How Do You Facilitate Informal Learning?

According to a recent article in Training Industry Quarterly, only 20% of employee learning takes place in a formalized setting. The other 80% occurs informally on-the-job. Formal learning still has a place within corporate learning programs, especially for teaching employees brand new skills. However, understanding and capitalizing on how informal learning is increasingly important. The article places most informal learning in three different categories:

·        On Demand Learning, which includes e-learning, simulations, books and reference materials

·        Social Learning, which includes workshops, breakout sessions, wikis, quality councils, blogs, and instant messaging

·        Embedded Learning, which include job aids, help systems, reference cards, and online FAQs

A couple of things that all of these have in common:

·        They are learner-driven. Learners decide the medium of choice, the pace, the content covered, who they converse with, and where the learning happens.

·        Technology enables and formalizes informal learning. According to a recent article on CFO.com, the use of social networks and wikis within companies doubled between 2007 and 2008.

·        Most informal learning is lower-cost than traditional formal learning programs.

·        Each category has an on demand element. Wikis can be searched. Job aids and FAQs can be referenced on the fly. Instant messaging allows for immediate answers.

Informal learning will continue to happen within all organizations, and technology is expanding the ways employees can share information. The challenge for learning organizations is to formally acknowledge and facilitate informal learning within their company’s culture. How is your learning organization formalizing this valuable transfer of knowledge?

Comments

[Larry]

The making easy of informal learning?!
1) accept "informatl" learning is a natural phenomenon linked to being human
2) identify those things which "trigger", reinforce and perpetuate informal learning
3) once identified, "build" these things into the "fabric" of the community (business, partnership, family, etc.

By understanding the process of informal laerning, we are able to FORMALIZE the informatl learning.

Of course there must be an environment "commited" to life-long learning AND as in any system there must be a clearly understood. shared vision/mission/purpose within the "community".