According to Wikipedia, Informal learning is to be understood as unorganized and not formally defined learning at home and at work.
At least 80% of learning that takes place is informal learning (The
Institute for Research on Learning, 2000, Menlo Park). With such a high
percentage should we as a society be encouraging more informal
learning?
As time moves on we find new ways to learn and pick up useful
information. Whilst we may still be reading news and books, the way
society approaches this is increasingly technology orientated.
Here’s a look at some of the current technologies being used to facilitate learning on the go:
RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
The early days of the internet involved going to websites to hunt down new content. The invention of RSS
has made us all much more efficient, with the use of feed readers (or
aggregators) users now have the luxury of technology updating them on
any new articles or content.
Blogs, wikis, podcast and videos
Content, audio and video - publishing made easy. The power is not
just in organisations, people have equal opportunity to publish their
thoughts, knowledges and experiences.
Online Communities
In the pre-internet days, where did you go to find an answer from an expert?
Focused online communities
provide a social user base with a common interest along with features
such as blogs, forums, mailing lists and news. Successful communities
provide a useful resource to source information, ask questions and
contribute their own knowledge and experience.
What are you doing to promote informal learning within your work place?
