ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What if the most valuable curriculum for working adults already exists inside the organizations where they work?
In this episode of Signals in Higher Ed, Darin Francis sits down with Andrew Salmon, co-founder of Intangled Learning, to explore the idea of work generated learning, an approach that treats the practices, decisions, relationships, and challenges inside an organization as the foundation for learning.
Salmon explains how Intangled Learning positions apprentices as researchers within their own communities of practice, using authentic work to surface knowledge, develop reflective practice, and identify where deeper academic theory can strengthen their capabilities. Rather than separating theory from practice, the model connects the two around the work learners are already doing.
Drawing from Intangled Learning’s work in teacher education and advanced manufacturing, the conversation examines how mentorship changes when learning happens inside an active practice, why traditional approaches can struggle to capture organizational knowledge, and how community and social connection can improve both learning and professional development.
The discussion ultimately raises a larger question for higher education: if content is increasingly abundant and inexpensive, where can institutions provide unique value? Salmon argues that higher ed has an opportunity to become a partner in inquiry, assessment, and practice, helping learners and organizations understand, develop, and validate knowledge as it is generated through real work.
