Rediscovering the natural pathways that inspire innovation and performance by jay cross 20061110. Feb 07, 2014 not according to elearning expert jay cross. Instead, he says, companies should champion nontraditional, informal learning methods, including. As the infographic below states originally created by good practice, roughly 46% of employees spend anywhere from one to 30 minutes per day on informal learning perhaps the statistic that is even more telling is that only 6% of employees indicate spending zero time on informal learning. Informal learning by jay cross overdrive rakuten overdrive. It is therefore important to have a perfect blend of formal and informal learning. Informal learning is the perfect theme for exploring the next wave of our field. Informal learning is the unofficial, unscheduled, impromptu way people learn to do their jobs. The terms formal and informal learning have nothing to do with the formality of the learning, but rather with the direction of who controls the learning objectives and goals.
A guide for administrators, leaders, and teachers allen tough 1999 was probably the first to study how adults use informal learning. Workers spend an average of 505 hours a year learning. The startup stiffed me but the paper morphed into the informal learning book. This chapter discusses how the organization of informal learning differs across distinct settings but. Jan 16, 2007 jay answers questions on informal learning. Thus, learners may acknowledge their effort to learn more in informal than in formal learning. He has championed informal learning since designing the first business degree program offered by the university of phoenix. Informl is a blog from jay cross dedicated to all things related to informallearning. The author reminds us that we live in a new, radically different, constantly changing, and often distracting workplace. Basically, we are moving into an informal learning period. An informal history of elearning jay cross the author jay cross is the founder of internet time group, berkeley, california, usa and ceo, elearning forum. Contents charles jennings 01 the rise of workplace learning jay cross 03 learning in. Learning for everyone, explains what people need to know and do to learn for themselves and work smarter.
Oct 04, 2010 the next big proponent of informal learning was jay cross, who wrote informal learning. Managers pay lip service to informal learning, tell people they have responsibility for their own learning, and then they abandon them. The driver is in control and takes the passengers along a predetermined journey. Informal learning by jay cross, 9780787981693, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Jay cross has posted a breeze presentation that you can watch and listen to online. Formal learning includes the hierarchically structured school system that runs from primary school through the university and organized schoollike programs created in.
Elliott masie, founder, the masie centers learning consortium. This symbolic scheme prevailed in the second half of the 20th century. A global focus special supplement workplace learning. This includes learning that is implicit, unintended, opportunistic and unstructured eraut 2004. This book offers advice on how to support, nurture, and leverage informal learning and helps. Informal learning summary by jay cross overdrive rakuten. Much has been written about informal learning by jay cross and others, as it relates to lifelong learning. Jay cross is a champion of informal learning, web 2. Learning communities, social learning, and justintime learning represent informal learning.
The first is characterized as less controlled and, perhaps, has lower accountability qualities from the learners point of view. Meet jay cross, author of informal learning, speaker and consultant. Author and informal learning expert jay cross sat down with jeff tillett at mlearncon 2012 to discuss mobile learning, training in organizations, and how companies can use informal learning to. Jay chairs the internet time alliance, a brain trust of six thought leaders who help companies boost their collective intelligence and profitability through networks. Informal learning 5 informal learning can provide new migrants and refugees with important foundation skills to integrate into their new communities, upon which further learning can be built migrant groups and refugees informal learning is bene. Informal learning is often treated as simply an alternative to formal, didactic instruction. Sep 12, 2017 8 benefits of informal learning in the workplace informal learning is selfdirected learning that is driven by learners passion and motivation. Clark quinns ottersurf offers a terrific informal learning framework.
Rediscovering the natural pathways that inspire innovation and performance by jay cross 20061110 jay cross on. Comparing perceived formal and informal learning in faceto. Comparing perceived formal and informal learning in face. On his online space, internet time blog, cross regularly posts information about the latest trends and hot topics in the workplace learning and performance. Jay cross, known as the informal learning guru summarizes learning as this.
Rediscovering the natural pathways that inspire innovation and performance 2007. Informal learning is effective because it is personal. Teachinglearning processes between informality and. Comparing perceived formal and informal learning 326 learners conscious intention to learn. It allowed associating the three terms with specific educational segments. There are a few books available on informal learning. Rediscovering the natural pathways that inspire innovation and. Practice article informal learning in the workplace. Informal learning free summary by jay cross getabstract. Cross, claims to have first heard the term informal learning. Conner continues explaining that informal learning is a lifelong process through which people acquire attitudes, values, skills and knowledge mainly. Informal learning is emerging as one of the most powerful disciplines in our industry, writes industry observer bob mosher. This big difference alone makes it obvious that informal learning is more relevant.
What accounts for the upswing in interest in informal learning. This article looks at the ten year history of informal learning and the challenges involved in encouraging its use. This page neglects to discuss the importance of informal learning, how it is perceived, rates of participation, and common applications. Often, the most valuable learning takes place serendipitously, by random chance. May 26, 2015 informal learning is always happening. Conner, informal learning accounts for over 75% of the learning taking place in organizations today. Basically, we are moving into an informal learning. With the formal learning bus, the driver decides where the bus is going. Cross wrote his first significant paper on informal learning in 2003 updated 2009. Sep 01, 2016 as the late, great jay cross put it, formal learning is like riding a bus.
Jay cross is widely known as a pioneer in informal learning and expert in cognitive science, business administration, how people learn, social computing, and psychology and motivation. Oct 20, 2015 informal learning vs formal training this is the first of three articles on real learning. Much has been written about informal learning by jay cross and others, as it. Rediscovering the natural pathways that inspire innovation and performance, jay cross likens the difference between formal and informal training to riding on a bus vs. The recent interest in workplace learning has followed the publication of research and survey data over the past 10 years that indicates workplace and informal1 learning offer an effective and efficient set of solutions to better improve workplace performance. People acquire the skills they use at work informally talking, observing others, trialanderror, and simply working with people in the know. Informal learning in the workplace 361 dichotomies as indicators of lazy thinking 2004. Including mentoring and other intentional learning models can help ensure employee development is comprehensive and complete. Malcolm knowles is generally considered to have first coined the term informal learning in his book, informal adult education. Do people learn best by sitting in a classroom taking notes. This is the question informal learning expert jay cross asked in his blog article the rise of informal learning 5 he explained that most company leaders want to heavily control training, and thats not how informal learning works.
One of the most active of these professionals is the prolific jay cross. His calling is to help business people improve their performance on the job and satisfaction in life. Jul 03, 2012 author and informal learning expert jay cross sat down with jeff tillett at mlearncon 2012 to discuss mobile learning, training in organizations, and how companies can use informal learning to. Jay cross, the originator of the word elearning has coined this type of learning as informal.
Informal learning is simply that, which is not directed by an organization or somebody in a control position. As long as people have learned how to perform workrelated tasks by observing and interacting with others, informal learning has played a significant role in training and development. Theres a lot here and worth the time 35 minutes to sit back and learn. This book offers advice on how to support, nurture, and leverage informal learning and helps trainers to go beyond their typical classes and programs in order to widen and deepen heir reach. In the field of education sciences, informal learning is defined by jay cross 2006. A guide for administrators, leaders, and teachers 1950. The rise of informal learning in ten years, informal learning has gone from obscurity to the top of corporate learning agendas. This page is missing a concise definition of informal learning as it pertains to the labor force. Oct 03, 2016 informal learning is more important than formal learning. Jay cross continues to push our thinking on the transformational forces of knowledge, learning, and performance.
Ill be leading a series of master classes on informal learning and working smarter in europe. Intentional randy emelo social or informal learning is effective, but has limits. Social and informal learning are not just feelgood notions, but have a real impact. Malcolm knowles is generally considered to be the originator of the term informal learning through his book published in 1970. So i look at all learning as adaptation to the communities that matter to you, to your ecosystems, if you will. Learning may be thought of as a spiral with both steps of formal and informal learning episodes taking place. Rediscovering the natural pathways that inspire innovation and performance. Nonformal learning characterized elearning curve blog.
Formal training and workshops account for only 5% to 20% of what people learn from experience and interactions. Aug 03, 2010 some basic business truths in an everchanging world, continuous learning is the only sustainable advantage jay cross and friends working smarter fieldbook. I think to separate the concepts of manual labor and informal learning is a disservice to both pages. As we navigate through the labyrinth of information, it is important to recognize all of the different learning opportunities available.
Jay developed the concept of working smarter to promote the potential of informal learning in the workplace. Apr 04, 20 jay cross is a champion of informal learning, web 2. In this article, i outline the differences between formal and informal learning and show how you can leverage on informal learning in the workplace. In this article, i outline the differences between formal and informal learning and show how you can leverage on informal learning in. Yes, informal learning is powerful, but its not new. Perhaps the statistic that is even more telling is that only 6% of employees indicate spending zero time on informal learning. W hether it occurs during a formal training session, through an impromptu meeting with team. As the infographic below states originally created by good practice, roughly 46% of employees spend anywhere from one to 30 minutes per day on informal learning. Heinleins term for instantaneous, holistic recognition or understanding. Informal learning can take place in any space, such as the workplace, the family, a religious institution, the community and the like. Its convenient and effective, but ultimately more restrictive than making the journey yourself. Filenamehtmloutputpublished emeraldfulltextarticlepdf2740120301. Jay cross, the hidden gem of the learning marketplace, says it more eloquently in the interview. Jay, with his colleagues in the internet time alliance, has recently produced the 2010 version of his unbook, working smarter.