Blended learning is bunk: Informal learning the future

Jay Cross, the man who coined the term 'elearning', believes the web is revolutionising the way we learn. Not through the kind of elearning of the 1990s but via the explosion of online communities which effectively democratise the way we learn. Cross believes the era of traditional course-led training is coming to an end and that informal, social learning is the way forward.
Mike Levy interviews the guru of new learning approaches.

Jay Cross has been described as a visionary, world-renowned learning strategist and believes he is the man who first coined the term 'elearning' on the web. Now the California-based guru thinks that learning heaven has arrived in the shape of Web 2.0. The CEO of the Internet Time Corporation is currently writing a book on informal learning, which is his passion. Informal learning, says Cross, happens without any pre-set curriculum. "It is the way we learnt before schools were invented to fry our brains," he says.

Cross is angry about the way business is trapped by traditional forms of training and learning. He is enormously excited by Web 2.0 and its ability to put people in touch with one another so that they can learn in communities.

He bristles when the term 'management of learning' is used. "That means someone has decided what you should learn. Real learning happens when you have a need for it and when you are ready to do it." The man who thought of elearning on the web is scathing about the way computers have been used to offload knowledge on to people who haven't asked for it. "Informal learning happens spontaneously in response to a need. It occurs without any pre-planning or prescriptive menus."

Cross reserves his greatest derision for terms like 'blended learning'. "I don't believe in it – I think it is bull****. It is usually about blending what we already have. We should not be talking about blended learning. It arose when people were naïve enough to think that all learning could be done on computer. Blending adds very little to the way we learn."

Cross's vision of the future is one of 'un-conferencing' (one which is focused and run by participants) and where people are their own 'personal instructional designers'. Cross is working on ways to create an electronic meeting place where expertise, ideas and knowledge can be shared.

Cross says: "The question is not; which course do I go on? But of all the many options for learning, which one do I choose : do I work with an expert, do I want to find it on Google or talk to my friends in the pub, or social network? These are all valid ways of learning."

According to Cross, the power of Web 2.0 with its wikis, blogs and social networks is that people learn as they would through natural conversation and dialogue. This democratisation of learning does mean a perceived loss of control by those who control the training purse strings. Cross finds that many businesses are nervous about the power of informal learning. As he says: "I've been talking to a group of senior corporate executives who were worried about informal learning styles. 'Does it work?' they ask. 'Of course it does, how did you learn to talk, eat or walk'."

The promise of powerful new learning approaches via the web isn't something that fires the average company. Cross sighs, "Most corporations don't think about any kind of learning – all they are interested in is how much we can make in the next quarter. There is an incredible short-term focus in business. It is less so in Asia than in the UK and USA. I took a poll of organisations and half agreed with the statement: 'we are too concerned about the present to do anything about the future'. Three quarters of respondents said that 'if we continue with our present mode of learning and development, we will not be prepared for the future'. The sad thing is that the future is 10 minutes from now - we are far too reactive."

Cross's conversion to the web as a learning platform came more than 10 years ago. "When the web arrived, I thought, the world will not be the same from now on. I kept saying that the web would be the future of education. I was so excited at the new opportunities and became one of the very first bloggers." Cross took a week on a remote Caribbean island to think about what the web meant for the future of learning. He came back and founded Internet Time Group to explore the convergence of learning and communications technology. "Later I started to use the term 'elearning' and people looked at me like I was from another planet. But it started to catch on."

Cross believes that elearning has not lived up to its early promise: "My definition at the time was to create an environment where you were connected to other people and knowledge resources. Six months after we went public, everyone was selling elearning which often meant a helpline to a call-desk or downloading a book."

Even the forward-looking businesses can be slow at taking up these new learning opportunities. Cross points to the Intel Corporation who may be leading edge with their chips but their training department, he says, is totally old style. "They are, like many other businesses, worried about the unsupervised nature of democratised learning and their IT departments have many other priorities other than building online learning communities. Organisations I talk to say that informal learning is too much and we don't have time to think about the future."

To address this last objection, Cross has assembled a formidable team to create an IT platform, Togetherlearn.com, a template for businesses who wish to develop online learning communities tapping into all the Web 2.0 tools. "We had thought about giving this away but this means that business wouldn't take it seriously. We spend three days with the user of this service to make sure it is properly supported with community champions and make sure it is kept alive. That is vital to make online learning communities work well."

What of the role of trainers and coaches in the future. Cross is sanguine, "There will be a role but not necessarily what they are accustomed to. There will be coaches and mentors but the 'sage on the stage' – their days are numbered." His message is simple: with the web, we are all sages now.
Jay Cross is a keynote speaker at the Learning Technology Conference at Olympia in January.

Article courtesy: trainingzone.co.uk

How to cheat multiple-choice questions

An interesting pdf by Donald Clark which throws light on the assessment design of the MC questions.


Article courtesy:elearningnetwork.org

The rise and rise of elearning

Why has elearning seen such phenomenal growth over the past two decades? After starting out clunky and chunky, it has successfully adapted to meet today's business needs, says Chris Parr.

Traditionally, elearning was notorious for simply putting manuals online. In its infancy, elearning was characterised by a rather unintelligent 'just in case' usage, centred on a desktop computer. It had a very long way to come before it began to wow its audience.

So what changed? Nowadays, elearning is tuned much more to engaging the learner and providing a positive and rewarding environment. Modern day elearning allows the classroom to come alive. Lessons are packed with sights, sounds, quizzes and games.

A student in the elearning environment can now become part of the class through the interactive nature of online learning. Employees can not only learn but explore through visuals as well as text. It is also more accessible to international students, as it touches on all the senses, particularly sights and sounds.

Less chunky
Once presented in relatively large chunks, elearning in its early days did not help the learner to remember information. It did not motivate the learner to complete the course either. In fact, it had a negative effect on the learner, daunting them with the sheer amount of material they had to learn in a one-off session.

"Previously, elearning courses were designed for desktop computer use, confining the learners to the classroom. Now, after a long wait, elearning 'on the move' has arrived."

The popularity of elearning has grown because the learner is now placed at the heart of learning. And so they should be! The individual is ideally situated to know what they want to learn and in what format. To cater for the needs of the student, elearning materials have become available in smaller chunks, increasing the range of contexts in which content can be used. Elearners can digest the content more easily and with increased flexibility.

Let's start shaking things up!
The use of scenarios and games have also made elearning much more popular, allowing for experimentation and reflection, encouraging an environment in which mistakes are allowed. Why should learning be dull? Flexible material tailored to the learner allows for a non-threatening learning space, where students can progress at their own pace and can actually enjoy the experience.

More confident learners are produced, achieving the qualifications they truly deserve. Elearners with basic IT skills can also experience the world of online learning on fun, user-friendly
platforms.

Discover through elearning
In its early years elearning was presented as a 'tell and test' activity. Employees would be told the content that they must learn and then they would be tested. Learners were unable to discover new information: this was seen as a huge downfall!

The learner nowadays can be part of a 'try and see' process, where learning is presented as a route to discovery. This method is 100% more motivating as it builds on prior knowledge. Exploratory questions are provoked, therefore spurring on discussion between the learner and online tutor. This is just as it should be: active learning environments are places where questions should be asked and answered.

Elearning designers have cleverly introduced character simulations that engage the online learner in a social experience where a 'real person' guides the pedagogical delivery. These characters take on personality through their visual impact, choice of language and even voice. Given all the advances that gaming and social technologies have made in recent times, why shouldn't elearning incorporate some of these engaging and interesting components?

Beyond the classroom
Previously, elearning courses were designed for desktop computer use, confining the learners to the classroom. Now, after a long wait, elearning 'on the move' has arrived. Available on mobile, tablet-form computers, modern elearning caters for those employees that live life on the move.

Being able to use handheld technology, employees can dip in and out of their training whenever and wherever convenient. This supports the current lifestyle of today's learner. These days, most of us are permanently attached to our mobile phones and laptops, and are accustomed to accessing what we want, when we want it!

Elearning for the digital generation
The increased popularity of elearning has also come about because of a change in the types of materials presented. The digital natives of the 21st century seek blogs, discussion forums and web pages that allow them to initiate their own styles of learning. These online pages provoke thought and debate, allowing learners to explore their understanding.

With the use of network technologies to deliver and facilitate learning, 'anytime anywhere' learning is rapidly growing in today's business world. Elearning gives people the competitive edge to lift performance, raise standards and guarantee best practice. Ultimately it facilitates a modern and forward-thinking approach.

Article courtesy:trainingzone.co.uk

Informal learning

This topic interests me a lot and I found a lot of information while studying recently too. This article sheds more light on the topic which is still blurred for many people.

Informal learning - the next big thing?

Richard Straub explores the rise of informal learning in a culture of change, and considers the new tools and attitudes that will shape the future of learning.

IBM has a tradition of taking the pulse of many CEOs worldwide every other year. Earlier in 2008, more than 1,100 CEOs were interviewed about key challenges of the present and future. This study provides important insights into what keeps them awake at night.

Bombarded by change?

A key finding from this study was that the CEOs feel their organisations are bombarded by change and their ability to keep up is diminishing. The gap between expected change and the capacity to manage it has tripled since the 2006 CEO survey. On the other hand, the CEOs view more demanding and informed customers as an opportunity.

"Informal learning is currently at a tipping point – not of being 'formalised' but of becoming more effective, through the use of new ICT tools and capabilities."
Nearly all CEOs are changing and adapting their business models: two-thirds are implementing extensive innovations. The CEOs pinpoint market factors, people skills and technological factors as key drivers of change. More than 40% are changing their enterprise models to be more open and collaborative.

Challenges ahead

This tells us something about the challenges that the learning function is currently facing. L&D professionals are coping with change and enabling change by helping management and employees to learn in 'real time'. As we've known for a long time, most learning doesn't take place in formal settings (traditional education activities) but informally, on the job. This is happening at the level of individuals, teams and communities.

Learning in this context means dealing with new challenges, such as finding new answers to emerging customer requirements, adapting existing plans to new opportunities, improving process implementation based on real-time feedback from stakeholders, and exploring innovative business models.

Conscious v incidental learning

Some of this informal learning occurs between employees, and between employees and business partners, as well as clients. Some of it is incidental, so that those involved don't even notice they are learning, but an increasing amount of it is becoming conscious and deliberate, through embedding an active reflection element into the process.

"The new generation coming to the workplace (Generation Y) seem to have this 'learning mindset' in their DNA. Others will have to make a deliberate effort to overcome the protective and possessive attitudes of the past."

Informal learning is currently at a tipping point – not of being 'formalised' but of becoming more effective, through the use of new ICT tools and capabilities. The development of Web 2.0 has given us a set of tools and applications with the potential to radically increase the productivity of knowledge workers in our organisations by enhancing informal learning.

Web 2.0 has given us new ways to find experts who may help in particular situations, allowing us to tap their knowledge and experience. It provides new ways to create operational content in global virtual teams; share experiences from recent projects; and access knowledge from outside the enterprise through vertical peer-networks.

New openess required

But we need more than the mere tools to take advantage of these new opportunities. A new openness and an active learning mindset is required from management and employees. It is not enough to solve issues on a case-by-case basis and leave it there. It is becoming essential to reflect on what has been learned and what might be reused, added to and shared with others.

The new generation coming to the workplace (Generation Y) seem to have this 'learning mindset' in their DNA. Others will have to make a deliberate effort to overcome the protective and possessive attitudes of the past, where the aim was to keep knowledge to yourself because knowledge is power.

"We are on the threshold of a paradigm shift in learning. We have new learning environments and tools that enable us to access knowledge more effectively and to share and collaborate in better ways."

With these things, and an open mind that is keen to learn every day, we are starting to address the challenge that Peter F Drucker has set out for 21st century management: achieving a quantum leap in the productivity of knowledge work, similar to the productivity increase in manual work achieved in the 20th century.

Although I firmly believe that informal learning is becoming the 'next big thing' - enabled by Web 2.0 and new personal learning environments and fuelled by a new lifelong learning culture - traditional formal learning will continue to have its importance and will by no means disappear.

We will still need to learn concepts, methods, knowledge required for our profession, regulations for compliance, etc. This will be provided through formal approaches, some of it in the classroom, though the share of classroom work will further decrease. Meanwhile, the 'dark side of learning' (i.e., the less visible one) will become more apparent and will propel the productivity of knowledge to new levels.

Article courtesy:Trainingzone.co.uk