Supporting the Social Workplace Learning Continuum

In my previous blog post I explained how I recognized it is difficult for a lot of organisations to support informal and social learning in their organisations, because they are unable to jump the two mindset hurdles of (a) thinking that learning only happens in training courses, and (b) that all organisational learning needs to be controlled by Training/L&D departments.

Although there is undoubtedly still a need for organized structured learning initiatives in an organisation, it also becoming clear that an increasing number of organisations do realize that the traditional “course” model has become an outdated way of learning for many people, and that they now need to offer more creative and appealing learning opportunities – with similar features, if you like,  to those that informal, social  learners have now become used to.

So one approach that I have been promoting is, instead of thinking of Formal and Informal Leaning as polar opposites, rather to think in terms of a Social Workplace Learning Continuum (as shown diagrammatically in the image on the right).

But in order to support the full SWL Continuum, there are 5 points to take on board.

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