Creating learning opportunities: informal learning John Cook Learning Technology Research Institute

Creating learning opportunities: informal learning

• John Cook

• Learning Technology Research Institute

• London Metropolitan University

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)

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.

No single definition Informal Learning

• Attributes of informality and formality (Colley, Hodkinson, et al., 2003)

• location/setting
• process
• purpose
• content

Questions for group discussion (1)

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

More questions (2)

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

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?

Conclusions?

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.

[e-mail]

• [e-mail]