KNOWLEDGE WORKERS' PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND PERSONALIZED LEARNING IN THE DIGITAL ERA

On-going digital disruption, globalization and platform economy will change the way we work, manage and learn. In recent years, there have been many papers describing how professional career paths and traditional workplaces are diluting. Previous researches indicate that there shouldn’t be any more rigid and hierarchical organizations and people have to lead and regulate themselves. Future workers are learning nomads and innovation workers who are crafting their jobs and careers according to rapidly changing situations. In new circumstances professionals have to take care of their market value, professional brand, self-leadership, continuous learning and integration of work and private lives. The importance of career self-management and entrepreneurial mindset is forging new ways to learn and live. In this new co-working era other people, social networks, strategic partners and swarm intelligence are important resources for individuals’ meaningful life, value added work, growth mindset and sustainable learning. Today employees are looking for a culture that promotes their personal and professional development and employee value. Individuals are becoming more responsible for their own learning at work and in life. The final target of this study is to design a tentative model of personal learning environment, which will support knowledge workers’ self-determined learning and sustainable career growth. The aim of this paper is to present a study design. Data will be gathered from knowledge workers who work in expert or managerial positions and who utilize actively informal and other learning resources e.g. social media on daily basis in order to quarantee their professional value. This study is qualitative research. Methodologically the study draws on design-based research (DBR), which contributes to both scientific knowledge and practical improvements in knowledge workers’ career and learning environment. The results from different phases of the design cycles will be presented in forthcoming scientific journals.