Using Traditional Communities to Build Online Communities of Learning
Mar 21, 2008 Implementation
I did a conference session for the AmeriCorps NW Network this week. One of the things I do in some of my sessions is do a little exercise on traditional communities. We split up and pick different types of communities - all offline. Then we talk about the characteristics of those communities and relate them back to Social Learning and how to build these communities of learning. Doing this exercise we find a lot of insights into how they work and how to build.
This group gave the best examples I have seen: The impoverished community, a group of Ultimate players, Burning Man and a 4×4 group. This was such a great cross-section of different type of communities that we learned so much (at least I did - I hope the others did as well!).
For example, how do you join? The impoverished community is by circumstance, the Ultimate players by coming and playing, Burning Man by signing up and registering, the 4×4 group by being voted in. Each of the questions I went through brought great insight into how and why we might form communities of learning.
There is a lot to learn about a learning community if you step back and take a look at how ‘normal’ communities work, and how they don’t.
Webinar #2 - Social Learning & Knowledge Management with Cindy Rockwell
Mar 18, 2008 Social Learning SIG, Wiki
For a recording of Webinar #2, go here.
This one focused on how to use Social Learning with Knowledge Management and what it will take to make it all work. It was presented by Cindy Rockwell, CEO of CustomerVision.
There were a number of key points that Cindy brings up, including the need to make it easy and a part of the workflow. There are also a number of key features that help create a Social Learning environment. There is a lot of great information. Check it out!
What is the Scope of the Learning Professional?
Mar 12, 2008 collaboration
Tony Karrer has me thinking. In his post yesterday, I wrote a comment there (read this short post, first), but duplicate it here:
I agree, but look at what is being measured. With learning objectives, you can achieve them through learning. Performance objectives can be measured, but learning is not the only part of the equation. There are a TON of non-learning variables and thus these type of objectives cannot be fully and directly related to learning - greatly influenced by, yes; solely responsible for, no.
Business needs will drive the performance objectives.
The way I look at it is that training is only one part of learning is only one part of the equation that makes up overall performance.
For the most part traditional corporate learning can be boxed in to ‘learning.’ As we expand down the tail, this learning expands to include much more than learning. For example, it can include projects, meetings, one-off questions & answers - all of which learning is a major part, but not the focus of the activity.
So if we know that we can influence learning in a traditional non-learning activity, does our scope include that as well?
I would challenge those who are stuck in the pure ‘training’ or ‘learning’ modes to step outside and see if they can make a have a bigger influence on learning - overall - by using the long tail of learning.
Where do we stop? Do we stop at all? What do you think?
