Paper

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Improving Leaders’ Evaluation of Employees: Impact of Ubiquitous, Self-directed
Learning In Corporate Employee Performance Management
Cesar Nin, Derek Randolph, and Gloria Talton
St. Thomas University
EDT 650 - Practicum
Dr. Tim Stafford
October 10, 2020
Abstract

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This research design proposal is to study the impact of LinkedIn Learning on the process
that organizational leaders use to evaluate the performance of their employees. We hypothesize
that LinkedIn learning can be an effective tool for employees to gain knowledge, and a tool for
leaders to provide better coaching. The research is learner centric through the use of well
constructed surveys that assess the perspective of employee as it pertains to their own
experience.
Introduction
The landscape of corporate learning and development is continuously changing with the
pace that employees must maintain to stay abreast of new ways of performing work. In an
organizational setting, the organization typically has business objectives that require all facets of
organization structure to be operating optimally. This includes the employees that make up the
organization. In most organizations, there are mechanisms to evaluate the performance of
employees and this is typically referred to as performance management. Employees may
perceive such systems as beneficial or antagonistic. This perception is often rooted in
assumptions that the employee has relative to how much control or how much engagement they
have in the performance management process (Seiden & Sowa 2011). The timing of the
engagement is also important in the way employee’s perceive the motives of their leaders during
coaching and the feedback they get from the leader as a result. Managing individual
performance should result in higher employee satisfaction and morale and lower employee
turnover. Managing employee performance can be formal or informal with the main deliverable
typically being the employee performance evaluation. Much of the literature around the
performance evaluation process involves research surrounding 3 areas. First, there are studies

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about the efficacy of the most common performance evaluation processes. Second, there is
research focused on the design of the performance management process. And third are the
employee perceptions about performance management. This research proposal aims to explore
this third aspect while at the same time examining the efficacy of ubiquitous learning delivery
platforms, specifically LinkedIn Learning, an online ubiquitous learning platform that helps you
discover and develop business, technology-related, and creative skills through expert-led course
videos (LinkedIn,2021).
Background
Both leader and employee are important in the evaluation of the employee’s performance.
Learning and development teams have traditionally designed training programs internally around
this premise. Many of the corporate learning management systems are structured in a way that
gives the leader visibility as well as control into the curricula presented to his or her employee.
Often this is chosen based on the employee’s technical or functional work duties. The leader
has the ability to see what trainings are scheduled for the employee to complete as well the dates
when the training is due. This enables the leader to set expectations during the course of the
evaluation period as well determine whether there is any coaching required. The other common
types of training are corporate compliance training which is usually non-negotiable training that
applies specific to the organization or industry and the employee is motivated to complete the
training in order to remain employed (Kessler, 2008).
For training aimed at an employee’s technical or functional proficiency, there is generally
specific competency criteria that forms the learning objectives set forth by learning and
development teams. Based on learner analysis and assessment, these learning professionals have

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determined the core competencies that an employee needs to be proficient in and then courses
are developed based on that. The accompanying assessments are then tied to determining if
transfer has occurred as a result of the course, however authentic application of the key concepts
can only be truly determined once the employee is back performing his or her job duties.
Designers and training managers historically spent much of their time designing the course
delivery itself and then installed the course into a learning management system where the course
remained unless there was some formal request to make changes to the course or redesign the
related curricula altogether (Ishmail, 2018).
When the training content changes at a rapid pace, learning and development teams are
required to quickly grasp the essence of the changes so that they can ensure content is ready in an
expeditious way so that the business teams that rely on the training can function effectively.
This however does not mean that managers do not play a critical role in the process of
developing their employees. In fact, learning and development teams note that transforming
managers into learning champions is one of the largest challenges. This is partly due to the fact
that so few managers are aware of the learning resources available to them. Over 50% of
managers find out about learning when their own managers inform or recommend learning to
them or when the learning is tied to their performance evaluation (Linkedin Learning, 2020).
Ensuring that managers know that they are responsible for developing their teams may be a way
to increase engagement in the learning process and motivation to leverate the learning resources
that are available.
The type of learning in demand has also shifted which means that the learning delivery
systems are also changing. In organizations with large learning and development teams and
related budgets, it may be possible to deploy new platforms for learning but in many cases,

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organizations have to look to external resources to provide content to their employees. Digital
transformation is the fuel that is driving much of the learning and reskilling revolution. As
organizations try and stay abreast of changes in industry, there is a digital transformation
happening in almost every industrialized society that is adding a layer of skilling requirements
that internal learning and development departments are often not able to meet. Online,
ubiquitous, and distance learning environments have been able to stand in this gap and deliver
learning pathways for some of these most in-demand skill sets. Figure 1 illustrates the skill sets
that LinkedIn Learning identified in a 2020 annual report.
Figure 1. Future of Work - Highest In-Demand Skills (LinkedIn Learning, 2020)
Learning and development teams also believe that new technologies will greatly
influence online learning well into 2025. As more sophisticated technology emerges, learning
content has to respond timely and with relevance. Learning and development teams largely
understand this and are eager to engage sources that can meet this increasing need. They want to
spend their time on engagement to drive business objectives and less time on curating content

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(Veletsianos, 2020). Integrating with digital learning platforms is a necessity in order to attract
and retain the best talent and ensure that the workforce have the capabilities to support the
organizational strategy. This is all underscored by the employee’s own motivation to learn. So,
regardless of the platform being used, the learning content still has to align with the
organizational goals so that the employee is provided with the rationale for completing the
training and why there would be a rationale for including metrics in the performance evaluation.
Problem Statement
A leader's ability to associate learning and development with organization goals is key for
organization growth. That also means organization leadership is required to build linkages
between skills and knowledge and employee performance. Some studies show that more
training resulted in more profit for organizations (Vinikas, 2021). However, the future of work is
going to be largely remote so learning and development teams will be under more pressure to
find more flexible delivery methods. LinkedIn Learning is one e-learning platform that meets
this need. Having online resources is a great tool to help employees’ professional development
and the performance evaluation process. Programs such as LinkedIn Learning, Skill Share,
Udemy, Coursera, etc., help leaders assign courses or sections to employees to help them learn
new skills and grow as future leaders. Some of the challenges with using such programs as a
professional development tool are that they do not link properly with the company Learning
Management System (LMS). Sometimes, links are hard to find to a specific course. Another
challenge is that the licensing agreements typically have constraints that limit the employer to
change or modify the material for better use during assessment. Lastly, this program is not free,
and companies have to analyze if the material should be taught face-to-face or online.

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Nowadays there is a wide array of options when it comes to online courses and platforms
but not all of them are necessarily the best. LinkedIn learning has proven to be a very effective
tool that has had a very positive effect on the way that it uses instructional design and technology
in its material. LinkedIn Learning ensures quality in its courses by offering courses that are
designed by experts from all over (Simonas, 2021). Not only does it offer courses and experts but
it also combines this with the data collected from your professional network in order to better
tailor the material that is offered. LinkedIn Learning also provides interactive and social learning
by connecting you with other people with the same background and offering search tools that
allow for the user to easily find the content of interest (Suh, 2020). By doing this they are
ensuring that the material is learner-centered, therefore ensuring that students are able to learn at
their pace and are able to engage with each other in order for them to collaborate.
These newer ubiquitous learning delivery methods are helping organizations move
towards an ideal learning experience for employees that help them meet organization and
individual performance objectives. The ability to create immersive learning pathways that are
more connected to the work environment and more individualized means employees can be more
engaged and attentive. Arguably, this is because ubiquitous learning solutions can be more
aligned with real-world work experience.
Research Purpose and Questions
There is an intersection of organizational theory, learning theory, and social theory that
converge that deserves deeper exploration. This research investigates how organizations can use
online learning platforms, in this case LinkedIn Learning, to improve the performance of its
employees which would be measured by the performance evaluation process. Many

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organizations are already incorporating social networks into their own cultures for the purpose of
marketing and branding, this research explores the same in the context of learning and
development. The authors aim to identify benefits to employee performance when LinkedIn
Learning is used and benefits to leaders who engage with employees and set expectations of the
employee’s use of LinkedIn Learning to develop their job related competencies as measured in
their performance evaluation process. The question (RQ) this study seeks to explore specifically
is the following:
● RQ: How is employee performance evaluation improved when leaders add Linkedin
Learning in required training pathways for their employees?
Literature Review
What We Know
Knowledge acquisition in the modern world has dramatically improved due to the
enhanced systems of social media. Several researchers have examined the advantages and
disadvantages of having social media platforms, such as LinkedIn Learning. One thing that is
known about the improved technology is that it has replaced the traditional method of employment
in which an employer had to wait for an employment candidate to apply for a position. McCabe
(2017) examined the effects of LinkedIn Learning and argued that employing possible employees
by using LinkedIn Learning has succeeded over the traditional employing practices. The platform
helps employers easily connect with candidates without incurring the costs that used to be incurred
traditionally.

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People understand that the current generation operates well with the help of practical
education (Assami, Daoudi, & Ajhoun, 2018). Unlike in the past, when people's careers limited
them to pursue other knowledge, many scholars have found that LinkedIn Learning drives
knowledge acquisition. Arora et al. (2018) contend that even if social media platforms such as
LinkedIn Learning are game-changers in teaching and learning, there will always be
contradictions. Overall, people understand that LinkedIn Learning has enhanced business
performance, as employers use it to educate their employees on any emerging issues relevant to
their organizations.
What We Don’t Know
While many business organizations throughout the world have embraced the idea of
LinkedIn Learning to teach their employees, there is a lot that people need to know about the
platform. The business world is expanding every day, and thanks to LinkedIn Learning that easily
interacts with business, there is urgency for companies struggling to acquire this platform. Baird
et al. (2020) examined the strengths of LinkedIn Learning and highlighted that the platform has a
huge advantage for its users as it expands professional networks. These networks are what many
underperforming professionals need to give output effectively.
While LinkedIn Learning offers a vast opportunity for professionals to learn from one
another, it has become an empowerment tool in the twenty-first century. The platforms enable
users to be creative and innovative in their respective positions in their organizations, as users are
freely allowed to express themselves. Banerji and Reimer (2019) argue that companies and
organizations can leverage the benefits of LinkedIn Learning in order to impact their employees
with on-demand access to courses that are curated, relevant, and high-quality. However, the

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platform is tipped to enhance businesses. Personal knowledge is also at risk of rogue individuals
taking advantage of and sabotaging the personal information that people provide in their learning
processes. It is also important to note that LinkedIn learners are free to learn from whatever part
of the world and any content they feel is favorable for them.
There have been several case studies on social networks could be used effectively
for educational purposes. Some studies show that when social networks are used cooperatively
learning has been positively correlated with student learning outcomes. The TPACK model is
cited as a model that can be used for effective integration of technology into education. Because
it is dynamic in nature and has a two way relationship between knowledge and practice. While
the aim of this action research is in a professional setting and mostly likely to impact adult learners,
the TPACK model may be applicable in an andragogical setting as well. The research highlighted
by Bower (2017) notes that Students can also learn vicariously by silently observing the
contributions and conversations of others. In one study researchers suggested the use of Facebook
as a key factor as to why one group of students outperformed their peers. The study suggested that
social networks cater to more informal contributions of learners and their preferences for less face
to face interaction. Conversely it was noted that when social networks are integrated with
learning management systems, cognitive overload could result due to potential duplication of
information and ambiguity as to which systems are used for various activities.
There have also been studies that reinforced the constructivist view that cognition occurs
best in situated contexts because knowledge is mutually built in social and physical settings and
not in the learner’s subconscious mind (Niess, Rakes, & Ronau, 2012). More research is needed
to gather more evidence of this theory that where a person learns using technology is fundamental

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to what is learned, however there is significant literature that provides research data about the
learner’s environment, which is beyond the scope of this study.
In review of literature focused on online learning effects and benefits, many studies are
geared to marketing the value of one specific platform over another. LinkedIn Learning is no
exception. The research available by the online platform espouses that it measures engagement
and utilization in order to make correlations between learner engagement and learner outcomes
and performance. These are metrics that would be important to leaders in an organization setting.
In a separate study, LinkedIn Learning stated that almost 40 percent of learning and development
teams that they interviewed said that their learning programs integrate learning with performance
evaluations. A third of leaders and managers also said that they found out about learning resources
when the learning was integrated into performance reviews.
There is a broader perspective as it relates to performance evaluation since the evaluation
is the outcome of some effort in coaching and execution of skills by an employee culminating into
a point in time assessment. Therefore understanding the underlying goal of the performance
management process is equally important in tying performance expectations to training plans. An
organization may espouse that it is a learning organization, but according to literature this is only
possible if the employee’s are motivated to professional development and when the organizational
culture is known for valuing employee’s learning and development (Rao, 2016). A 2020 Brandon
Hall research study showed that both employees and managers are not seeing value in the time
spent on performance evaluation processes. The study suggests that organizations must
aggressively focus on developing more managers who can drive employee performance through
meaningful interactions in the flow of work (Legal Monitor Worldwide, 2020). In self-directed
learning contexts, it is important for the manager or leader to provide continuous check-in to help

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ensure that the employee stays motivated. Further, aligning the training with organizational goals
and specific competencies allows learning paths to better align with the skills the employee needs
to be a valuable contributor and the performance evaluation can be crafted to be reflective of those
same competencies.
When an organization decides to move their training online, the Association for Talent
Development makes note of six key benefits: Reduced time out of the office, quicker response rate
to training needs, extended learning to a global audience, improved training quality, supported
learning for remote workers, and reduced carbon footprint due t removing the need for learners to
travel (Smith, 2016).
Theoretical Framework
There are a number of theories that relate to a framework where performance can be
improved through integration with online learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning. The
primary context is to explore the integration from the aspect of the learner, the influence of the
environment on the learner’s motivation, and the transfer that occurs, in this case in the
professional setting. Ubiquitous learning models suggest that as technologies evolve and more
pervasive forms of technology emerge, computers will become ‘invisible’ and will be embedded
in all aspects of our life. In an ubiquitous learning environment, education is happening all
around the student but the student may not even be conscious of the learning process (Jones &
Ju, 2004). This type of learning environment gave rise to Massively Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) as well as other ubiquitous learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning.
There is also the Path-Goal theory, which is a dynamic framework based on different
types of leader-follower goals. In Path-Goal theory which is an organizational leadership model,
the leader’s role is to increase the follower’s belief that their effort will lead to accomplishing a

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goal, such as improved performance and thus more compensation. There are multiple behaviors
associated with leaders who adhere to this model all of which are predicated on the leader being
approachable, collaborative, and one who sets expectations of their followers to achieve some
desired level of performance. The degree to which the follower or employee will require the
support of the leader depends on the clarity of the tasks and the path to attainment. This aligns to
the premise in this research as the training provided by Linkedin Learning would align to the
performance competencies required in the work environment, reducing ambiguity and increasing
the employee’s motivation to learn.
For George Siemens and his colleagues who developed the first MOOC, the goal was not
to create an efficient credentialing system but to push students to work together in "messy,
ambiguous contexts," he has written (Siemens, 2005). Siemens and Stephen Downes’ research
are thought to be the predecessor for Connectivism which is a theoretical framework that asserts
that connectivism is characterized as the enhancement of how a student learns with the
knowledge and perception gained through a social or personal network. Duke, Harper, and
Johnston (2013) define the key characteristics of Connectivism where “ the individual does not
have control; rather it is a collaboration of current ideas as seen from a present reality. The core
skill is the ability to see connections between information sources and to maintain that
connection to facilitate continual learning. Decisions are supported by rapidly altering
fundamentals as new information is quickly integrated to create a new climate of thinking”.
Related to the networking aspect of Connectivism, is the cost-benefit awareness in Social
Exchange theory. Social exchange theory has been used to explain employees' positive work
attitudes in response to a perceived investment in employee development (PIED). Some
literature suggests that exchange theory applies when employers invest in employee

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development, provided workers see the training investment as the employer's side of social
exchange, which in turn leads to increased affective commitment and job satisfaction (Ishmail,
2018). When employers do not achieve the expected returns from the training investment, they
should check not only hard data (e.g. training attendance rate, hours of training, etc.) but also soft
data (e.g. employees' perceptions of training investment, social exchange, etc.) by conducting
employee surveys and communicating with line managers. (Anthony, Cropanzano,Daniels, &
Hall, 2017). Therefore, some empirical data exists for social exchange theory in the context of
organizational training investment and employees' attitudinal outcomes.
Type of research and Methodology
Our research will be in the form of qualitative research given the nature of our research
question. We want to gain insight on how leaders can use Linkedin Learning to improve
employee’s performance. By doing so we will be able to get better insight on what drives
employees’ perceptions about their performance and why they feel that they can excel better by
using this platform. So that our research is successful in discovering the reasons behind the
patterns we’ll be observing, qualitative design is essential (Busetto, 2020). Another way to look
at this is that this research method will allow us to better understand the thoughts and reaction of
the employees when it comes to the use of this program (Smith, 2019). To reiterate the main
reason behind this research, our main goal is to find the overall performance of the employees in
order to see if they agree that Linkedin Learning helped them improve their skills. This is
qualitative in nature because it cannot be simply quantified and it is a question that should be
answered by feedback based on their impression.
The method of qualitative research that we will be using is that of the case study. With
the case study method we will be able to gather in depth information that will provide us with a

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better idea of the influences on this program (Vashishtha, 2019). This is one of the best methods
for leaders since it allows them to get detailed insight that will allow them to create better
strategies as well as better understanding the influences behind this. It will be essential to choose
the right method within this type of research since the impact would probably not be the same if
we had gone another direction. Our research question is mostly looking for the effect that this
learning platform will have on the learners. In a sense this is kind of an action and reaction case
in which we are mostly interested in the overall effect of this. By keeping that in mind this is the
best type of research that aligns with the goal and purpose that this is meant for.
Research Design
For our research we will be conducting a series of surveys that will be handed out to the
learners. These surveys will guide them through a series of questions so that we can collect
feedback on their experience with Linkedin Learning. In order to conduct our research we will
randomly select a group of 100 employees, which we will further separate into two groups of 50.
One of the groups is going to use Linkedin Learning as instructed by their managers, meaning
that they will be choosing learning paths that have been pre selected. Then the other 50 will
select their own learning paths based on what they feel are the areas that they personally feel that
they need to strengthen. First we should ask them what their expectations are before starting their
learning path and then follow up with their feedback once they complete this. These responses to
the surveys will be completely anonymous and we won't be revealing the names of the people
participating in the research. We will ask for previous consent before sharing all the data related
to their surveys.

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The demographics of our study group is very similar for both groups given that many
share the same income and are all between the ages of 30 and 40. Another thing that they all
have in common is that they all work in the same organization, some mostly all of them share the
same professional background. Some of the questions that will be answered by them in our
survey will be questions such as how do they feel after taking the learning paths? Do they feel
that their skills have improved and would they recommend their managers to enforce this more?
With these types of questions the management will have a better idea of how helpful it may be to
conduct Linkedin Learning for all employees.
Data Gathering Procedures
Unquestionably, data collection or data gathering plays the most instrumental role in
research. According to Muhammad (2016), "Data collection is the process of gathering and
measuring information on variables of interest, in an established systematic fashion that enables
one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes" (p. 202).
Although data collection methods vary from one field to another, the primary objective of all data
collection procedures is to ensure that data integrity is maintained by collecting accurate or valid
data. In other words, the likelihood of errors occurring during research or studies is determined by
the accuracy of the data collection methods used and procedures used to collect the data
(Peleshchyshyn & Mastykash, 2017). For this reason, data gathering or data collection is a
demanding task that requires hard work, patience, and perseverance for the research project to be
completed successfully and accurately. This section of the literature review will explore the tools
used to collect data and determine that the mentioned tools will collect the accurate data we are
looking for. The processes or techniques used to analyze or evaluate the collected data.

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Notably, many tools can be used for data collection based on the objective and nature of
the research question under study. Data gathering procedures also vary based on whether the
researcher wants to collect primary or secondary data. To explore how leaders can use LinkedIn
Learning to improve employees' performance evaluation process, we will employ primary and
secondary data collection or data gathering procedures. Whereas primary data collection
procedures will allow us to obtain data from first-hand experiences, secondary data gathering
procedures will allow us to acquire data from sources that have already been published. The tools
that will be utilized for primary data collection include (1) Questionnaires, (2) Interviews, and (3)
Surveys. On the other hand, the team will employ the following tools for the collection of
secondary data: (1) Books, (2) Newspapers, (3) Statistical data, (4) Internet articles, and (5)
Records.
Data analysis procedures
After data collection, the next step is data analysis. Assarroudi et al. (2018) define data
analysis as the process of utilizing statistical or logical techniques to evaluate data in order to
discover meaningful relationships or valuable information for decision making. In other words,
data analysis allows researchers to dissect the data and establish meaningful relationships in the
data. After collecting data from various sources, we will use several data analysis techniques to
draw inductive inferences from the data collected (Assarroudi et al., 2018). In our case, where we
seek to understand how leaders can use LinkedIn Learning to improve employees' performance
evaluation process, the following data analysis techniques will be employed: (1) Descriptive
Analysis, (2) Inferential Analysis, (3) Causal Analysis, and (4) Predictive Analysis (Gould et al.,
2018).

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Characteristically, a descriptive analysis will enable us to use simple statistical measures
such as measures of central tendency, frequency, and variability to generate essential summaries
about the collected data. An example would be drawing a simple line graph to compare the
employees' performance evaluation process of organizations using LinkedIn Learning and those
that do not. As Barkana, Saricicek, and Yildirim (2017) contend, descriptive analysis or descriptive
statistics allow researchers to represent data in an organized manner. Indeed, this will enable us to
establish meaningful relationships among various variables in a population. As mentioned earlier,
descriptive statistics entail measures of central tendency, position, frequency, and dispersion or
variation. Since descriptive analysis condenses data in a more manageable form, it will enable us
to gain insight into how leaders can use LinkedIn Learning to improve employees' performance.
The inferential analysis will allow us to use a small sample size to develop more
generalized or extrapolated information about larger groups. In other words, inferential statistics
are used to compare samples to examine potential variations, gain insight about the relationship
between various variables, and provide insights about small or large differences among variables
within a population (Grace & Irvine, 2020). Additionally, the causal analysis will allow us to
examine cause and effect relationships among variables with the objective of finding the reason
behind the correlation. In other words, the causal analysis will allow us to unveil the causes that
lead to particular outcomes. Grace and Irvine (2020) articulate that causal analysis can be
conducted using customer reviews, management review meetings, customer complaints, and
audits. On the other hand, predictive analysis will allow us to utilize the collected data, find
patterns in it, and use these patterns to make future predictions. These data analysis techniques will
help us make sense of the collected data and get answers to the question under research.
Summary and Conclusion

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Trends in online education have actively influenced expectations of learners. Traditional
andragogical approaches will not apply to the new generation of learners, including those in
organizational contexts. It is anticipated that the research data will draw a qualitative
relationship between leaders’ ability to coach and evaluate employees based on the expectations
set regarding the use of self-directed learning. Employee’s would also find it easier to make
linkages between online learning exercises and their performance in the workplace. The use of
social networks may also increase employees’ engagement and motivation due to the employee
having access to a larger population of other peer learners. Employees will develop insights into
how to leverage online learning in the pursuit of their personal goals. Leaders will develop
better coaching skills and be able to draw linkages into proficiency in certain courses to the
requirements of the work that the employee needs to perform.
In turn, additional research may be needed using this data to determine how learning and
development teams can then frame curricula using ubiquitous learning platforms. The goal is to
provide clear pathways for learning and associate those to job competencies so that the leader
can have more meaningful development conversations with their employees. L&D teams will be
able to deliver the right training at the right time. This will enable training managers to better
prove knowledge transfer and most importantly, evaluate the effectiveness of training efforts on
business outcomes.

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