Informal Learning

Abstract

The starting point of the Learning Revolution are the effects of digitalization: Consistent customer orientation and ever shorter innovation cycles require agile work instead of classical line functions. Agile work in turn requires agile learning. The practice of informal learning is very similar to this: Informal learning “happens”. Since the learners themselves decide what they want to learn, learning usually follows the principle “learning is what helps” rather than a sophisticated didactic plan. It is typical that phases of “self-learning” alternate with phases of “learning with and through others” (Social Learning). Karlheinz Pape describes such learning as “learning in networks”. In his blog he writes about this: “Every new challenge at work has to be mastered. Either you just try it, or you ask colleagues, or you look for documents, books, or other sources of knowledge until you have solved your current problem – and can act accordingly” (Pape, Learning in Networks, https://khpape.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/lernen-in-netzwerken/, 2016).