What Is Informal Learning and Why Is It a Useful Approach to Online Curricula

Informal learning is a type of education or training program in which learners define what they want to learn and learning is considered successful when learners feel that they are able to master their intended objectives (whether or not the course designers believe that the learners have or have not demonstrated mastery)

Some experts believe that as much as 70 percent of all adult learning is informal. Informal learning contrasts with formal learning, in which instructional designers “identify the intended outcomes long before the course begins and learners are only considered to have successfully completed the learning program when they demonstrate successful mastery of these outcomes” (Carliner, 2004). Most guides for developing e-learning focus almost exclusively on developing material for formal learning (such as Alessi & Trollip, 2000; Carliner 2002a; Driscoll, 2002; and Horton, 2000).

We feel that, for e-learning to live up to its promise of providing any time, anywhere learning, it must encompass informal learning. In fact, certain types of e-learning for the workplace are essentially informal, especially knowledge management and performance support (also called workflow-based training).

Informal learning is closely tied to the concept of self-directed learning, which is defined as “a process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others,” to diagnose their learning needs, formulate learning goals, identify resources for learning, select and implement learning strategies, and evaluate learning outcomes. Informal learning and selfdirected learning are compatible concepts. The primary difference is that informal learning refers to the materials prepared by a designer, and self-directed learning refers to the design of a plan of learning by a student. Many people confuse informal learning with asynchronous courses that are available on demand, such as a course on MS Excel® that learners can take anywhere they have access to the Internet. Although such courses are available almost whenever learners need them, the courses themselves are still formal. The objectives are furnished by the instructional designers, as are assessments at the end of the course. If the courses are employer-sponsored, learners’ performance on these courses is often tracked and reported.

For something to be informal learning, it cannot have externally prescribed objectives. It rarely has formal tests either. Rather, the content stands on its own, and designers do their best to make specific pieces of content easy to find. For example, the U.S.-based medical website WebMD site provides information on a variety of health-related matters, including diseases, chronic conditions, and wellness. Users find the topic of interest to them and continue reading until they feel they have read all that they need to. The site also provides links to more in-depth content on the Web should users feel that they need more information than is provided at the site.

Similarly, Computerworld, the trade newspaper for the computer industry, has a number of Quick Studies, which provide background information about a hot topic in the information technology industry. A learner who needs a crash course on a topic like network sniffers or netiquette can find a briefing at this site. If the learner wants more in-depth content, the Quick Studies provide links to articles from the Computerworld archives.

Although neither the WebMD nor Computerworld example was designed specifically to build skills (the most technical definition of learning), both provide a learning experience because users can acquire information and act on it. Although learners are at the center of informal learning programs, instructional designers play a key role in the learning process. When designing curricula for informal learning, instructional designers serve as guides, helping learners choose the types of experiences that will benefit their objectives and link those experiences together in a meaningful way. In some instances, instructional designers prepare original materials for informal learning. They focus on designing content in such a way that users can easily find it in when a moment of need arises. Designers also design around the known limited attention spans of informal learners, show the relevance of the content, and provide meaningful examples that users can immediately adapt in their work. In other instances, the learning content is provided by technical experts, such as scientists and engineers. In these instances, instructional designers prepare forms or templates through which experts can easily enter their material yet can prepare the material in a way that novice learners can grasp the material as effortlessly as possible.