Tamara:

" I see workplace education going in dangerous directions. We have to be even more vigilant in promoting a worker-centred approach with a focus on the whole person. We need to put workplace education on the bargaining table so that workers will have the right to learn with dignity and respect. At the same time, we need to build very strong bridges to public education and address public policy to ensure strong public education for all ages to the end of secondary school as a right and universally free."

Conclusion

The results of this conversation raise questions and possibilities. It is fascinating to see the similar threads in the perspectives from seven workplace educators representing three countries, many of whom have not yet met in person. In addition, the fact that there are these complementary perspectives from people who have survived in the field for this long counts for a lot.

This conversation illustrates that there are definite areas to "think on" with respect to both informal and formal professional development for workplace educators. For example, there may be ways to better understand, enhance and formalize mentoring relationships that have worked so successfully for people. Professional development might include a mentoring component both for those new to the field and the experienced workplace educator who wishes to move into a new area. Perhaps mentoring can have an international component too.

In addition, those involved in this conversation stress, in numerous ways, the need for intercultural thinking and abilities to do literacy in the workplace well. More attention needs to be focused on these intercultural abilities that are so critical to our success when working in various work contexts with people at all levels and from different backgrounds. How can we put ourselves in the shoes of others while keeping our own role and identity intact? How can this be learned?

As we have illustrated even through this small piece of work together, technology is critical. Even though most of the interviews were set up by "old-fashioned" telephone, the preparation for the interviews and the follow up afterwards took place with the immediacy of e-mail. Without the Internet, this conversation would have been much more difficult.