Merging Formal and Informal Learning

1. Merging Formal and Informal Learning Lisa Neal www.lisaneal.com lisa@acm.org September 15, 2005

2. Derivation • “Informal learning” was introduced in 1950 by Malcolm Knowles • “Formal learning” may have evolved in contrast • Like “corded phone”

3. Informal learning It “is a process of learning that takes place in everyday experience, often at subconscious levels” Where the “learning process is neither determined nor designed by an organization” and control of learning rests primarily in the hands of the learner Formal learning Traditionally in the classroom Designed, delivered, measured, and/or need determined by someone other than learner Distinction based on location/control

4. Examples

5. Examples • Learning to speak • When does formal learning start? • Speaking is primarily controlled by learner, but also by an authority figure who offer substantial reward upon success • Higher degrees awarded for life experience • Can experience be equated to formal learning and be rewarded by the same measures? • Derivation of idioms

6. From learning to e-learning • Same definitions • The impact of location and control when learning is technologically-mediated

7. What is the impact of location? • Given a computer and skills, a learner has virtually unlimited and unconstrained opportunities

8. What is the impact of control? • Formal learning online is determined, designed, delivered, and/or measured by a someone other than the learner • Learner may have less support for the highs and lows or may have to be more blatant since fewer visual cues • It can be more of a struggle to engage or compete with distractions • Informal learning online can be determined, designed, and/or facilitated by a person but is more flexible and less structured than in person

9. Examples

10. Examples • Examples of formal learning online include • Taking a self-paced or instructor-led course • Examples of informal learning online include • Searching the web • Participating in an online community • Creating or reading a blog • Examples demonstrate the increased immediacy and relevancy possible with informal learning

11. Questions • What is MIT OpenCourseWare? • What is participation in a course discussion forum when it is part of a student’s grade? Formal learning online ? Informal learning online ?

12. Measuring informal learning • Assessment can be much more difficult • Example of participation in a course discussion forum • Measure quantity of postings • Measure quality of postings • Let peers measure quality of postings • Like Amazon.com’s was this review helpful? • Assign thread moderators to respond to postings and to summarize and measure the quality of discussions • Measure self-reported or on-the-job performance changes

13. Measuring formal learning • Similar to classroom • Pre- and post-tests • Retention • Measuring informal learning resulting from formal • Example of derivation of idioms: measure instead what was explored once derivation found • What are related idioms • Do they exist in other languages • What are the subtleties of use

14. Does formal learning require informal learning? • Tom Reeves added the conative dimension of learning to the cognitive, affective and psychomotor • Will, desire, effort, drive, striving, mental energy, self-determination, and intention • Can these be fostered or scaffolded through formal learning alone? • Formal and informal learning become a lens for examining and rethinking education in general, and online education in particular

15. Does informal learning require formal learning? • A 2000 Canadian study found people average 15 hours per week on informal learning activities • The Internet is changing education in and outside of the classroom • An important role of formal learning is giving children the skills for informal learning over the Internet • Once people are taught the skills to use a technology, they may learn to use it in creative ways

16. Does formal learning lead to informal learning? • Arguably the most important role of formal learning is to promote and foster informal learning • Skills to learn • Skills to locate and identify information and expertise • An outcome of informal learning is formal learning • Teaching as a means of solidifying informal learning

17. The relationship between formal and informal learning • Informal Learning in Organizations uses a brick and mortar metaphor to describe the relationship between formal and informal learning in an organization • Difference between academic and corporate settings is the proportions • Academic uses less mortar (informal) • Corporate has ever-shrinking bricks (formal) • Knowledge management within corporations • Is it possible to formalize informal corporate learning?

18. Differences between face-to-face and online • Online there is the • Increased opportunities for learning • Without a teacher or expert • Or to locate the expert, peer, etc. • Increased importance of informal learning skills • Increased difficulty of assessment • Importance of translating from online to face-to-face

19. Merging formal and informal learning • Where is this done optimally? • Hint: best face-to-face

20. Merging formal and informal learning • Why does it work better face-to-face? • Immersion • Fewer distractions • Variety of opportunities • Is this true for all learning? • Some examples

21. Course on Human-Computer Interaction Delivered to 20 students around the world over 4 weeks Synchronous sessions 3 times each week Many discussions student-led, some with expert guest speakers Assignments in discussion forum Use of storytelling Small group projects Class parties in virtual world Formal or informal learning? Assessment? First example of online course

22. Second example of online course • Course on Teamwork Skills for Medical Personnel • Delivered to small groups of students over 10 days • Two synchronous sessions (not shown) • To reinforce concepts and for practice • Asynchronous modules

23. Text to learn concepts

24. Video clips from TRU – negative examples

25. Compare textual answers to expert’s opinion

26. Asynchronous modules • Reflection questions – discussed in discussion forum • Comment on classmate’s postings • Profiles to meet and learn about classmates • Training • Areas of expertise

27. Which activities in the asynchronous modules are formal and which are informal? • Learn concepts – text • Watch video – mostly negative examples • Answer questions based on video • Listen to expert’s opinion, compare answers to expert’s, comment on understanding, and get peer leader feedback • Reflection questions – discussed in discussion forum • Profiles to meet and learn about classmates

28. How is the course assessed? • Assessment of each activity • Better understanding of concepts • Better implementation of concepts • Better ability to work with classmates under stressful conditions

29. Third example of online course • Online learning center from Plimoth Plantation: “You Are the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving”

30. Asynchronous activities • Self-paced delivery • Exploratory environment with layers of information • “Visit the expert” • Culminating activity to demonstrate understanding • Teacher’s Guide • Ties to social studies standards • Provides classroom activities and recommended reading • More in print guide

31. Which activities are formal and which are informal? • Self-paced activities in exploratory environment with layers of information and options • Culminating activity to demonstrate understanding • Online and print Teacher’s Guide • Ties to social studies standards • Provides classroom activities and recommended reading

32. How is the course assessed? • Self-paced activities in exploratory environment with layers of information and options • Culminating activity to demonstrate understanding • Online and print Teacher’s Guide • Ties to social studies standards • Provides classroom activities and recommended reading • If a teacher or child is inspired to learn more or has a new perspective, how is that assessed?

33. Fourth example of online seminar • Online seminar series from Cognitive Science Society • Offered 5 times each academic year to 100-200 participants

34. Synchronous seminar • One hour seminar with VoIP, questions and answers, and text chat • Formal or informal learning? • Assessment? • Measures of participation or level of attention • What about the session archive? • Repurposed materials in general?

35. Fifth example of online community • Neopets: virtual pet community • Select and modify pet(s) • Learn about economics • Informal learning • What would happen if formal learning opportunities provided?

36. Sixth (last) example of online community • The Apprentice • Discuss human resources, leadership skills and styles, appropriate work attire, etc. • Informal learning • What would happen if formal learning opportunities provided?

37. Merging formal and informal learning • Formal learning online • Offers more structure and guidance • Leads to informal learning • Informal learning online • Offers immediacy and relevancy and is learner-controlled • Requires computer and skills for all ages/abilities • Spending/outcome paradox • What happens when they aren’t merged? • Merging them together in an online course offers richest learning opportunities