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Understanding Critical Reflection As Informal Learning: a Cultural Historical Activity Theory Analysis of Factory Workers in Korea

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Understanding Critical Reflection As Informal Learning: a Cultural Historical Activity Theory Analysis of Factory Workers in Korea The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School Department of Learning and Performance Systems UNDERSTANDING CRITICAL REFLECTION AS INFORMAL LEARNING: A CULTURAL HISTORICAL ACTIVITY THEORY ANALYSIS OF FACTORY WORKERS IN KOREA A Dissertation in Adult Education by Kyoung Hwa Lee 2011 Kyoung Hwa Lee Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2011 The dissertation of Kyoung Hwa Lee was reviewed and approved* by the following: Fred M. Schied Associate Professor of Education Dissertation Advisor Chair of Committee Adult Education Gary W. Kuhne Associate Professor of Adult Education In Charge of Graduate Programs in Adult Education Alison A. Carr-Chellman Professor of Instructional Systems Leland L. Glenna Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology and Science, Technology, and Society *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School iii ABSTRACT This study started from the question “how does learning occur in human life”. In particular, I am interested in learning that takes place continuously anywhere at any time rather than learning that is occurred by being taught by others. This study interpreted critical reflection as learning that continuously occur in anywhere at any time i.e. as informal learning, and then analyzed the process how it takes place in human life. To find out how critical reflection occurs, this study focused on factory workers’ critical reflection while working on the shop floor. Using ethnography methodology I analyzed the observed and interviewed data of factory workers’ working life in order to examine critical reflection as informal learning. In this process, I used Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as the theoretical framework in order to elaborate the process that critical reflection occurs while working. The analysis using CHAT was helpful to find out workers’ critical reflection as expansive learning that continuously promotes the other learning. That is, factory workers’ learning activity on working life was gradually expanded to the new pattern of activities such as forming good relationship with family or creating identity as a social member. Using the expansive learning based on CHAT, I examined critical reflection as continuously being occurred anywhere at any time, and suggested it as informal learning that can take place in the workplace. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. vii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 Coming to the Topic .................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................. 6 Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................. 11 Critical Reflection ....................................................................................................... 11 Critical Reflection based on Habermas’ Critical Theory ....................................... 13 Critical Thinking in Psychology ........................................................................... 22 Differences between Critical Reflection and Critical Thinking ............................. 27 Informal Learning as Workplace Learning ................................................................... 29 Formal Education, Non-Formal Education, and Informal Learning ....................... 29 Informal Learning in the Workplace ..................................................................... 34 Intelligence of Workers ........................................................................................ 36 Cognitive Processes and Social Processes ............................................................ 38 CHAPTER 3: CULTURAL HISTORICAL ACTIVITY THEORY ..................................... 43 Principles of CHAT ..................................................................................................... 44 Three Generations of Theory Development .......................................................... 44 Importance of Structural Contradictions ............................................................... 47 CHAT’s Strengths and Shortcomings .......................................................................... 49 Strengths .............................................................................................................. 49 Shortcomings ....................................................................................................... 52 CHAT as Theoretical Framework for Analyzing Workplace Learning ......................... 53 Six Elements of CHAT ........................................................................................ 53 Contradictions between and within Activity Systems............................................ 56 CHAPTER 4. DATA COLLECTION METHOD ................................................................ 60 Ethnography ................................................................................................................ 60 Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 61 Research Site and Participants ..................................................................................... 62 Data Collection ........................................................................................................... 66 Interviews ............................................................................................................ 67 Participant Observation ........................................................................................ 70 Documents and Materials ..................................................................................... 71 Data analysis ............................................................................................................... 72 Making a Meaning Unit ....................................................................................... 73 v Condensing the Meaning Unit .............................................................................. 74 Making a Code .................................................................................................... 75 Categorizing ........................................................................................................ 75 Creating a Theme ................................................................................................. 77 CHAPTER 5. DAEJEON FACTORY OF PRUGE-CLARK CORPORATION ................... 79 Background ................................................................................................................. 79 Pruge-Clark Corporation in Korea ........................................................................ 79 Daejeon Factory of Pruge-Clark Corporation ....................................................... 80 Participant Observation in Daejeon Factory ................................................................. 81 The Shop Floor .................................................................................................... 81 Class and Lecture ................................................................................................. 83 Climbing .............................................................................................................. 83 Lunch Time and Break Time ................................................................................ 84 Conversation with the Head of Department .......................................................... 84 Representative Systems of Daejeon Factory ................................................................. 85 Vocational Ability Grade System ......................................................................... 85 4-team 2-shift System .......................................................................................... 86 Job Rotation ......................................................................................................... 87 Workers’ Lifelong Learning ................................................................................. 88 CHAPTER 6. ACTIVITIES IN WORKERS’ WORKING AND PERSONAL LIFE ............ 91 Continuing Learning for Working Ability .................................................................... 91 Workers Tasks on the Shop Floor ......................................................................... 91 Multi-skilled Workers .......................................................................................... 98 Sharing Skills with Colleagues ............................................................................. 103 Educational Programs .......................................................................................... 107 Continue Learning for Working Skill as an Activity System ................................. 114 Positive Human Relationship ....................................................................................... 116 Difficulties
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