Content area
Full text
1. Introduction
To remain aligned with the evolving demands of labor markets, individuals must engage in continuous learning through both formal and informal means (OECD, 2021a; Tannenbaum and Wolfson, 2022). Teachers, too, must continuously enhance their professional competencies through various learning activities (Darling-Hammond and Oakes, 2021; Schleicher, 2020). Existing research underscores the pivotal roles of both formal and informal learning in improving teachers’ professional performance, personal well-being and student outcomes (Darling-Hammond and Bransford, 2007; Kennedy, 2016; Kyndt et al., 2016; Lecat et al., 2020). Nonetheless, significant research gaps exist in this area. First, studies on workplace learning tend to address formal and informal learning separately, which obscures the relationship between the two and results in an incomplete understanding of workplace learning (Kyndt et al., 2016; Lefstein et al., 2020). Second, most of these workplace learning studies focus predominantly on formal learning, leaving informal learning an underexplored area for which limited insights have been generated (Eraut, 2011). To gain a comprehensive understanding of workplace learning to foster continuous professional development, it is crucial to investigate the interplay between formal and informal learning (Eraut, 2011; OECD, 2021b).
In this study, we draw upon self-determination theory (SDT) to examine the link between formal and informal learning among teachers. SDT posits that when individuals perceive the availability of resources and opportunities as supportive of their basic psychological needs – autonomy, competence and relatedness – they experience a high level of autonomous motivation toward continuous learning and professional growth (Deci and Ryan, 2000). Therefore, we postulate that teachers’ basic psychological needs serve as a key mediator in the relationship between formal learning and informal learning. Recent research indicates that challenge-seeking behavior is significantly driven by the satisfaction of these basic psychological needs (Deterding et al., 2022; Lee and Reeve, 2017). Individuals who engage in challenge-seeking behavior often encounter gaps in knowledge and skills, prompting them to undertake informal learning activities to address these gaps and meet challenges (Chase et al., 2020; Demerouti et al., 2019). Hence, we propose that teachers’ challenge-seeking behavior may act as an additional mediator, following the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, in the relationship between formal and informal learning.
In sum, with the goal of providing novel insights into...