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Bridging the gap between formal and informal learning Jane Hudson Workplace and Regulatory Learning Consultant JBass Learning

Formal informal learning j_bass learning 20 september 2016

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Page 1: Formal informal learning j_bass learning 20 september 2016

Bridging the gap between formal and

informal learningJane Hudson

Workplace and Regulatory Learning ConsultantJBass Learning

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Bridging the gap between formal and informal learning

‘Don’t worry about what they told you in the training, now that you’re with the team we’ll show you what the real world is all about’

Team leader to new recruit

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Bridging the gap between formal and informal learning

If learning were an iceberg, then formal training and development would only be its tip.

Most learningis informal in nature and happens under the waterline—invisible, and therefore much harder to understand

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Informal learning

“Companies already use informal learning in employee development. It’s an inevitable aspect of human behavior. Companies just don’t do as good a job of it as they might. Employees already learn more from one another than they do from formal programs”

(Cross 2007 as cited in Radakovic & Antonijevic (n.d.))

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Informal learning

‘Workplace learning professionals need to understand how workers are exposed to informal learning, and will be called upon to judge whether this is good learning—not just the absorption of bad or out-of-date habits—and whether people would get more out of their informal learning if they had some targeted training.’

(Halliday-Wynes & Beddie (n.d.) p.11)

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Informal learning

‘Gives employees the opportunity to learn and keep their skills up-to-date,while being part of the overall workplace culture rather than just its training regime;a necessar y element of retaining employees’

(Smith, Ochzowski & Selby Smith 2008)

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Bridging the gap…

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Formal learningOrganized program or packageStructuredHas learning objectivesDesignated teacher or trainerLeads to a qualification or credit

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From the learners perspective, formal learning is always intentional

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Formal learning

Plays an important role when there needs to be a systematic adoption of a set of knowledge, skills or methodologies to be used at work

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Informal learningNot organizedNo set learning objectivesNot intentional from the learners standpoint, may not even be recognized as contributing to their knowledge and skills

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Informal learning

A natural part of everyday life…We are wired to learn and we are constantly exposed to learning situations – at work, home, during leisure time…

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Informal learningIn supporting the application of competencies in the workplace informal learning plays an important role in ensuring the acquired knowledge is sustained

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Used to supplement or reinforce learning from formal programs

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Major factors that influence informal learning in organisations….

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The desire to learn on demandThe culture of the organisationStaff have insufficient time for formal, scheduled learning

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There is no single definition, however…

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Informal learning is usually considered to include activities like:

• Reading• Internet eg Google, YouTube,

TED, MOOCs, Social media, eLearning, Video Learning, Webinars

• Listening to the radio, podcasts

• Visiting libraries• Attending public lectures,

conferences

• Volunteering• Learning from family &

friends• Peer to per learning• Learning by trial & error• Job-shadowing• On-the-job training• Workplace

mentoring/coaching• Networking

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Benefits

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Benefits – Formal Learning

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• Addressing organisational capability needs for appropriate, systematic and result oriented learning

• Large numbers of employees will learn the same information and/or processes at the same time;

• The course content should be accurate, up to date and reliable (when properly designed)

• Employees learning through formal training programs come up to speed faster once they start their jobs

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Benefits – Informal Learning

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• Can be less costly and more time efficient with all the social media technologies and electronic devices we have today

• Can be more personal and less intimidating for some people

• Subject-matter experts may be more willing to share their knowledge with others this way

• Employees may be less likely to resist learning new things

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Challenges of informal learning

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Informal learning

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Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

• Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

Happening everyday in the workplace – whether it is recognised/understood/acknowledged or not – it is embedded in our day-to-day lives

Increasimgly being recognised as an important element in workforce development

Powerful - can derail workplaces formal learning efforts

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Challenges

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Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

• Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

Workplace learning & development professionals need to find ways to facilitate learning that bridges the gap between formal and informal learning

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Challenges

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Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

• Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

Generally invisible

Outside of the ‘control’ of a formal learning structureDifficult to plan for Generally not thought of as being self-sufficient as a form of workplace learning, but complementary to, and compatible, with, formal and non-formal learning

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Challenges

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Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

• Informal learning is happening every day whether it’s recognised/acknowledged or not

‘This is also a challenge for the system, which needs to decide when there is a good reason to recognise informal learning and how then to assess it. It calls for good judgment about the learner’s capacity to maximise the benefits from informal approaches, and whether the student would gain from being channelled toward more formal training—for their own sake or to ensure quality of learning. ‘

(Halliday-Wynes & Beddie (n.d.))

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Bridging the gap between formal and informal learning Ways they can be brought together

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Ways to bring them together

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We now have an abundance of educational tools to choose from, including formal classroom instruction, group discussion, online learning, social media and workplace interactions. Usually it is a combination of all of these learning tools and methods that will give us the best learning results.

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Ways to bring them together

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• 70:20:10• Just in time• Blended learning programs• Organisation’s dialogue/narrative• Engage the informal leaders• Provide learning opportunities eg team leaders/Managers

conducting informal and formal team asessions designed in as part of the formal learning program

• Conversations/dialogue

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Ways to bring them together

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Clear expectations (management)Leadership and CultureActively foster workplace conversations/dialogueTeach managers and team leaders about their role / influenceEngage the informal leaders

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Building internal capability

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Building internal capability

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Team leaders, managers, internal content/subject matter experts:• Basic coaching skills programs• Basic training skills programs for ‘to-be’ internal trainers • Leadership development for team leaders and managers• Understanding the role of informal learning in a formal

learning program

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Building internal capability

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Learners:• Learning to learn/lifelong learning• Why a formal/informal learning program is designed the

way it is and their role and responsibilities

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Bridging the gap between formal and informal learning

Most informal learning will, quite rightly, remain invisible. Although it would seem that more of the iceberg of informal learning is likely to become visible if adequate resources are devoted to its recognition, informal learning will probably, and quite rightly, remain mostly submerged.

(Halliday-Wynes & Beddie (n.d.) p.11)

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BibliographyASTD (2008) Tapping the Potential of Informal Learning. An ASTD Research study. Alexandria, VA: ASTDInfed (n.d.) Informal Learning – Theory, Practice and Experience http://infed.org/mobi/informal-learning-theory-practice-and-experience/ . Accessed 15/09/16Halliday-Wynes, S. & Beddie, F. (n.d.) Informal Learning in NCVER At a Glance seriesOECD (n.d.) Recognition of non-formal and informal learning, http://www.oecd.org/edu/skills-beyond-school/recognitionofnon-formalandinformallearning-home.htm. Accessed 15/09/16Radakovic, M. & Antonijevic, S (n.d.), Balance between formal and informal learning - experience and challenges of civil servants training in Serbia Stockley, D. (n.d.), The role of informal learning in employee and organisation development, http://www.derekstockley.com.au/articles/informal-learning.html . Accessed 18/09/20169/19/16

Bridging the gap between formal and informal learning