why organisations need to review their approach to learning and think about
embedding informal and social approaches as a core element in the mix
Charles Jennings
Duntroon Associates
1

Social & Informal Learning?
2

Social & Informal learning is:
the learning that occurs
(mostly) Outside the
Classes, Courses, and
Curriculum model
3

Social & Informal learning includes:
Learning through Work
“when working is learning, then
learning is working”
the learning that takes place through work - as part of work - rather than
away from the workplace
4

Social & Informal learning includes:
Learning through Others
“our world is others”
Jerome Bruner
social learning is all about learning with, and through, others
5

Amy van der Hiel
6

I learn best when ……
COLUMN A COLUMN B
Someone who knows something I I dialogue, question and discuss with
don‟t, explains and describes it to me someone who knows something I don‟t
I observe a demonstration I get involved and try things out
What is presented to me is organised What is presented to me is organised
according to the logic of the content according to the logic of how I work and
learn
I am told how things work I experience how things work
are most of your selections from Column A or Column B ?
from Harold Stolovitch
7

formal vs informal learning?
FORMAL
 curriculum set by someone else
 typically an event, to a schedule
 completion is recognised with a symbol - certificate or check
mark in an LMS
 “pushed” on learners
INFORMAL
 informal learners usually set their own learning objectives
 learn when they feel a need to know
 proof of learning is in ability to do something that could not be
done before
 is often is a pastiche of small chunks of observing how others
do things, asking questions, trial and error, sharing stories with
others and casual conversation
 learners are “pulled” to informal learning
* from Jay Cross
8

Key Drivers
A. We‟re Working
In An „Always-
on, Beta‟ World
B. B. Learning
Often Isn‟t What
We Think It is
9

Our Always-On, Beta World
10

Our World is Increasingly
Connected
information-rich
attention-poor
11

our lives are awash with information
“In 2009 more data was generated by
individuals than in the entire history of
mankind through 2008”
Harvard Business Review
The Social Data Revolutions
12

Information
volumes are increasing
most is unstructured
half-life of the majority is decreasing
13

People
always connected
having to deal with more complexity
making more decisions further down the hierarchy
14

We simply can‟t rely on the next piece of formal, structured learning to
come around to help us do our jobs. It‟s unlikely to arrive on time.
15

some basic business truths
in an ever-changing world, continuous
learning is the only sustainable advantage
Jay Cross and Friends
„Working Smarter Fieldbook: informal
learning in the cloud”
2010
www.internettimealliance.com
16

Structured „Event-Based‟ Learning
is inadequate
in a world of continual change
One of the greatest challenges for our profession is moving from being
designers, deliverers and managers of learning to being facilitators of
learning and performance consultants….
17

leaping the chasm*
“Golden Age of Training” “Workscape”
1950-2010 2010+
* Internet Time Alliance
18

19

How did you Learn to
Ride a Bike?
experience
practice, practice, practice
reflection
understand a few basic principles and then practice, practice, practice
20

21

Studies have shown that 70-90% of what employees learn,
they acquire informally on the job
Photograph © Reuters
22

As long ago as 1998, the US Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported that people learn 70% of what
they know about their jobs informally*.
* Loewenstein and Spletzer
"Formal and Informal Training: Evidence
from the NLSY”
23

the 80:20 model
80% 20%
„INFORMAL‟ LEARNING FORMAL LEARNING
Jay Cross, Internet Time Alliance
“Informal Learning: Rediscovering the
Pathways that Inspire Innovation and
Performance”
24

the 80:20 model
80% 20%
„INFORMAL‟ LEARNING FORMAL LEARNING
“Informal learning is generally more
effective, less expensive and better
received than its formal counterpart”
25

the 70:20:10 model
70% 20% 10%
LEARN & DEVELOP
LEARN & DEVELOP LEARN & DEVELOP
THROUGH
THROUGH THROUGH
STRUCTURED
EXPERIENCE OTHERS
COURSES & PROGRAMS
90% = EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
26

27

“What‟s the difference between learning Physics and being a Physicist?”
Jerome Bruner
28

29

Ebbinghaus‟ forgetting curve
Herman Ebbinghaus - 1885
Without
context,
around 50%
forgotten
within 1 hour
30

Ebbinghaus revisited
BEFORE DURING AFTER
CLASS
desired
performance
improvement
knowledge
acquisition
Source: 2005 Stolovitch
& Keeps
31

Ebbinghaus revisited
BEFORE DURING AFTER
CLASS
desired
performance
improvement
knowledge
acquisition
Actual
performance
improvement
POST-CLASS RE-ADJUSTMENT
Source: 2005 Stolovitch (“I try to apply what I‟ve learned,
„THE TYPING/GOLF PRO DIP‟ can‟t remember exactly, have no support,
& Keeps return to old ways of doing things”)
32

Ebbinghaus revisited
BEFORE DURING AFTER
PRACTICE
CLASS
desired
performance
improvement
knowledge
+ 1st LINE MANAGER
SUPPORT
acquisition
Actual
performance
improvement
Source: 2005 Stolovitch
& Keeps
33

34

It takes time to carry out a needs analysis, design the learning, develop
content, then get it out to the target audience.
Once we‟ve spent all that time, resource and budget we‟re not keen to throw
them away…. we want to sweat our assets….
35

36

Informal Learning
a GPS rather than a roadmap
37

38

Give a man a fish and he‟ll eat
for a day …..
39

some basic business truths
Effective and efficient learning is both a
profitable strategy and the key to business
longevity
40

how do we „formalise‟ Informal learning?
Wrong Question!
Don‟t try to “formalise” informal learning.
Just focus on helping people
do their jobs well and
WORK SMARTER
41

how do we „formalise‟ Informal learning?
open up the possibilities of supporting the
other 80-90% of learning that has been
ignored for far too long
42

how do we „formalise‟ Informal learning?
“..embracing, encouraging and supporting
informal learning is part of a greater
workplace cultural change”
43

what is „formalising‟ Informal learning?
“Formalising” =
incorporating informal learning into learning strategy and the core
of your organisation
© Reuters
enjoying the sprinkler instead of drinking from the fire hose
44

„embedding‟ Informal learning
1. Changing mindsets
about how learning
occurs
2. Engaging senior
leaders to support
change
3. Re-aligning L&D to
better support
informal learning
45

The Eight Reasons
1. there are imperatives for continual learning
2. learning is a process, not a series of events
3. most learning occurs outside classrooms
4. the vast majority of learning is social
5. A lot of formal learning is ineffective
6. people learn better when they are in charge
7. there‟s inherent inertia in formal approaches
8. informal & social learning are cost-effective
46

Charles Jennings
Duntroon Associates
Deakin Prime Seminar Series:
email: charles@duntroon.com
Melbourne 20-22nd September 2010 Web: www.duntroon.com
Twitter: charlesjennings
Canberra 23-24th September 2010
LinkedIn: charlesjennings
Brisbane 27-28th September 2010 Skype: charlesjennings
Sydney 30th Sept – 1st Oct 2010 Flickr: charlesjennings
Blog: charles-jennings.blogspot.com
http://www.deakinprime.com/events/ (or from www.duntroon.com)
Internet Time Alliance
www.internettimealliance.com
Blog: http://internettime.posterous.com
47