elearnspace: Informal Learning

George Siemens on elearnspace has a post about Informal Learning. He articulates the challenge of integrating informal learning into formal learning contexts (like school) very nicely:

I think there is a balance of formal/informal learning. Each has a place. Context and need should drive which one is utilized. One of the opportunities for formal education is to find ways to increase delivery of formal learning via informal channels.

And George, I want to thank you for avoiding the P-word – I share your misgivings about it. ;^)

It occurs to me that one of the apparent conflicts is between the process of informal learning and the emphasis on standardized outcomes in formal learning, although perhaps the conflict is not so great as one might think. In my Biology 20 curriculum, for example, one of the learning outcomes is Identify some soil microorganisms. I harbour no illusions that 10 years after graduation, most of my students will still be able to identify soil microoranisms. So, despite this being stated as the apparent desired outcome, there are deeper outcomes that are implied – outcomes like analyzing a natural community and classifying members of that community. Could these be addressed through informal learning? Undoubtedly they can, and many of my students come to class with a great deal of experience in those skills, although not in the specific area of soil microorganisms.

So why do we use outcomes that seem somewhat trivial and arbitrary in order to pursue deeper implicit outcomes? There’s an old joke about a fellow who is quite inebriated searching the sidewalk under a streetlight. Someone else comes up to him and asks what he’s looking for. The drunk says, “I’m looking for my wallet.” The other man starts helping him look and after 15 minutes asks, “Are you sure you lost it here?” “No,” replies the drunk, “I lost it down that alley.” as he points down a dark alley. “Then why are you looking for it here?” asks his helper. The drunk responds, “Because the light’s better here – I wouldn’t be able to see it down there.“

So there’s the problem – these deeper outcomes that may also be addressed by means of informal learning are more difficult to assess. Anyone have any ideas how we can shine some lights down that alley?