methods such as multilevel network analysis, self-organizing maps and visual analysis.

Susanna Paloniemi (PhD Educational Sciences) is a senior university lecturer at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Her recent and current research focuses on professional learning, identity and agency in various work contexts and domains. Further, research on the role of emotions within the process of professional learning at work, has brought various research methods in the centre of her work. The application of a multi-method approach (e.g. self-reports, measurements, observations) in researching workplace learning from various perspectives is the underlying interest in her work.

Crina Damsa (PhD Educational Sciences) is an Associate Professor at the Department of Education at University of Oslo, Norway. The main theme of her research are situated processes of learning among young adults (students and professionals), under an overarching interest for lifelong learning. Research areas such as learning through collaboration and inquiry, technology enhanced learning and agency in work and learning are especially highlighted. While she has conducted several mixed methods studies, Crina's research primarily adopts a qualitative methodology, including varied analytical approaches, designs and interpretative frameworks. Both exploratory ethnographies and longitudinal video observation research, and formative intervention studies, using a design-based methodology, are represented in her work. Currently, she is initiating research employing event sampling methods and multimodal learning, aiming to capture learning activities across digital and physical contexts. 

Chapter 1. Addressing methodological challenges in research on professional learning and development (Michael Goller, Eva Kyndt, Susanna Paloniemi, & Crina Damsa).- Part I: Methods for data collection.- Chapter 2. Applying the experience sampling method to research on workplace learning (Jürgen Seifried & Andreas Rausch).- Chapter 3. Uncovering informal workplace learning by using diaries (Andreas Rausch, Michael Goller, & Bianca Steffen).- Chapter 4. Using the vignette technique to increase insight into professional development at work (Veronika Anselmann & Regina H. Mulder).- Chapter 5. Integrating self-reports and electrodermal activity (EDA) measurement in studying emotions in professional learning complementary data in researching emotions in professional learning. (Susanna Paloniemi, Markku Penttonen, Anneli Eteläpelto, Päivi Hökkä, & Katja Vähäsantanen).- Chapter 6. Multimodal stress assessment in working and learning contexts: Using physiological, observational and experience-based data (Tobias Kärner & Detlef Sembill).- Chapter 7. Combining physiological and experiential measures to study adult learning (Minna Silvennoinen, Tiina Parviainen, Anita Malinen, Suvi Karjalainen, Mari Manu, & Mikko Vesisenaho).- Chapter 8. Measuring professional competence using computer-generated log data (Luca Spliethoff & Stephan Abele).- Chapter 9. Investigating interaction dynamics: A temporal approach to team learning (Lida David, Maaike Endedijk & Piet van den Bossche).- Part II: Methods for data analysis.- Chapter 10. Bayesian statistics in the research field of professional learning and development (Petri Nokelainen, Tahani Z. Aldahdouh, & Alaa A. Aldahdouh).- Chapter 11. A primer to latent profile and latent class analysis (Johannes Bauer).- Chapter 12. PLS-based structural equation modelling: An alternative approach to estimate complex relationships between unobserved constructs (Michael Goller & Frederic Hilkenmeier).- Chapter 13. Participant's video annotations as a database to measure professional development (Bianca Steffen & Maikki Pouta).- Chapter 14. Data mining and analytics in the context of workplace learning: Benefits and affordances (Dirk Ifenthaler).- Chapter 15. Addressing 'wicked problems' using visual analysis (Eva Kyndt & Jan Aerts).- Part III: Research approaches.- Chapter 16. Delphi-technique as a method for research on professional learning (Christian Harteis).- Chapter 17. The narrative approach to research professional identity: relational, temporal, and dialogical perspectives (Katja Vähäsantanen, & Maarit Arvaja).- Chapter 18. Capturing actions of communities: Towards virtual ethnography and digital tools in researching organizations and workplace learning (Soila Lemmetty, Kaija Collin, Vlad Glaveanu, & Susanna Paloniemi).- Chapter 19. Video-based interaction analysis: a research and training method to understand workplace learning and professional development (Laurent Filliettaz, Stéphanie Garcia, & Marianne Zogmal).- Chapter 20. Q Method: Assessing subjectivity through structured ranking of items (Susanne Leidig, Hanna Köhler, Carina Caruso, & Michael Goller).- Chapter 21. Eye tracking in professional learning and development: Uncovering expertise development among residents in radiology (Helen Jossberger).- Chapter 22. Seeing workplaces from a Social Network Analysis (SNA) approach (Tuire Palonen).- Chapter 23. Design-based research - grounding, understanding and empirical illustration in the context of vocational education (Karl-Heinz Gerholz & Anne Wagner).- Chapter 24. Change Laboratory method for facilitating transformative agency and collective professional learning - case from a Finnish elementary school (Anu Kajamaa & Sakari Hyrkkö).- Chapter 25. Professional learning analytics: Understanding complex learning processes through measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of MOOC data (Allison Littlejohn, Eileen Kennedy, & Diana Laurillard).- Chapter 26. Longitudinal case study research to study self-regulation of professional learning: combining observations and stimulated recall interviews throughout everyday work (Katrien Cuyvers, Piet Van den Bossche, & Vincent Donche).- Part IV: Discussion & Commentary.- Chapter 27. Researching professional learning in complex environments: Opportunities and challenges from a qualitative research perspective (Monika Nerland).- Chapter 28. How to deal with the complexity in research on workplace learning (Erno Lehtinen).