Employee-Driven Innovation as Lifelong Learning/Medarbeiderdrevet innovasjon som livslang læring. Paper session

Vibrant societies and democracy requires active citizens. In our part of the world, in northern Europe, we have a high level of employment and a relatively high number of man-years per. capita (Perspektivmeldingen 2013 Meld. St. 12 (2012-2013)). We live in work happy, egalitarian societies with a tradition of workplace learning and cooperation between research and enterprises about innovation (Gustavsen et al. 2010 Pikettey 2013). That indicates how active citizens have access to a good education system as well as lifelong learning through participating in the workforce (Bjørkeng 2013; Zarifis & Gravani 2014; OECD 2014). In order to capture the differences in the lifelong knowledge production we distinguish between three forms of learning: Namely informal (uformell), non-formal (ikke-formell) and formal (formell) learning (Holmes Land & Lundin 2009; Eikeland 2012 c). In simplest way, we can imagine that informal learning applies to our daily work tasks and integrate into those. This is ‘the everyday learning’. Non-formal learning refers to more organized training at the workplace (Rismark & Sølvberg 2011; Amble 2014). Then formal learning happens in the educational system, the learning that gives credits (ECTS) and degrees. In this article, the purpose is to theoretically, examine the boundaries and relationships between the three forms of learning. What characterizes the three forms in today’s ‘learning life’ (Læringsliv). How can practical experiential learning be inter-twined with more theoretical classroom learning? What prevent or promote such learning in today's fellow citizens changeable life? And finally, how can we use this knowledge in educational programs where the workplace is the frame around the knowledge production? In the paper we discussed the three forms of learning with basis in the research project #Læringslivet (Learning life) as Symbiotic Learning System of Employee-driven Innovation in Municipal Care Work (NFR’s FINNUT program no 246718). Employee-driven innovation (EDI)(Høyrup 2010; 2012; Amundsen et al. 2011) can be related to informal learning and collective organizational learning based on broad participation in development work at work (Herbst 1993; Eikeland 2012 a; Amundsen & Kongsvik 2016). In the current project, however, employees who participate in EDI also could take credit points in the formal school system (Eikeland c). This implies organized learning processes in the workplace, where what we know about good learning environment (Fuller & Unwin 2004) and teaching methods will be success factors. The project is an action research project where we, researchers together with four work places will develop a handbook in Employee-Driven Innovation.