Five Resources for Understanding and Leveraging Informal Learning

The way that we understand what “informal learning” is, andthe relationship of our work in L&D to that domain, has evolved from“learning that happens without L&D intervention” to “everyday workplacelearning.” And the understanding is still fuzzy at best for most of us. Fuzzierstill is our concept of what to do about informal learning: can we manage it,measure it, make it happen, make somebody accountable for it? Or is it liketrying to catch lightning in a bottle—to capture something powerful and elusiveand then being able to hold onto it, study it, and put it to work?

Here are three articles from Learning Solutions Magazine, published between 2011 and 2014, thatattempt to deal with these questions. There are actually Learning Solutions articles from several years before 2011, and ifyou look at them you can see recent evolution taking place. But to give a morecurrent look at how we are coming to understand what informal learning is, I’veadded links to Jane Hart’s 2014 research report on informal learning and to herrecent Online Forum dealing with the way she sees “everyday workplacelearning,” which seems to be where the concept is coming to rest—for now,though maybe not forever.

The resources

Learning Solutions Magazine: “The Ubiquity of Informal Learning: Beyond the 70:20:10 Model.” Ben Betts. Thisarticle explains where to start in your attempt to get the lightning into thebottle, and identifies three things that determine the effectiveness ofInformal Learning.

Learning Solutions Magazine: “eLearning Guild Research: How Important is Informal Learning?” Patti Shank. Researchidentifies the elements of informal learning by relative importance.

Research Library:Informal Learning Takes Off. JaneHart. This report examines the results of a Guild survey about informallearning in the workplace and where it needs support from L&D.

Learning Solutions Magazine:“eLearning Guild Research: Informal Learning With and Without L&D.” Patti Shank.This summary of a Guild Research report identifies the 10 most common informallearning activities.