"by a low degree of planning and organizing in terms of the learning context, learning support, learning time, and learning objectives"
The different theoretical approaches to understanding how informal education works, including social learning theory and constructivism.
Definition of Informal Education: Informal education refers to any learning that occurs outside of a structured or formal classroom setting. It includes everyday experiences, such as learning from friends, family, and community activities.
History of Informal Education: This topic explores the origins and development of informal education, including the historical context of different forms of informal learning.
Learning Theories: Understanding the different theories of learning, such as behaviorism, constructivism, and social cognitive theory, can help explain how informal education works and why it is effective.
Characteristics of Informal Learning: This topic covers the unique features of informal learning processes, such as self-directedness, integration of experience and reflection, and personal relevance.
Role of the Educator: In informal learning settings, the role of the educator differs from that of a traditional teacher. This topic investigates the varying roles, such as facilitator, mentor, or guide, that an educator can take on.
Informal Learning Environments: These are the physical and social contexts in which informal learning takes place. Examples include museums, libraries, online communities, and cultural events.
Informal Learning Outcomes: The outcomes of informal learning can be challenging to measure, but this topic explores some of the ways in which learners can benefit from informal education.
Informal Learning and Technology: With advances in technology, the opportunities for informal learning have multiplied. This topic explores how technology has transformed informal learning, including online courses, social media, and mobile apps.
Critical Pedagogy: Critical pedagogy is an approach to education that aims to challenge dominant power structures and promote social justice. This topic investigates how informal education can incorporate principles of critical pedagogy.
Lifelong Learning: Informal education plays a crucial role in lifelong learning. This topic covers the importance of continuing education beyond formal schooling and how informal learning can support ongoing personal and professional development.
Social Learning Theory: This theory posits that people learn best through observation, modeling, and imitation of others around them.
Activity Theory: This theory proposes that individuals learn through engaging in meaningful, often collaborative, activities and interactions.
Experiential Learning Theory: This theory suggests that learning occurs through direct experience, reflection, and conceptualization of that experience.
Situated Learning Theory: This theory suggests that learning occurs in contexts and situations that are meaningful to the learner, and that knowledge is situated and contextualized within those specific situations.
Self-Determination Theory: This theory proposes that individuals are motivated to learn when they have autonomy, competence, and relatedness – that is, when they have control over their learning, feel competent in their abilities, and have meaningful relationships with others.
Constructivism: This theory posits that people actively construct their own understanding and meaning, and that learning is a process of building on prior knowledge and experiences.
Social Constructivism: This theory extends the idea of constructivism by suggesting that learning is a social and collaborative process, with individuals co-constructing knowledge and meaning through interactions with others.
Connectivism: This theory proposes that learning occurs through networks and connections, both within and beyond formal educational institutions.
"It has no set objective in terms of learning outcomes, but an intent to act from the learner's standpoint"
"trial and error or learning-by-doing, modeling, feedback, and reflection"
"heuristic language building, socialization, enculturation, and play"
"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"
"about 70-90 percent"
"non-formal learning, and self-directed learning"
"corporate training and education in relation to return on investment (ROI), or return on learning (ROL)"
"in relation to citizen science, or informal science education"
"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"
"flexibility and adaptation to learning needs, direct transfer of learning into practice, and rapid resolution of (work-related) problems"
"task execution"
"The conflated meaning of informal and non-formal learning explicates mechanisms of learning that organically occur outside the realm of traditional instructor-led programs"
"intent to act from the learner's standpoint (e.g., to solve a problem)"
"trial and error or learning-by-doing, modeling, feedback, and reflection"
"heuristic language building, socialization, enculturation, and play"
"about 70-90 percent"
"corporate training and education"
"non-formal learning"
"flexibility and adaptation to learning needs, direct transfer of learning into practice, and rapid resolution of (work-related) problems"