Informal Learning Networks

A new trend in corporate America is the emphasis on informal learning, often called just-in-time learning. Informal learning is nothing new but with training budgets being slashed a renewed focus on how corporate knowledge transfer occurs is causing many to better appreciate that most people learn through informal social networks.  For example, the use of Wikipedia, search engines, and social media platforms are a common ways employees access information and pass it along to co-workers. 

The use of online learning tools coupled with social media platforms can provide on-demand interactive training capabilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional stand-up classroom instruction. Informal learning with web-based technology has been proven to increase workplace collaboration and the free exchange of ideas to improve work team effectiveness. However, what happens to all of this shared information once it is collected and passed around?  Most people away articles in email in-boxes, or folders on the corporate server.  This becomes the equivalent of the electronic dust bin. What is needed is a learning management system that can curate this information so that it is readily accessible to anyone on in the organization.  The same learning management system that delivers online training can be used to curate shared information. Since the system is cloud based it can accessed 24/7 anywhere in the world.  This is critical for any entity that wants to become a learning organization.