Please Stop the Formal Vs Informal Learning Debate

Over the last few years, I have seen a great number of articles, books, and blog around the concept of Informal Learning.  For many professionals, the concept of informal learning is new, and the idea of incorporating it into an organizational learning strategy is daunting.  After all, many learning departments use the we-do-what-we-do-because-it’s-what-we’ve-always-done approach to strategy.

I think for many individuals and organizations, informal learning falls into the bucket of “We don’t know what we don’t know”.  That’s why much of what I’ve read and heard regarding informal learning can be frustrating, because it presents informal learning in a way that conveys it as a replacement to formal learning. 

That’s just not true.  I do believe that the majority of our future efforts will increasingly go towards the informal side.  However, that does not eliminate the need for formal learning efforts; it simply reduces our dependancy on it.  More concerning, is when I read that that approach is ‘better’ than the other.  Deciding which type of learning is better than the other is pointless.  It’s like a mechanic going to the toolbox for the best tool without knowing what the job at hand is first.

Last month I spent some time installing floor boards in my attic. I am not a handyman by any means, so my supply of tools is limited.  I was using a large hand saw for all of my wood cutting.  While at Home Depot buying more boards, one of the employees pointed out a circular saw that would be much more appropriate for the job I was doing, and boy was he right.  I will never use a hand saw for that task again, because the circular saw is much more effective. The hand saw was working for me because it was all I had available to me.  Once I was introduced to a new tool that was more effective for the task at hand, my dependence on the hand saw dropped substantially.

The hand saw still has value, and will likely be the tool best suited for attacking that dead tree in my backyard this spring.

The same concept is true with Formal and Informal Learning.  One is not ‘better’ than the other.  It’s a matter of which is a better fit for the task at hand.  For many learning professionals, their tool box is filled with mostly formal tools.  As research and best practices into informal learning approaches continue to be shared, new tools will become available that enable us to be much more effective, and they will naturally reduce our reliance on the formal tools.

In short, don’t worry about which type of learning is better. Understand the tools, and what they are best suited for, than match the tools to the task at hand.

That’s one of the reasons I love the recent article by Allison Rossett and Frank Nguyen for T&D Magazine entitled “The Yin and Yang of Formal + Informal Learning”.  The article doesn’t debate which is better; it presents scenarios and explores whether formal, informal, or some sort of blended approach might be best.  The article shows that deciding on the approach requires matching the tools to the situation. 

As an added bonus, the article also includes a link to an online tool that can help individuals and organizations decide what type of approach might be best for a given situation.  This simple tool asks 15 basic questions about the situation, and then provides feedback and suggestions on how you might want to tailor your learning strategy.

I highly recommend the article be read by all learning professionals.

Link to the Article: http://www.astd.org/TD/Archives/2012/Jan/Free/Jan12_Feature_Yin_and_Yang.htm

Link to the YinYang Online Tool: http://frankn.net/yinyang/

Reflections on #lrnchat: Our Own Learning & Development- Past, Present, Future

Each week that I am able to participate in #lrnchat discussion I post a summary of the discussion to my blog. I do this both for my personal development as well as sharing with the Learning and Development Profession at large. This summary is based on my own interpretations of the chat; others who participated may have differing opinions or interpretations of the discussion. I welcome those that do to add your ideas to the comments.

The topic of this week's #lrnchat session was "Our Own Learning & Development: Past, Present, & Future".  The topic and questions were suggested by @craigtaylor74 & @mattiaskareld.

As this week #lrnchat fell on the American holiday of Thanksgiving, participation was lighter than usual and consisted of only the earlier session.
I always find looking at the questions that are used to loosely guide the chat as a nice way to see the overall theme of the chat. Here are the discussion questions that were presented to the group:

Q1) What’s the single biggest piece of “learning” for you over the last 12 months?
Q2) How different is it to the piece of “learning” from the previous 12 months?
Q3) In the next 12 months do you intend to consolidate your “learning” in this area, or move in a new direction?
Q4) How do we maintain a development momentum for ourselves?

 

Key Learning Points

As we approach the end of another year, it is natural to reflect on the experiences of the past 12 months.  This week's #lrnchat did just that, as the discussion reflected not just on this year’s learning, but also comparing this year’s learnings to what we learned the previous year and what we expect to learn in the future.

The discussion began with a reflection on what our key learning was this year.  Not surprisingly, incorporating and emphasis on using Social Media and Informal Learning dominated the discussion.  This is, in many ways, the future of learning and development.  Incorporating these into your personal tool set and your organization’s performance strategy are critical. 

The discussion then moved towards comparing this learning to the key leaning of the previous 12 months.  Again the themes of Social Media and Informal Learning were present, but there was a key difference between the two time periods.  In the previous year, learning about these things had a feeling of ‘preparing for the future’; learning of the same topics this year had much more urgency, almost as though workplace learning professionals were unaware that the ‘future’ had arrived and were now trying to avoid falling behind the curve.

I think this is an excellent representation of how quickly technology and learning can intersect. Social media and informal learning will only increase this trend.  When you place the control of learning into the learner’s hands, they will determine what has value and its usage will naturally evolve.

The discussion then moved towards the future, wondering if we would continue to focus our learning on what we have in the past, or if we would move towards a new direction.  This was one of those rare #lrnchat moments where there was consensus amongst all.  People may have had different ways of saying it, but ultimately all agreed that what we choose to focus on in our learning is a dynamic target that is always on the move based on changes in individual and organizational need.  

The discussion concluded with sharing of ideas regarding how learning professionals can maintain momentum for their own development.  There were a number of great ideas shared here, many of which can be described as remaining connected to the passion and drive that you feel about the profession.  I think that, especially in corporate environments, it’s very easy to get caught up in the politics and stagnancy of ‘the way things are done’.  I think in an ideal world, developing yourself is completely in sync with the organizational goals. In reality though, it’s often not in complete sync. 

I think it’s critical that learning professionals and professionals in general, always remember to check the direction of both their personal and organizational compasses.  If they are not in relative sync more often than not, performance and satisfaction will suffer.

One of the reasons I enjoy reviewing the transcript of #lrnchat in addition to participating live is that often the common threads that run through most of the discussion become more apparent when reviewing the entire stream.  That was what happened this week for me.  In all the sharing of top learning, there was a theme.  In almost all of the cases, the top learning involved seeing value in something you did not see value in before.  It reminds me much of my early experience with Twitter.  I knew it was there and basically how it worked, but it wasn’t until I saw it’s value that the light bulb went off.

For me the most thought provoking tweet came in the form of the last of the four moderated questions: How do we maintain a development momentum for ourselves?

I have often coached members of my team on the importance of continued development, so the idea of maintaining focus on your own development is part of my DNA.  What struck me about that question was the addition of the word momentum. 

I can develop myself many different ways.  A class here, a book there… it all adds to my development of skills and knowledge.  What momentum implies is increased force and speed, and more importantly, a sense of building and direction.

I think that’s a critical piece of the development paradigm.  Participating in Development activities is good.  Choosing a direction and then setting a strategic development plan to get there is better.

It inspires me to re-ask myself the #lrnchat questions from this discussion, with a few important alterations:

It’s December 31^st, 2011, and I’m reflecting on an amazing year of development.

·         Q1) How have I grown in the past 12 months?  What – specifically – is different?

·         Q2) What were the critical learnings that contributed to my development?

·         Q3) What would I need to do to make 2012 even better?

With those questions answered, I have the framework for my 2011 development plan.  Now all I need to do is fill in the gaps.

Reflections of #lrnchat: 21st Century Skills, Literacies, & Fluencies

Each week that I am able to participate in #lrnchat discussion I post a summary of the discussion to my blog. I do this both for my personal development as well as sharing with the Learning and Development Profession at large. This summary is based on my own interpretations of the chat; others who participated may have differing opinions or interpretations of the discussion. I welcome those that do to add your ideas to the comments.

The topic of this week's #lrnchat session was "21st Century Skills, Literacies, & Fluencies".

I always find looking at the questions that are used to loosely guide the chat as a nice way to see the overall theme of the chat. Here are the five discussion questions that were presented to the group:

Q1) What are 21st century literacy/skills/fluencies?

Q2) What do our learners need to develop? How can we support them?

Q3) What do WE need to develop? How can we do it?

Q4) How can we support both newbies and experienced learners on this journey?

Key Learning Points

Today's #lrnchat discussion focused on what the new literacy, skills, and fluencies that are needed in 21st century learning, and what sort of support learners and learning professionals will need to develop those skill sets.

The discussion started by identifying what those literacy, skills, and fluencies are.    There were a great number of ideas shared.  When reviewing the discussion, two major themes seemed constant. The first theme was the concept of self-motivation and self-direction.  This makes sense, as it brings the world or organizational knowledge and skills in line with the overall collaborative environment being created by the ever-engaging world of Social Media.  People don't need to be told to log on to Facebook and update their profiles or review their wall - they choose to.  Organizational knowledge may be behind the curve in many cases, but it's still going in the same direction.  If you need information, don't expect someone to hand it to you.  Chances are, the information is already out there.  If you need it, go get it.

That leads to the next common theme. There is a great deal of information available, and it is growing exponentially.  When you have a search engine like Google that opens you knowledge base to almost anything, the need to filter the deluge of information becomes critical. There's an old expression: it's like finding a needle in a haystack.  That expression implies a fruitless effort, because the task may be impossible.  I think we have already reached a point where that expression is becoming obsolete.  In the 21st century, filtering through the hay to quickly find the needle isn't just possible, it's a critical skill to remain competitive.

From there the discussion moved to what learners need to develop, and how learning professionals can best support them.  The theme of self-direction was the common thread that was present in most responses.  Learners will need to take control of their own learning, which is a major shift considering most adults have had learning pushed to them since their childhood.  Flipping that coin is a concept that many have never considered.  In addition, self-direction is less about 'How?' and more about 'Why?'; it's about being motivated to be self-directed.  So how do we support such a shift?

The simple answer is this: If you want learners to start shifting to a 'Pull' learning culture, stop pushing.  It echoes comments I've made to my daughter in reference to her younger brother: "Sweetie, don't keep doing XYZ for your brother; if you do, he'll never be able to do it for himself".

Of course, in a corporate world, the answers are never that simple.  Shifting from 'Push' to 'Pull' isn't a light switch located in the Learning and Development office; it's a part of the organizational culture.  It's really the foundation to how an organization, consciously or unconsciously, structures their knowledge management strategy. 

Cultural change is hard, and it takes time.  In some organizations, Senior Management may see the value and support a strategic shift.  In other organizations, the benefits may need to be shown more tangibly first. On the plus side, if Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media environments have shown us anything, it's that if you build an environment that people feel self-motivated to engage in, they will.  That's the support mechanism learning professionals need to tap.

The discussion then moved towards what Learning Professionals need to develop to support this shift.  The answer to this question was actually much easier than may have been initially considered.  Ultimately, when it comes to the shift to 21st Century learning, we are all 'learners'.  As learning professionals, it is critical that we practice what we preach, and set the example for other learners to follow. From this perspective, it becomes less about 'Learners and Instructors' and more accurately 'Learners helping one another'.

How do we do that?  I think it starts with the stop: If you want learners to start pulling, stop pushing. The problem with that statement is that it doesn't truly show the difficulty that many learning professionals have with the concept.  I the absence of 'Pull', many learning professionals will fill the void with 'Push'.

This problem of engagement has always existed; it's just the technology that's changed.  It echoes quite possibly the most challenging ILT skill I have coached trainers on in the past: allowing for uncomfortable silence. 

Whether it be a in-person or virtual classroom, conference presentation, or some other live setting, We've all been in an environment where we ask the attendees a question... and no one answers.  You often have this happen early in the session, and it's a critical moment.  Do you allow for the uncomfortable silence and wait for someone to respond, or do you release them from the uncomfortable moment by filling the silence yourself?

Hopefully, you choose the former and allow for the silence.  Otherwise, you set the expectation of "I'll answer the questions for you", and no one will feel compelled to participate going forward.

That same challenge exists in a cultural shift to 'Pull', only on a larger scale.  Employee are used to being spoon-fed the information they are told they need.  If the spoon suddenly disappeared, eventually the hunger for knowledge would insure self-directed action regarding learning.  Within learning active programs, we can support this culture by shifting from a 'spoon-feed' approach to more of a 'scavenger hunt' environment.

For me the tweet that best summed up the discussions came from @LearnNuggets: Goes back to Pull rather than Push. We provide the relevant content and tools to access it, and let learners discover.

I think this is an excellent summary, as it provides a relevant answer to all of the questions.  The concept of 'Pull versus Push' encompasses many of the new skills and literacy described in the chat.  The tweet also describes the roles of both learners and learning professionals in this new paradigm.  Learning professionals need to provide the open framework in which the learners can safely explore and discover. 

Most importantly, learning professionals, and the organizations they serve, need to have the patience and focus to give learners time to adpat to this new learning environment, and not give in to the temptation to pull the rug out from under it by reverting to 'Push'.

Reflections on #lrnchat - Learning in the Workflow

Each week that I am able to participate in #lrnchat discussion I post a summary of the discussion to my blog. I do this both for my personal development as well as sharing with the Learning and Development Profession at large. This summary is based on my own interpretations of the chat; others who participated may have differing opinions or interpretations of the discussion. I welcome those that do to add your ideas to the comments.

The topic of this week's #lrnchat session was Learning in the Workflow. Jane Hart of the Center for Learning and Performance Technologies (@C4LPT) posted a link to an article she wrote that provided an excellent foundation for the day's discussions. You can find that article HERE.

I always find looking at the questions that are used to loosely guide the chat as a nice way to see the overall theme of the chat. Here are the five discussion questions that were presented to the group:

Q1)From formal learning for novices we want to move to social for practitioners: how do we get an elegant segue in between?
Q2) Performance support is a major concern, but how is it integrated into formal and social?
Q3) How do we move from discreet components to an integrated workflow environment?
Q4) What new tools or trends are coming along that we should be aware (wary) of?
Q5) What are you hoping to see/needing, to make progress with supporting social workflow learning?

Key Learning Points

Over time, there have been a number of shifts in how learning and support is provided to performers. Research has shown that the traditional learning methodology - formal learning - is not the most effective executed on its own. New methodologies like informal learning and social learning enhance the learning and support process by extending the learning experience and bringing it closer to timely relevance. Much promise has been shown in the effectiveness of processes that blend these different methodologies into cohesive processes.

The learning and development community is similar to any other population in that the majority of individuals are resistant to change. Many practitioners continue to limit themselves to formal practices, and have not yet made strides towards integrating other methods into their learning and performance strategies. Today's #lrnchat discussions focused on how the early adopters of these additional methodologies can help those that have not yet begun to use these techniques so that the profession as a whole can move forward.

The first step in building a bridge for the formal-only practitioner is to simply build awareness. The awareness, however, is two fold. There must be an awareness not only that these methodologies exist, but also that they exist in conjunction and alignment with formal performance support. Often formal practitioners place focus on creating learning opportunities. Part of the paradigm shift for novice practitioners is realizing that learning is constant and that social and informal methodologies emphasize learners themselves being one of the primary vehicles for performance support.

This also shifts the primary responsibility for performance support away from the learning professional and onto the performer. Learning professionals must be aware of this shift and realize that even if they focus on formal learning only, the shift towards social and informal support on the learner side has likely already started. Learning Professionals that do not embrace these changes risk falling behind as their workplaces continue to evolve.

Throughout the discussion ideas and strategies were shared that can help learning professionals adjust to the shifting landscape of workplace learning and performance. Whether you are a novice learning professional or a more seasoned professional that is looking to help build a bridge for novices, you will find many great ideas shared in the discussion. As always, you can find the full transcripts at http://lrnchat.com/.

There are always at least a couple of tweets that resonate well with the topic and seem to really strike a chord. Here are a few that stuck out to me from today's sessions:

On how we move novices practitioners to social practitioners:
@JaneBozarth: What many L&D are missing is that this is happening now WITHOUT THEM...
@mrch0mp3rs: What you don't ever do is give up on the people struggling to make the change.
@edReformer: Experts shouldn't teach wisdom. Experts should facilitate a learner's ability to experience life and develop wisdom.

On how performance support is integrated between formal and social learning:
@britz: Formal often sets the foundation, social extends, expands, and conceptualizes.
@Quinnovator: make performance support resources searchable, shareable, and organize by user goals, not silos
@ThomasStone: Shorten formal event by shifting to Performance Support tools. then spend part of the formal event teaching them to use the Performance Support tools.

On how we shift to an integrated workflow environment:
@charlesjennings: Grasp that learning is a process, not a series of events and that learning IS the work, and that work is learning

On what we need to be wary of:
@C4LPT: Be VERY wary of systems that want to integrate work into learning; learning needs to be integrated into the workflow.

On what we need to progress social workflow learning:
@Quinnovator: go beyond best practices and take on best principles

I think the most thought provoking tweet of the day for me came from @mrch0mp3rs: the bulk of L&D professionals ARE going to accelerate to social & workplace learning. They'll get there. My question: what then?

I look forward to finding out the answer to that question.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad