informal learning

eLearning predictions for 2011 and beyond — from Web Courseworks.com by Jon Aleckson

Excerpts:

This summer I attended the 2010 Distance Teaching and Learning Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Some very interesting topics came up in the facilitated Think Tanks, and I wanted to share some of the predictions that were developed from these active group discussions regarding where eLearning will go in the next ten years.

…

Below you will find a table that summarizes the different opportunities and challenges that were predicted to arise in the next ten years by the participants in the conference Think Tanks and by [Jon Aleckson].

	Opportunities	Challenges
*Learner*	Bridging informal and formal education Movement between schools to obtain courses needed for custom degrees Increase in shared knowledge among students and learners Networking and learning from each other Resumes will include informal and formal learning experiences acquired via the Internet	Developing standards to gauge education and competency from multiple sources Providing an authoritative, reliable source for information (e.g. not just Wikipedia) Physical and psychological distance from other learners and instructors. Quality measures for informal and formal professional development attained on the Internet.
*K-12 Instruction*	Reducing barriers to funding, certification, credit and accreditation Increase access to quality education for all students Open “course” concept to new blends of delivery and teaching Providing for more game-based learning experiences and techniques for a variety of learning styles Using new technology in the classroom	Defining online and blended education Development of technical infrastructure, internet access and equipment Maintaining the custodial function of school Acquiring funding for bold Internet delivered experiences for the classroom Allowing use of new technology in the classroom
*Corporate Training*	Just-in-time learning Greater access to information Peer coaching Cloud training Ability to reach those previously unreachable	Intellectual property rights Resistance to using open content Peer review of resources Unknown impact of open universities Technical challenges related to size of offerings and rapidly changing technology
*Content*	Tools allowing for easier collaboration and interaction Richer media experience (videos and simulations) Content repositories & Learning Object distribution and searchability Movement away from static textbooks as primary resource	Growing tension between standard core content and differentiation of content Where will content for curriculum come from? What part will student-generated content play? More copyright issues
*Learning Environment*	Customized learning spaces, i.e. personal learning environments (PLEs) Customization of content presentation and access eReaders and eBooks providing better and more interactive content (just in time) Changing paradigm of “bounded courses” to unbounded courses where learning is a continuous process that can occur anywhere and at any time	Determining fit and purpose of new tools and pedagogical approaches Standards for smart phones/mobile apps Issues with accreditation, privacy and copyrights Universal access to technology, equipment, and the internet
*Faculty*	More involvement and collaboration with online and distance learning initiatives More part-time faculty teaching for several institutions Faculty practices and entrepreneurs Changing role of faculty and PD instructors	What will the primary role of faculty be? Faculty segmentation into master teachers, mentors, researchers, tutors, etc. Changing of promotion and tenure to accommodate different roles Changing pay structure
Administration & Management	Continued growth of open education with some program stabilization Improved learner focus Increased blending/blurring of traditional on-campus with online options More collaboration with other administrators to influence policy makers	Managing and maintaining growth How to blend on and off campus learner programs Regulatory and accreditation issues Student accountability issues (plagiarism/doctoring) Improving faculty/ instructor readiness
*International Perspectives*	Providing access to education even to remote, rural, and developing areas Promote intercultural mixing and diversity through education Improving educational access in segregated societies Sharing resources and co-producing content to reduce cost Serve new growing customer groups Informal learning, sharing own learning with others via internet (e.g. blogs, wiki)	Technological infrastructure of societies Understanding of different people and places Eliminating the “we and they” thinking Illiterate audiences International/cultural conflicts Developing culturally aware curricula Differences in cost of education and fees Selecting suitable types of content delivery Refiguring content for different learner communities

Tagged with: 24x7x365 • accreditation • adjunct faculty • blended learning • career development • content • Content aggregration • content repositories • copyright / royalty-free • corporate / business world • corporate training / universities • customized learning • e-books • e-learning • e-readers • faculty • formal learning • future • future of higher education • game-changing environment • games • global • hybrid learning • informal learning • leadership • learning ecosystem • learning spaces • online learning • open • personalized learning • PLE • strategy • training • trends • ubiquitous learning

Interview with Josh Little, Bloomfire: E-Learning Innovators Series [via E-Learning Queen]

On 12/22/2010, in corporate / business world, informal learning, multimedia, social learning / networks, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Interview with Josh Little, Bloomfire: E-Learning Innovators Series — from E-Learning Queen

Excerpt:

2. What is Bloomfire and what inspired you to develop it?
A platform that allows anyone to start a Bloomfire, which is a website geared specifically for easily sharing knowledge and the discussions that surround it. You can invite members to find and follow experts, ask questions, and share with others. Members can share and upload documents, videos, or presentations, record a video from their webcam, or create screencasts on the fly.

I developed Bloomfire out of the pain I felt along my career as a public school teacher, corporate trainer, and small business owner. In every one of these roles I felt like I was just scratching the surface of what my students, trainees, or employees needed to know to be successful. There needed to be a better way to rapidly share knowledge with people all over the world. Although traditional eLearning tools allow this, the time and cost to create content was still limiting. I knew that by using the power of the crowd, any organization could harness the the long talk of knowledge, how-to’s and tricks if they had the right tool.

Tagged with: corporate / business world • informal learning • multimedia • social learning • workplace

Corporate Learning’s focus

On 11/11/2010, in corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, formal learning, informal learning, training / L&D, by Daniel Christian

Corporate Learning’s focus — from Harold Jarche

Q1) Close to 80% of learning happens informally and 20% formally, yet we spend most of our time and money on the 20%. How could we better support this and shift our time and money?

There are a few ways to address this imbalance…

Q2) Novices and experts have very different needs (curve from formal to informal). What needs to be in place to better support those differences? How can we support these differences across diverse business units (sales, service and specialized functions)?

Jay Cross and Clark Quinn have used this to explain the formal/informal mix by level of experience…

Q3) How can we shift from teaching content to developing search & find skills, critical thinking skills, creative thinking skills, analytical skills, networking skills, people skills, and reasoning and argument skills?

Organizations should start with…

Tagged with: corporate / business world • corporate training / universities • formal learning • informal learning • training

Learning Perspectives: 2010

On 10/13/2010, in corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, formal learning, global / globalization, informal learning, learning, training / L&D, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Part I: New Learning Frameworks
Part II: Under30 Perspectives
Part III: Learning in Action
Part IV: Learning Changes

From Elliott Masie:

We are pleased to announce a free, Open-Source, eBook for and by Learning Professionals:

“Learning Perspectives: 2010” | Contributions by 40 Global Learning Leaders | http://www.learning2010.com/ebook

The articles in this eBook cover the wide range of viewpoints and perspectives on the changing nature of Learning. It includes articles from our 30 Under 30 Learning Leaders. Contributors from Google, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Accenture, Alliance Pipeline, Farmers Insurance, Veterans Administration, Cleveland Clinic, CNN, Liberty Mutual, CIA, Luxotica and many more.

“Learning Perspectives: 2010” is published by The MASIE Center as an Open Source ebook and will also be distributed in hard copy format to every attendee at the upcoming Learning 2010 event to be held in Orlando, starting on October 24th. Note: “Last Minute” Registration Rates available for Learning 2010 – http://www.learning2010.com

Download your copy of “Learning Perspectives: 2010” at http://www.learning2010.com/ebook

Tagged with: corporate training / universities • formal learning • Global learning • informal learning • learning • training • workplace

Mapping major changes to education and training in 2025 (Europe)

On 09/02/2010, in education technology, Europe, future, future of higher education, global / globalization, informal learning, learning ecosystem, lifelong learning, open courseware and systems, personalized/customized learning, tools, training / L&D, trends, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: 1:1 • educational technology • Europe • future • Global learning • higher education • informal learning • learning ecosystem • Lifelong learning • open • personalized learning • training • trends

5 stages of workplace learning — Jane Hart

On 05/07/2010, in blended learning, elearning, formal learning, hybrid learning, informal learning, training / L&D, by Daniel Christian

5 Stages of Workplace Learning — from Jane Hart

I interrupt my series of postings on Collaboration Platforms, to talk a little about the stages of Workplace Learnng

As I have read the comments on my recent postings as well as tweets and postings on other blogs, I’ve identified what I think are 5 main stages of workplace learning. I’ve tried to capture these, in a very rough and ready way, in the diagram below.

…

But some of the key mindset changes that will move organisations into Stage 5 are:

recognising that working=learning; learning=working
understanding that informal learning needs to be enabled, supported and encouraged – but not designed or managed
“letting go”, so that there is a move from learner control to learner autonomy
realising that autonomous, independent and inter-dependent, self-directed learners are essential in an agile organisation

More here…

Tagged with: blended learning • corporate training / universities • elearning • formal learning • hybrid learning • informal learning • training • workplace

Collaborative learning — For the people, by the people — from Bloomfire.com by Josh Little

On 03/26/2010, in corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, disruption, social learning / networks, training / L&D, by Daniel Christian

Collaborative learning — For the people, by the people — from Bloomfire.com by Josh Little (emphasis below by DSC)

Should training organizations cancel their LMS subscriptions, take a hammer to their laser pointers, and bury their Webcams? By all means, NO! Formal learning is needed in most organizations. What we must do is redefine ourselves as learning construction experts.

Traditional approaches to training are facing disruption. When I say “traditional,” I mean more than instructor-led training located in classrooms. I include e-Learning in most of the forms that have prevailed for the last 15 years or longer. Disruptive innovation, in the form of social software, is sparking new philosophies about formal and informal use of collaboration to support learning. But why are these ideas finding support among business leaders and e-Learning experts?

The basic reason is simple. Information moves too fast. The speed of commerce is faster than ever. Today, product releases happen every three months instead of every three years. Customers define your brand through online communities faster than you can think about creating a branding campaign. The pace at which workers must learn outstrips anything we have seen before. The influx of Millennials (gen Y), who will comprise 50% of our workforce in the next five years, brings with it new entry-level technology skills and new expectations. And that, in a few sentences, is your disruption.

From DSC:
This speed of information applies to higher ed as well. In fact, I wish my master’s program would drop the use of printed-based textbooks and use materials that are much more up-to-date and accessible via online-based methods; also I can search these online-based items in a much fast, easier manner.

Tagged with: collaboration • corporate training / universities • disruption • informal learning • social learning • training

Powering social learning: Bloomfire formalizes informal learning — from mlive.com

On 03/08/2010, in informal learning, social learning / networks, by Daniel Christian

Powering social learning: Bloomfire formalizes informal learning — from mlive.com by Olivia Pulsinelli, Business Review West Michigan

(Emphasis below by DSC)

According to its Web site, “Bloomfire is everything traditional learning is not.”

Bloomfire founder Josh Little compared his new company, a hub of online learning communities, to gardens. Companies or other groups can sign up for Bloomfire, a monthly service which officially launches March 15, and each group’s “garden” of informal, social-learning opportunities can be dedicated to anything from sales strategies to fishing.

“Whatever a group or whatever a community would like to teach each other, you could deploy a Bloomfire,” said Little, who is based in Kalamazoo.

From his work at Pfizer and Stryker — and most recently, from working with other corporations through his online training-course development company, Maestro eLearning — Little and his team came up with the idea to create a tool companies could use as a way for employees to quickly and easily share knowledge and help each other build on that knowledge.

Bloomfire focuses on informal learning, which Little said contributes to about 90 percent of the knowledge that most people need to do their jobs. Informal learning usually comes from conversations and on-the-job or trial-and-error experiences.

“Bloomfire is a way to take all that informal learning and formalize it — somehow capture and harness that,” Little said.

On Bloomfire, one can do three things — teach, learn and manage.

Tagged with: informal learning • social learning

Learning Technologies 2010 – Recap — from Amit Garg

On 01/30/2010, in education technology, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, India, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, mobile learning, social learning / networks, teaching & learning, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

Learning Technologies 2010 – Recap — from Amit Garg

From DSC:
Thanks Amit for a great posting/summary here! There are some very powerful messages in there.

Tagged with: educational technology • India • informal learning • K-12 • learning ecosystem • Mobile learning • social media

Some thoughts on the potential of the iPad on education

On 01/28/2010, in 21st century, Apple, business side of he, colleges, computer science, convergence, corporate / business world, cost of getting a degree, digital audio, digital storytelling, digital video, disruption, education technology, elearning, engagement / engaging students, future, future of higher education, game-changing environment, global / globalization, higher education, hybrid learning, instructional design, journalism, learning, learning ecosystem, mobile learning, multimedia, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, online learning, open courseware and systems, pace of change, podcasting, publishing, RSS, simulations, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, telecommunications, textbooks, training / L&D, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: formal learning • games • informal learning • iPad • iTunes • journals • publishing • simulations • textbooks

Next Entries

Learning Ecosystems

eLearning predictions for 2011 and beyond

Corporate Learning’s focus

Learning Perspectives: 2010

Mapping major changes to education and training in 2025 (Europe)

5 stages of workplace learning — Jane Hart

Some thoughts on the potential of the iPad on education

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