000			02940nam a2200301 4500
999			_c111128 _d111128
003			IE-CoIT
005			20210303063007.0
007			ta
008			180320s2017 ie ||||| |||| 00| 0|eng||
040			_aIE-CoIT
082			_aTHESES PRESS
100	1		_9123945 _aHelferich, Pia Sue _eauthor
245	1	0	_aDeveloping a model for lifelong learning of communication professionals in agencies : _bthe role of communities and networks of practice / _cPia Sue Helferich
264		1	_aCork : _bCork Institute of Technology, _c2017.
300			_a2 volumes : _billustrations (some color) ; _c30 cm
336			_atext _btxt _2rdacontent
337			_aunmediated _bn _2rdamedia
338			_2volume _3nc _ardacarrier
490		0	_aPh. D - Marketing and International Business
500			_aThe purpose of this thesis is to investigate "how communication professionals attain lifelong learning in their working environment in order to face the challenges arising from digitalisation?" Challenges include, for example, the extensive use of social media by stakeholders. Even though scholars have clearly outlined the importance of lifelong and informal learning in the education literature, the topic has not been investigated with regards to communications professionals. Furthermore there is a lack of empirical evidence in the literature that investigated the impact of social media on informal learning strategies. This thesis provides an in-depth multi-disciplinary literature review with an emphasis on communities of practice, informal learning and network theory. The thesis is dependent on a qualitative, explorative stance and uses a grounded theory methodology (GTM) with a triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods to meet the research aims of the study. The methods included are interviews, a quantitative survey, and focus group. The result of this novel research is a model for lifelong learning of communication professionals in agencies. The model emphasises "personal networks of practice" as the centre of all informal learning activities in communication agencies. Personas are provided to show how the model works in practice for different individuals. This strengthens the usefulness for practical application. The model contributes to research as a multi-disciplinary model for lifelong learning in a digital age that contributes to existing theory within educational research. A contribution to communication research is made through methodology novelty and insights about how communication professionals learn informally with social media tools - (Abstract)
502			_aThesis _b(Ph. D) - _cCork Institute of Technology, _d2017.
504			_aIncludes bibliographical references.
650		0	_935562 _aCommunication _xStudy and teaching (Continuing education)
650		0	_aSocial media _986643
650		0	_aNon-formal education _940416
650		0	_9123946 _aCommunities of practice
942			_2ddc