The Practice Arena as a Learning Environment

Learning, as a technical term, connotes the efficient understanding of and reaction to internal and external information. Learning, in the social context, defines how individuals perceive their work experiences. It can be attained through factual information or from implicit or inferred sources, e.g.. a gut feel. From this viewpoint, it can be said that from social interactions in a conventional workplace emerge learning

. A learner combines the two definitions in a practice area. He or she tries to make sense of available data and at the same time, processes observation and imitate skilled workers in the workplace.

According to Christine Prange's review, 1999, she noted that [i]"learning from experience (is) a genuine component of almost all approaches". From Wenger, 1998, comes the thought that [ii]"organizations may be a constellation of communities of practice.

A variety of issues and factors make the tenet of learning specifically challenging to the educator to meet the practicomers need for information. To cite an example, surgery procedures limits the time that a nurse educator can impart knowledge on the learners. It happens most of the time that learning is inadequate due to lesser hospital hours, different educational and experience levels, and time restrictions.

To triumph over these factors, the mentor must have the skills to perceive the learning capacity of a mentee. The mentor must evaluate the requirements of the mentee, identify various aspects shown as to the mentee's willingness to learn, and possess the skills required to link teaching or mentoring with styles of learning to make the most of learning opportunities.

The learner is the only important individual in the learning arena. Even without an educator, learning can still take place. An educator only enhances learning, serving as a facilitator of information to the learner. Accordingly, it does not guarantee that the learner will indeed learn whatever information is given.

To further aid the mentees in the learning process, organized experiences must be applied to aid in finding reason and sense for learning. In evaluating the factors involved in the learning process, it gives the educator the ability to impart information and knowledge through various ways.

The educator influences and controls the environment to help learners attain their potential for learning. This approach assists the learner to integrate the information or knowledge into the learner's behavior.

The important role played by the educator is analyzing and evaluating problems, difficulties and/or deficits; provision of correct information presented in a distinctive way; identifying progress; providing feedback, opinions and follow-ups; strengthening learning in the attainment of knowledge, execution of a skill, a transformation