Empirical knowledge
Knowledge based on experience is knowledge that arises through acting and experiencing experience ("learning-by-doing") plus knowledge gained . Knowledge based on experience relates to facts and circumstances experienced and therefore places knowledge in a context of knowledge. It is based on sensual perception , but is never limited to it, but rather draws “ conclusions ”, “concludes” on logical judgments , “leads back” to causes or “ interprets ”.
Characteristics of experience
- Experience is related to the possession of area-specific knowledge.
- Experience is primarily related to knowledge that arises from episodic, self-experienced events and that is constructed by individuals on the basis of these processes of experience.
- Experience arises in episodic experiences only if they are subjectively assessed by the individual as (self-) relevant and self-related.
- Experience can then be fostered if it is possible to experience episodes and if the individual relevance of the learning object is conveyed, which can be done by providing complex learning environments.
requirements
Experience-based knowledge arises in the process of carrying out those activities that are needed to successfully manage them . Sufficient duration of the activity is required. It is helpful to be accompanied by already experienced people, whereby it is not experience "in the matter" but rather experience in learning that is essential ( mentor ). Internships are a typical opportunity for experiential learning, especially if the requirements and learning opportunities are as close as possible to the learning content required for the future activity. This corresponds to the requirement for practical training.
Learning through experience also happens spontaneously, i.e. independent of any necessity. What has been learned is then available for future, not yet existing or even unknown requirements.
However, in today's rapid technical and organizational change, it is no longer enough to simply trust that experience-based knowledge is acquired and adapted on its own. It is also no longer sufficient to create learning opportunities in which the empirical knowledge required in current and future functional fields is systematically conveyed and acquired (for example in simulation systems and in learning stations within real service processes).
What is required is "learning to learn", independent, cooperative learning .
Knowledge based on experience arises with age ( lifelong learning ). Since the working age is related to the age, older employees mostly have more experience than younger employees. Companies that specifically employ older and younger employees have a clear competitive advantage.
Experience as the basis of action competence means:
- professional action;
- particularly knowledgeable and successful people (expert status);
- Promotion of action competence through targeted use of professional experience.
Experience-based knowledge as a component of action competence
Knowledge based on experience is a form of practical knowledge (know-how). With this form of knowledge, the explicit knowledge (verbalizable knowledge) and the implicit knowledge (non-verbalizable knowledge) are organized and structured in such a way that the achievement of activity or work goals is largely optimized. The empirical knowledge consists not only of explicit practical knowledge, but also of explicit theoretical knowledge (process knowledge, knowledge of measures ...) and that includes the implicit knowledge of interdependencies. The empirical knowledge refers to both facts and procedures. Experience is of fundamental importance for the ability to act. The ability to act, willingness to act, personality traits and responsibility are the units of action competence. Knowledge from experience consists largely of implicit knowledge that cannot be verbalized sufficiently and is usually directly linked to action.
The concept of experience
If "knowledge" is understood as empirical knowledge, it means the attitude of a person in a certain subject or task area. This is not always and never completely visible, but only shows some of its qualities when encountering certain questions or problems. Pronounced experience-based knowledge is characterized by openness and sensitivity and can be recognized by the fact that the person is familiar with this area, that he or she moves around it skillfully and efficiently and finds appropriate solutions to problems that arise. As an attitude, empirical knowledge is always tied to a certain person and makes him what he is.
According to an understanding of knowledge as empirical knowledge, every problem solution, insight or judgment is made, be it in the subject and task area of science, certain organizational or manual activities or otherwise in everyday life, be it more cognitive or more physical (skills).
Knowledge is developed through attentive observation and committed (i.e. in addition to intellectual, emotional and sensory) encounters with a variety of problematic situations. For this, joy and fascination with the topic are almost inevitable, fear and other stress make it impossible. It is crucial that the observations are formed into findings and stored in a retrievable manner. Also important should be the attitude “not to cheat”, not to hide contradictions and “not to make it easier for yourself than it is”. Experienced people can help others develop experiential knowledge by setting an example and by letting them join in, by drawing learners' attention to certain things, and by giving learners specific tasks. Knowledge from experience is not developed “from outside”, but only by “entering” a topic. Trust (towards yourself and others) is central.
Well-developed experience enables you to act quickly, safely and prudently in the relevant area and to adapt your actions sensitively to the specific circumstances (correct action, appropriate problem solving). It enables "environmental responsibility" in the full sense of the word. This means that people with extensive experience can “see” a simple order in so-called “complex” situations (which is related to the fact that they describe and assess partial phenomena before their position in the overall situation). This enables them to act in a context-oriented manner as well as to recognize general laws ( induction ). However, empirical knowledge cannot be fully stated. It only shows up in concrete situations, and these utterances do not refer to something that would be stored as “inventory”, that would have to be specified, written down, or passed on ready-made. Those who know have no distance to their knowledge, they have the certainty that they are familiar with a certain topic and can reflect on their approach, but they can always surprise themselves with their problem solutions or answers.
Knowledge from experience does not only include quantitative aspects ("a lot of practice"), but also qualitative ones. Experience is defined as the episodic knowledge of how to deal with knowledge, i.e. how, when and in which situation which knowledge is most promisingly used. Acquiring professional competence no longer means simply adding knowledge or simply accumulating professional practice, but rather a constant, situation-dependent integration of “experienced” knowledge structures.
literature
- Fritz Böhle, Annegret Bolte, Wolfgang Dunkel, Sabine Pfeiffer, Stephanie Porschen, Nese Sevsay-Tegethoff: How society deals with empirical knowledge - from exclusion to drawing new boundaries. In: Ulrich Beck , Christoph Lau (Eds.): Delimitation and Decision - What is new about the theory of reflexive modernization? Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 2004, ISBN 3-518-41648-0 , pp. 95-122.
- Fritz Böhle: Science and empirical knowledge - manifestations, requirements and consequences of a pluralization of knowledge. In: Stefan Böschen, Ingo Schulz-Schaeffer (ed.): Science in the knowledge society. Verlag für Sozialwissenschaft, Wiesbaden 2003, ISBN 3-531-13996-7 , pp. 143-177.
- Joachim Braun, Joachim Burmeister, Dietrich Engels: SeniorTrainer: New Responsibility and Commitment in Local Authorities - Federal Model Program "Experienced Knowledge for Initiatives." Report on the first phase of the program. Institute for Social Science Analysis and Advice, Cologne 2004, ISBN 3-929877-21-X .
- Joachim Braun (Ed.): Experience and responsibility - on the role of senior trainers in selected engagement areas. Institute for Social Science Analysis and Advice, Cologne 2005, ISBN 3-929877-22-8 .
- Patricia Fry: Science as empirical knowledge. Deutscher Universitätsverlag, Wiesbaden 2000, ISBN 3-8244-4391-0 .
- H. Gruber: Experience as the basis of competence to act. In: Education and Upbringing. Issue 2/2006, pp. 193-197.
- Michael Jantzen: Transfer and preservation of experience in companies. Igel Verlag, Hamburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-86815-215-9 .
- Hans-Eberhard Plath: Experience and competence to act - consequences for professional development. In: Gerhard Kleinhenz (Ed.) :: IAB Compendium Labor Market and Occupational Research. Contributions to labor market and occupational research, Contribution AB 250/2002, pp. 517–529.