Informal Learning 5: Learning from others - Informal Learning can often be a team sport

Informal learning can often be a team sport

Stan Skrabut@uwcesedtech#uwceshttp://www.slideshare.net/skrabut

Everywhere learners are improving by interacting with others.

You are an educator who is looking to improve as an educator and subject matter expert.

Sometimes you only have a simple question to ask, but other times you want to get intensive coaching.

Because you are working with others, you do not want to waste their time as you improve.

Let me show you five strategies as they vary across the time needed.

Questioning a neighbor

Peer Coaching

Observation/Shadowing

ConferencesWorkshops

Communities of Practice

The strategies that take the least time

and effort but produce significant

results are questioning

neighbors, peer coaching, and observation.

Getting help from more experienced colleagues is a great informal learning strategy.

We often don't ask for help because we are expected to know it or we do not want to interrupt.

Do some research first, and provide as much detail as possible, so that you get the answer you need.

Choose the right time to ask for assistance, if they are obviously busy, wait until a better time.

A peer coach can sit back and observe what you are doing and offer suggestions for improvement.

Find people who you trust and who have the knowledge and skills to assist you.

Effective peer coaching is achieved through a process.

PresessionMeeting

ObservationPeriod

Feedback Session

Trade Roles

Time, dedication, and resources are necessary for peer coaching to work.

Where peer coaching is more evaluative, observation is a useful method for learning from others.

To get started, simply request to watch a specific professional in action.

Come into the session with a plan of what you are specifically looking to observe.

Take detailed notes, share your notes with the individual observed, and take time to reflect.

Workshops and conferences take

longer and are more definitive in time and results.

Taking time to plan ahead will make your conference or workshop experience smoother.

Collect everything you can about the conference: hotel, travel, schedule, location, etc.

Plan opportunities to network with others at meals, or other events.

Prepare your note taking strategy. I recommend Evernote or live blogging.

Take time to reflect on your learning as well as network with others for future learning opportunities.

From each session try to capture the learning moment.

Collect information not only for you but also for your colleagues.

Keep an eye on the backchannel for more ideas

Summarize your daily activities by taking a moment to review on your notes.

Share information back to your organization.

Post conference, organize your

thoughts, develop a plan of action, and

share information with others.

A good trip report helps you take care of all three objectives.

Organize and store

thoughts

Develop

plan of action

Share information with others

Consider sharing lessons and ideas in an email to colleagues and on a blog.

Talk to others about what you have learned, it reinforces your personal knowledge.

Participation in professional groups and communities

of practice take the longest time and require the most energy but also

have the longest lasting results.

Take time to do research on the professional organization before joining for the right fit.

Professional organizations have a number of great benefits.

PublicationsEvent listing

Web site

Job Listings&

Job Fairs

ChapterMeetings

MentorshipOpportunities Conferences

To get the most from a professional organization, you should participate in meetings and conferences.

You should also contribute to the organization through articles and presentations.

Many professional organizations and chapters also use LinkedIn to distribute information.

"Communities of practice are groups of people who share ideas and insights, help each other solve problems and develop a common practice or

approach to the field." ~ McDermott

There are three key dimensions to communities of practice.

Knowledge CommunityIntegration

with work

The most important part of a community of practice is the documentation of success or failure.

Organizations need to encourage learning and support communities of practice, but not force it.

Here are the sessions for the next couple of months.

Individual Strategies

Collection Strategies

Interpersonal Strategies

Creation Strategies

Organizational Strategies

Questions?