An interesting blog by Ann Davis. She quotes Clarence Fisher who really beliefs that blogging is powerful for learning. Ann has her doubts:
I’d really like to see blogs used for professional development but I don’t believe it will happen anytime soon.
You can conclude from her post that even in education and learning -where we should practice what we preach- there are not enough opportunities for professional development (e.g. due to time constrains). Furthermore, the learner often is not in control of his/her own learning, the organisation is.
You are not becoming very optimistic if you read this. But I am afraid, more or less, it is reality. Just look around you!
So, how to cope with it? If we only develop tools to facilitate learning (like weblogs and virtual communities) we will only get in touch with the few highly motivated employees. It is necessary to increase the awareness of the importance of individual and collective learning and development.
Only if this kind of informal learning is seen as "business critical" (also in schools and universities!), the construction of communities of practices will succeed. And this is quite a challenge. Even formal learning is often not seen as business critical. And this concept is much easier to explain and understand than informal learning.
So, facilitate the happy few enthusiastic (intrinsically motivated) employees. But do also pay attention at the policy level.
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Informal learning and ICT
The strength of blogs is the standards which allow for rich communication and potentially the development of communication within communities. But the technology needs further development to make it really useful for communities of practice
I would like to react on you saying that formal learning will be sooner recognized as usefull for business purposes. Yes, you are right, because people know what formal learning is: training, assessment, being in a classroom.
But I think, if we are able to show/convince people of the usefulness of informal learning, both managers and employees will be more in favour as this learning is close to the daily practice and will have concrete/clear results. Besides, the only thing we have to do is making the informal learning visible, as I am convinced that in almost every SME informal learning takes place, but is recognized as such.
I remember from interviews with managers of SMEs that although employees received formal training, it was difficult to say something about ROI of this formal training. This must be easier in informal learning.