Creating learning opportunities: informal learning

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Creating learning opportunities informal
learning

• John Cook
• Learning Technology Research Institute
• London Metropolitan University

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Structure of workshop (90 mins)

• Brief introduction (15 minutes)
• Break down into groups (30 minutes)
• Discuss one or more of questions (negotiate with
  John so we get coverage)
• Appoint someone to make notes and report back
• Each group report back (15 minutes)
• Discuss issues raised (25 minutes)
• John pulls out main conclusions (5 minutes)

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Informal learning

• People are now averaging about 15 hours a week on
  informal learning (Livinstone, 2000)
• Employment
• Housework
• Community work
• General interests
• Yet very little of this informal learning is
  supported by e-learning.

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Rugby union fan
Parent
PhD students
Play 5 aside football
Principal Research Fellow
Kids
Self taught bass player
CETL Ops Manager
Peel
Student
Bass
BA
John
Formal vs informal
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No single definition Informal Learning

• Attributes of informality and formality (Colley,
  Hodkinson, et al., 2003)
• location/setting
• process
• purpose
• content

• Non-formal
• a tutor knows about it
• Informal
• under the radar or self-motivated

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Questions for group discussion (1)

• Is there a distinction between life-long
  learning and informal learning?

• Does informal learning vary across the difference
  sectors, e.g. HE, FE, Adult and Community
  Learning, in the workplace?

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More questions (2)

• Measuring learning in informal contexts cannot be
  easily linked to outcomes, but to perceptions of
  outcomes?

• How can we measure informal learning?
• Do we want to measure informal learning?

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Yet more questions (3)

• One problem is that a large section of people are
  not getting the opportunity to use digital media
  for informal or indeed formal learning
  opportunities and are hence being digitally
  excluded.
• How can we design digital media that plugs into
  the motivations and emotional states of 'real
  people' in a way that empowers them?
• Is there a linkage between the digital divide and
  the learning divide?

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What did we find out?
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Conclusions?
See Cook and Smith (2004) for further reading
or http//www.londonmet.ac.uk/ltri/research/inform
al.htm
informal learning
specific skills course
vocational qualification
Non-formal learning
informal learning
academic course
vocational training
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References

• Colley, H., Hodkinson, P. and Malcom, J. (2002).
  Non-Formal Learning Mapping the Conceptual
  Terrain. A Consultation Report, Lifelong Learning
  Institute, University of Leeds, November 2002.
• Cook, J. and Smith, M. (2004). Beyond Formal
  Learning Informal Community eLearning. Computers
  and Education, CAL03 Special Issue, 43(1-2),
  35-47.
• Livingstone, D. W. (2000). Exploring the Icebergs
  of Adult Learning Findings of the First Canadian
  Survey of Informal Learning Practices. NALL
  Working Paper 10-2000, Ontario Institute for
  Studies in Education, University of Toronto.

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• john.cook_at_londonmet.ac.uk

Acknowledgement Aileen Ackland, Shalni Gulati.
Walter S. Arnold granted me permission for
gargoyle photos to be used in talk and handout,
see http//www.stonecarver.com/gargoyles/