6 Informal Learning Opportunities for your Training Programs

You're company just launched a new corporate training class focused on the latest craze to hit human resources, and you've been selected (or forced) to be one of the lucky few who get to be part of the first cohort.

What are you expecting from the training?

What do you think about when you hear the term corporate training?

For many, images of very stiff, formal events come to mind. Classes where you have to sit and listen to a trainer drone on-and-on. Oh, and let's not forget the PowerPoint. Don't get me started on the boring PowerPoint presentations the often plague training!

Exciting right??

Formal learning, correction, good formal learning has its place, but it's not the only type of learning that an organization can use to boost employee skill and knowledge development. It's not even the most effective form of learning.

Formal learning is often part of a curriculum, class, or workshop, and it is the source of only 10 to 20 percent of what people learn at work. - Jay Cross

A large part of learning activities in organizations take place outside a formal classroom, these informal learning events account for the greatest part. Based on Jay Cross' work, it's around 80%.

The biggest difference between formal and informal learning events or activities is who is in control. Informal learning places the learner in complete control. The learner gets to select the depth, breadth, and timing of the learning.

Informal learning describes anything that does not take place in a traditional formal setting. This includes general conversations between employees, observing or shadowing others, trial and error, collaborating with other team members, and looking up information on social media or the company's intranet. Also, informal learning includes solo activities, such as studying, reading, or listening to podcasts.

The best metaphor that I've come across that explains the difference between formal and informal learning is the following:

Formal learning is like riding a bus: the driver decides where the bus is going; the passengers are merely along for the ride. They can choose to go along for the ride, or get off the bus.

Informal learning is like riding a bike; the rider chooses the destination, the path, the speed, and the route. The rider can even take a detour if he or she wishes. The rider has complete control in an informal learning setting.

Both learning styles have their place, and both are important. Don't see it as one-or-the-other, see it more from a holistic, or blended perspective.

Here is a list of informal learning activities/applications that you should consider adding into your training programs:

1. Blogs: Blogs are great for capturing knowledge, specifically tacit knowledge. This is knowledge that only exists in the heads of employees. By capturing it and recording it into a blog post, you are converting it into explicit knowledge. Excellent tool for succession planning.
2. Wikis: Wikis are similar to blogs, but are better for creating a collaborative environment, where employees can work together on documentation. I enjoy using the wiki feature built into Microsoft Teams, specifically as a knowledge transfer resource.
3. Screencasts: Screencasts are great for showing step-by-step explanations on how a process works. These images can be uploaded to blog posts, wikis, or shared between employees through email or social media. Jing is a good free software that allows you to take screencasts.
4. Communities of Practice: Sometimes known as CoP or CoPs, are great for creating communities of learning. I've successfully used these when trying to launch a continuous improvement initiative. Often times, the CoP will help kickstart a mentorship program within the team or organization.
5. Instant Messaging: Social media allows for just-in-time (JIT) communication. This is great for creating a culture of problem solvers. The term continuous learning is thrown around a lot these days, and the only way to really create such a culture is to have employees who seek and share knowledge freely. Yammer and Microsoft Teams are good programs to try.
6. Podcasts: Podcasts are digital audio files that are made available for streaming or downloading through the internet. They are great alternatives for employees who don't have the time or patience for reading books or reports. Some of my personal favorites include HBR IdeaCast, Lead to Win by Michael Hyatt, and Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell.

I encourage you to start including some of these informal learning activities/applications/tools in your training programs.

Remember, informal learning places the power and autonomy into the hands of the learner, helping to boost intrinsic motivation and engagement. By only focusing on formal learning, such as face-to-face instruction in a classroom, you are limiting the learner, making it that much harder to boost skills or correct performance issues.

References

• Mo Willems, Don't let the pigeon drive the bus! (A must read if you have kids)