Learning in the wild

This paper argues that learning is a natural social process that leads to the construction of meaning, which involves the creation of experiences of coherence, purpose, identity, and competence. Learning that yields a coherent social context, a worthy or compelling purpose, a strong, integrated identity, and increasing levels of competence, results in an experience of meaningful work. Learning as a social process is characterized by the property of capacity. Any given group will have a capacity to learn, and it will be difficult for that group to take on a learning challenge that is beyond its present capacity. If a group, for example, is short-handed, and is carrying out work that members see as urgent and important, then the group may focus its efforts on maintaining its equilibrium and creating stability, and may diminish its capacity to adapt to change by taking on new ideas and approaches. Such a group might also have a diminished capacity to bring newcomers into the community—which is the very thing that it needs to do if it is to overcome the problem of being short-handed. These propositions will be illustrated by a specific example: teams of frontline caregivers in a long-term care facility in Canada.