This document discusses experiments with social learning. It argues that social learning can be an effective way to generate valuable learning experiences for organizations. Work is increasingly about learning, and solutions require creativity and making connections. Social learning involves triggering ideas and allowing them to develop through exploration, integration, and resolution. Gamification may help promote participation in social learning by satisfying needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, but there is a risk of too much unengaged participation if not implemented carefully. The key takeaways are that social learning can generate value, content should spark connections rather than be perfect, and gamification may help participation if used judiciously.

1. Experiments in social learning
Ben Betts, EngD.
Profitability & HT2
@bbetts

2. Work & learning are changing
How many people here deal in solutions?

3. Increasingly, work is learning
See Harold Jarche’s Blog for more: http://www.jarche.com

4. Solutions require creativity…
Think of Archimedes,
making a connection…

5. If your organization relies on
solutions…
Then enabling people to make
‘connections’ is what you do.

6. Connections come from many
places
Peers
SMEs
Content

7. Developing ‘connections’
is a social learning process…
Trigger
Level 1
Explore
Level 2
Integrate
Level 3
Resolve
Level 4
Garrison et al. (2001) ‘Cognitive Presence’

8. What is our role in this?
“
The learning professional’s role shifts to identifying
short pieces of content that will be a catalyst for
learning and establishing the ‘baseline of content’
Bob Baker, former Chief Learning Officer, Central Intelligence Agency
”

9. This means less time & cost
If content is just the trigger, we don’t need to focus all our
energies on making new.
We can re-use existing, curate from the web and make simple,
quick insights internally.
We’ll rely on social learning to develop the ideas further…

10. Sounds great
But…
If no-one does it, how will any of the benefits emerge?

11. Back to motivational basics…
In order to promote participation in social learning, three
basic requirements for individuals emerge:
1. Autonomy
2. Competence
3. Relatedness
Deci et al. (1991) ‘Motivation and Education: The Self-Determination Perspective’.

12. Games often do this…
I studied the potential for ‘gamification’
to increase participation in social
learning

13. Gamification?
“ The application of game-like dynamics
to non-game environments
”
Foursquare ‘Mayor’ badge; an over-used, but relevant example…

14. What might that look like?
Here’s one I made earlier…

22. Does it work?
• Increases Participation in Social Learning
• Points Correlate with Outcomes
• Highlights ‘Unengaged’ Learners
• In one example, the whole class average is 10%
above the norm.

23. This isn’t surprising
Social learning, primarily in the guise of tutoring, has always
been known to be more effective than teaching a group in the
classroom.
See Bloom: The Two Sigma Problem for more.
Bloom (1980) ‘The Two Sigma Problem: The search for methods of group instruction as
effective as one-to-one tutoring’.

24. Gamify everything!

25. Maybe don’t…
3000+ comments and
Level 1+
22%
contributions; how many
really added to the
learning environment?
Not at
Level 1
78%

26. There’s a sweet spot

27. Human
vs.
Levels
3&4
35%
Gamification
Levels
3&4
36%
Levels
1&2
64%
Levels
1&2
65%
Kanuka (2007)
Betts et al. (2013)

28. Three takeaways…
1. Social learning can be effective in generating learning
experiences that deliver value back to the organization.
2. Move fast; you don’t need to create the perfect piece of
content, just spark a connection.
3. Try gamification to promote participation, with a hint of
caution…

29. Thank you, questions?
Ben Betts, EngD.
Profitability & HT2
@bbetts
ben@ht2.co.uk