Jane's Extracts

Overcoming the Course and Control mindset hurdles

My two recent Learning in the Workplace surveys showed that (a) people consider that informal learning is much more important, if not essential, to them than training, and (b) that they learn informally on a much more regular (if not continuous) basis than they learn formally.  These findings are of course in line with study after study that shows that most learning in the workplace happens outside of formal training.

But how many organisations are actively supporting informal learning in the organisation? My own analysis of the situation is that many are still focusing on creating, delivering and managing formal learning (whether it be face-to-face or  online (e-learning)  and are simply introducing informal content (and social aspects) into this traditional way of doing things, for example,  by extending structured programmes into the workplace with both pre-and post-training activities.

I refer to this as informalizing and socializing formal learning – and it is of course a good first step, but it is not addressing the bigger picture of how to support learning as it is really happening informally and socially in the workflow. “Informal learning” involves more than an individual being required to access informational rather than instructional content; it is fundamentally about the individual organizing his or her own learning.

And this is undoubtedly where the problem lies. It means there a number of mindset obstacles that need to be surmounted, before organisations can accept what it means to enable and support informal and social learning in the organisation.  I call these the Course  and Control hurdles – and they are closely related.Overcoming the Course and Control mindset hurdles. 

For the rest of this blog post, click here

Survey shows people take training as infrequently as they go to a conference; but they learn continuously in other ways

Last week I invited readers to take my latest Learning in the Workplace survey, where I asked how regularly are you “learning” in the workplace.

Although there are probably few surprises in the responses to the four main questions themselves, it is when you view the amalgamated results that you  can see the bigger picture. 

Read more in my blog post here

Reserve your seat for my next webinar: In conversation with Jay Cross

I'll be talking with Jay Cross on Wednesday 23 May on how "Social business takes social learning".

Find out more about this webinar HERE as well as how to reserve your place and leave your own questions for Jay in advance of the webinar.

How regularly are you "learning" in the workplace?

Learning in the workplace is not just about taking courses or other training workshops to acquire new skills and knowledge, but is also about

• keeping up to date with what is happening outside the organisation - in your industry or profession
• keeping up to date with what is happening inside the organisation - in your work team or organisation, as well as
• solving ad hoc learning and performance problems - as you do your jobs.

It is clear we now use many different approaches, sources and systems to do all this - but just how regularly are we doing  it?

Please help me find out by taking my latest Learning in the Workplace survey.

I'll report back on my findings shortly.

Once again I'll report on my findings shortly.

Online Workshops in May and June at the Social Learning Centre

In May and June, Harold Jarche and I will be running another series of our popular public online workshops at the Social Learning Centre.

These take place over a 2-week period and involve 5-6 web-based assignments, some individual activities, as well as conversations and discussions with other participants. Your time commitment is about 1 hour per day.

Here are brief details of what we are offering, together with some  feedback from previous participants. To find out more about each workshop and how to sign up, click through the relevant link.

14-25 May
Setting up and sustaining an online community
Guidance and tips on how to build and maintain an online community
Led by Jane Hart

“Thank you very much for offering the programme and putting so much thoughtfulness and guidance into it. It has helped in substantially getting my thoughts together for a new community and for helping me reflect on the existing community and how that came into being." 

11-22 June
Personal Knowledge Management
Tips and techniques how to connect with the digital reality of the connected economy
Led by Harold Jarche

“Without any coherent strategy I often was not persistent in my undertakings. This course gave me an excellent opportunity to evaluate my position and to work out an appropriate approach.”

18-29 June
Using social media in formal learning
Ideas how to use social media in a formal training programme - classroom, workshop and/or online.
Led by Jane Hart

"One of the most useful aspects of both this and the previous course was learning how to organise and manage an online course. I have found your delivery model to be excellent – enough assignments to make me carve an hour out of my diary every other day but not so much as to be overwhelming."

Please note, that we also offer these workshops on a private basis for learning teams, so please get in touch  with me Jane@SocialLearningCentre.co.uk - if you'd like more information about this.

For an overview of all the other activities we offer at the Social Learning Centre, visit the About page. We now have over 1100 members,

Pick of the Month: April 2012

Here is my pick of the resources that I shared on Twitter and in my Pick of the Day in April.

Note, for easy reference, all the resources in my daily Picks  are collated monthly on my 2012 Reading List.

>>> April 2012 Pick of the Month

The key to informal learning is autonomy

For me, the key to informal learning is where the locus of control lies; so if someone plans, organises and manages what you learn, then this is not informal learning. With informal learning, it is you, the individual, who are in control.

Read the full blog post here