Informal Education

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Informal education refers to education that occurs through everyday life experiences, such as learning from family members, friends, or the media. Informal education is often unplanned and occurs outside of structured learning environments.

Introduction to Informal Education: An overview of what informal education means and its role in fostering lifelong learning.

Theory of Informal Education: The different theoretical approaches to understanding how informal education works, including social learning theory and constructivism.

Informal Learning Environments: The different types of informal learning environments, such as museums, libraries, and community centers, and how they support informal education.

Designing Informal Learning Experiences: How to plan and design effective informal learning experiences that engage learners and support their interests and needs.

Assessing Informal Learning: The different methods and tools used to assess the effectiveness of informal learning experiences, including observation, surveys, and interviews.

Technology and Informal Education: How technology can enhance informal learning experiences and support new modes of informal education, such as online communities and video games.

Issues in Informal Education: The challenges and controversies that arise around informal education, such as the role of cultural values and the impact of social inequality.

Informal Education in Practice: The different ways that informal education is practiced in different contexts, such as community development programs, workplace training, and adult education.

How is informal learning characterized compared to other types of learning?

"by a low degree of planning and organizing in terms of the learning context, learning support, learning time, and learning objectives"

What differentiates informal learning from formal learning, non-formal learning, and self-regulated learning?

"It has no set objective in terms of learning outcomes, but an intent to act from the learner's standpoint"

What are typical mechanisms of informal learning?

"trial and error or learning-by-doing, modeling, feedback, and reflection"

What are examples of activities that fall under informal learning for learners?

"heuristic language building, socialization, enculturation, and play"

How does informal learning differ from traditional teacher-centered learning?

"It is a pervasive ongoing phenomenon of learning via participation or learning via knowledge creation, in contrast with the traditional view of teacher-centered learning via knowledge acquisition"

What percentage of adult learning is estimated to take place informally and outside educational institutions?

"about 70-90 percent"

With what terms is informal learning often conflated?

"non-formal learning, and self-directed learning"

In what context is the term "informal learning" commonly used in corporate settings?

"corporate training and education in relation to return on investment (ROI), or return on learning (ROL)"

How is the term "informal learning" used in the context of science education?

"in relation to citizen science, or informal science education"

What are examples of learning mechanisms that occur outside traditional instructor-led programs?

"reading self-selected books, participating in self-study programs, navigating performance support materials and systems, incidental skills practice, receptivity of coaching or mentoring, seeking advice from peers, or participation in communities of practice"

What are advantages of informal learning?

"flexibility and adaptation to learning needs, direct transfer of learning into practice, and rapid resolution of (work-related) problems"

What is considered the most important source of learning for improving employees' performance?

"task execution"

How is informal learning distinct from non-formal learning?

"The conflated meaning of informal and non-formal learning explicates mechanisms of learning that organically occur outside the realm of traditional instructor-led programs"

What is the main focus of informal learning?

"intent to act from the learner's standpoint (e.g., to solve a problem)"

What are typical mechanisms used in informal learning?

"trial and error or learning-by-doing, modeling, feedback, and reflection"

What activities are included in informal learning for learners?

"heuristic language building, socialization, enculturation, and play"

What is the estimated percentage of adult learning that occurs informally?

"about 70-90 percent"

In what context is the term "informal learning" commonly used in relation to return on investment?

"corporate training and education"

What term is often conflated with informal learning?

"non-formal learning"

What are some advantages of informal learning?

"flexibility and adaptation to learning needs, direct transfer of learning into practice, and rapid resolution of (work-related) problems"