Informal learning settings

 

    Unlike formal learning, informal learning does not follow a formal curriculum; there is “no planned programme of objectives, content, learning experiences, resources and assessment” (UNESCO, 2018). Since the introduction of mandatory schooling, learning has become synonymous with formal educational settings. This idea has been further reinforced in recent years by the political agendas in countries such as New Zealand that have placed the focus of education on assessment outcomes, which creates the impression that real learning is “legitimised and graded” (Bourke et al., 2018). However, the majority of learning that occurs throughout a lifetime happens outside of a formal setting. Learning is an innate part of who we are as humans. The moment we come into the world we are learning to recognise sounds, facial expressions and touch. The first teacher in a child's life is their parent or guardian; it is through their social interactions with these first teachers that children learn the building blocks of life, such as how to talk, read and interact with others (Pearson, 2017). 

Weekend walk - learning about nature. Image: Gail Abbitt

Dewey is often associated with making the distinction between the learning that takes place in and outside schools; he acknowledged that rather then arriving at school as empty vessels, children brought with them a wealth of knowledge that had already been accumulated in their everyday life (Zürcher, 2010). Whereas behaviourists viewed the learner as passive recipients of knowledge, constructivists, such as Dewey, viewed children as active constructors of knowledge. Today, most educationalists are in agreement that learning is actively constructed, through social interactions and context (Dumont, 2010). Therefore if there is consensus that learning is a socially constructed process, it is strange why all learning is not equally valued.   

    Bourke et al (2018), suggests that informal learning can be divided into different forms, such as self-directed and incidental learning, which relates to the amount of awareness and intentionality the learner has in the process. Informal learning happens spontaneously, anytime, anywhere and unlike formal learning, often goes unnoticed by the learner (Bourke et al, 2018). I experienced an example of this recently when a young family member was teaching herself how to make slime. When told she needed to stop what she was doing and finish her homework, she stated that she did not want to do homework as she “hated learning”. However, this same child had spent the last few hours watching YouTube videos on how to make slime. The use of YouTube in itself does not make learning informal, the platform is often used in schools and universities as a pedagogical tool; it is the way in which YouTube is being used outside of the classroom, self-paced and self-directed that makes it informal (Lange, 2018). The child took what she had learnt from the videos and through trial and error made her own. While this learning was not assessed in the formal sense, Bourke et al (2018) suggests that often children are self-assessing their learning, which contributes to their emerging identity. In this context, learning to make slime, ipsative assessment occurred, as the child compared the different iterations of slime being made and making the necessary improvements.  

Child making slime. Image courtesy of Bryn Larson - Creative Commons

One of the child’s parents was keen for her to stop “messing around.” It is interesting that in the setting that the learning was taking place; at home, unaided and unstructured, that what was happening was not viewed as learning. If this had taken place in a school; learning about the changes that happen to ingredients when they are combined, the learning would have been highly valued as a chemistry lesson. This example is used to illustrate that not only does informal learning often go unnoticed by learners, but is often unrecognised by those around them (Rona, et al., 2018). This is what Ziegler et al (2015), defined as implicit learning, where expertise is gained unconsciously without recognition that learning has occurred. The repercussion of this is that often both the learner and teacher fail to make connections between the learning that is happening inside the classroom and the learning taking place in the everyday, missing an opportunity to connect existing knowledge to new knowledge.

This has a number of implications for both, as the learner often does not appreciate the successful learning that is taking place outside of the classroom, and the teacher misses out on making deeper, meaningful connections between their pedagogy and their students “ informal learning strengths” (Bourke et al., 2018b). It is assumed that pedagogy is something that only happens in formal learning settings, whereas pedagogy “teacher actions promoting student learning” (New Zealand Curriculum, 2007), happens continually in informal learning settings (Bourke et al., 2018a). Children learn from each both inside and outside of the classroom, collaborating and moving between the roles of both learner and teacher. 

  Children teaching each other how to use Hex bugs. Image: Copyright Gail Abbitt      

There needs to be more recognition that formal learning and informal learning are not mutually exclusive; it is beneficial to consider both formal and informal pedagogies, and how they might complement each other. If the role of education in New Zealand is to prepare students to be “future focussed” and create “lifelong learners” (NZ Curriculum, 2007) then there needs to be a move away from segmented learning where learning is siloed, to one  that recognises the cumulative impact of all learning (Maton, 2008).

We are moving away from the notion that legitimate, valuable, worthwhile learning only occurs in institutions such as schools and universities. As we progress through the 21st century it is clear that the way that learning is viewed needs to change. Much of the learning that takes place occurs outside of formal settings and to not recognise and utilise that learning is a waste. Bourke et al. (2018b), states educators need to move away from labelling children in school as “engaged or disengaged” learners and consider that this does not apply to all of their learning in all contexts. Recognition of learning that occurs outside of formal settings helps to focus on the learners strengths and find ways to utilise what they already know. This also helps to stop some children and young adults leaving school feeling like they have failed, recognising learning that happens informally is vital for creating self-worth and self-efficacy (Stahl & Dale, 2013). 

 Children need to be made aware that all learning is worthwhile and valuable, both in formal and informal settings. Formal education needs to become better at helping children to recognise and value their learning strengths across different contexts and settings (Bourke, 2018b).   

References:

Bourke, R., O’Neill, J. & Loveridge, J. (2018a). Children’s conceptions of informal and everyday learning. Oxford Review of Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2018.1450238 

Bourke, R., O’Neill, J. & Loveridge, J. (2018b). What starts to happen to assessment when teachers learn about their children’s informal learning? The Australian Educational Researcher. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323242417_What_starts_to_happen_to_assessment_when_teachers_learn_about_their_children's_informal_learning 

Bourke, R., O’Neill, J., McDowall, S., Dacre, M., Mincher, N., Narayanan, V., Overbye, S., & Tuifagalele, R. (2021). Children’s informal learning at home during Covid-19 lockdown. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Wellington. https://www.nzcer.org.nz/research/publications/learning-during-lockdown 

Bull, A. (2011) From community engagement in education to public engagement with education. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Wellington. https://www.nzcer.org.nz/system/files/From%20community%20engagement%20in%20education%20to%20public%20engagement6.pdf  

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Eskelson, T.C. (2020). How and why formal education originated in the emergence of civilisation. Journal of Education and Learning. 9 (2). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339071191_How_and_Why_Formal_Education_Originated_in_the_Emergence_of_Civilization 

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Greenhow, C., & Lewin,C. (2016) Social media and education: reconceptualizing the boundaries of formal and informal learning. Learning, Media and Technology. 41(1). https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/617955/3/Recrafting%20formal%20education%20final%20draft%20post-refereeing.pdf 

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Rona, S., Forster, M., O’Neill, J. (2018). Māori children everyday learning over the summer holidays. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322258453_Maori_children's_everyday_learning_over_the_summer_holidays 

Stahl, G., & Dale, P. (2013). Success on the decks: Working-class boys, education and turning the tables on the perception of failure. Gender and Education, 25 (3), 357-372. https://eds.s.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=d62535ee-03e5-4185-b35b-96a115619bda%40redis 

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            Zürcher, Reinhard (2010). ‘Teaching-learning processes between informality and formalisation’, The encyclopaedia of pedagogy and informal education. www.infed.org/informal_education/informality_and_formalization.htm.