Informal Learning

We are in a time when we've recognized that learning is no longer limited to formal training. For the learning function to remain ahead of the curve, chief learning officers (CLO), and learning professionals need to expand into the realms of informal learning - blogs, wikis, Web 2.0 - and other virtual (and live) communities of learning. Formal training is still important and will always have an important place in workplace training and development. Yet as Jay Cross, one of the major thought leaders on informal learning, says, up to 90% of what we learn in our work lives comes through informal rather than formal learning. With the accessible and easy to use technology we have, learning professionals have an unprecedented opportunity to enhance "classroom" learning with tools that can allow continuous engagement and application. Setting up a blog for the staff can provide an opportunity for them to share successes and frustrations with what they've learned in training and keep them engaged once the classroom session is over.