What Are We Waiting For?
To begin, I sense we may be unsure of how to measure the value of informal learning. This is certainly something we have seen before, especially with newly emerging tools that have attracted so much attention as to create entire sub-industries around them, such as social media.
There are definitions to explain some of the buzzwords surrounding the changing face of learning and development, as an attempt to define the elements of the craft of informal learning. However I think the L&D department knows what these terms mean and how beneficial they can be to an organization. The problem is they are speaking a completely different language than executive management, including CLO’s that are often fixated on numbers. Implementing informal learning absolutely needs endorsement from the top.
A common misconception for learning specialist is their role in an informal learning environment. Some types of learning cannot be managed, and for good reason. Informal learning can to be facilitated and the environment changed to support self-directed learning. Although this can be challenging, learning specialist are to be translators or mediators for performance, similar to how the role of trainers have changed with the implementation of e-learning in an organization.
Insight from a project manager, specializing in e-learning, provides a clear account on the role of learning specialist and instructors in the new landscape of learning and development.
“Teaching and training is both a science and an art. As the science of how people learn progresses, teachers and instructors have to themselves learn and incorporate these elements to provide the most efficient learning experience.
There are opportunities for us to change prospective on how we use technology in instructing and learning. Instead of being considered as a replacement of face to face instruction, online content should be used to enrich the learning experience. For trainers and instructors, it's understanding that online resources do not necessarily mean less work, but a more effective way to work. Specifically, online resources and learning management systems allow more effective use of time in tracking and analyzing progress. We have, and will continue to witness technological advancements. With these changes, so must our perception on how we view things evolve in order for us to grasp how we can truly make use of these new developments in an ever changing learning landscape.”
Eric Tang, Project Manager, Vretta
