Comments on: Social technologies and the blurring of formal and informal learning http://citizensheep.com/blog/2008/10/09/social-technologies-and-the-blurring-of-formal-and-informal-learning/ Michael Grimes lives in Birmingham (UK). This is his blog about anything that he fancies. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:50:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Michael Waugaman http://citizensheep.com/blog/2008/10/09/social-technologies-and-the-blurring-of-formal-and-informal-learning/comment-page-1/#comment-309 Michael Waugaman Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:16:47 +0000 http://citizensheep.com/blog/?p=197#comment-309 I like your point about facebook et all as being more than or other than a location and the the subsequent importance of understanding the relationships facilitaed by tech over the tech itself. On another note, being not long removed from a HEI development post in U o London I know that there is a drive to include informal and/or experential learning within accreddited degrees - even at a postgraduate level. I know this is not exactly what you've written about but it seems to me that if we are to one day have a general formula for translating informal learning into the equation of formal accreditation for degrees, and the social/professional values attached therein, then something will have to give. I only hope that it happens as you suggest - that the traditional structures bend more than they ask the informal non-structures to become rigid. I like your point about facebook et all as being more than or other than a location and the the subsequent importance of understanding the relationships facilitaed by tech over the tech itself.

On another note, being not long removed from a HEI development post in U o London I know that there is a drive to include informal and/or experential learning within accreddited degrees – even at a postgraduate level. I know this is not exactly what you’ve written about but it seems to me that if we are to one day have a general formula for translating informal learning into the equation of formal accreditation for degrees, and the social/professional values attached therein, then something will have to give.

I only hope that it happens as you suggest – that the traditional structures bend more than they ask the informal non-structures to become rigid.

]]> By: Michael http://citizensheep.com/blog/2008/10/09/social-technologies-and-the-blurring-of-formal-and-informal-learning/comment-page-1/#comment-305 Michael Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:52:47 +0000 http://citizensheep.com/blog/?p=197#comment-305 <strong>A clarification</strong> When I wrote 'I don’t think there’s a great problem with bringing the informal into the formal' I meant that I don't think we need to worry too much about trying to force a transition. I <strong>didn't</strong> mean to imply that informal learning could be a threat to formal learning. A clarification
When I wrote ‘I don’t think there’s a great problem with bringing the informal into the formal’ I meant that I don’t think we need to worry too much about trying to force a transition. I didn’t mean to imply that informal learning could be a threat to formal learning.

]]> By: Jeremiah Alexander http://citizensheep.com/blog/2008/10/09/social-technologies-and-the-blurring-of-formal-and-informal-learning/comment-page-1/#comment-304 Jeremiah Alexander Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:09:14 +0000 http://citizensheep.com/blog/?p=197#comment-304 Excellent commentary Michael. I agree that there are a lot of challenges in the area of learning and I believe those challenges are going to help drive innovation. It is a very exciting industry to be involved in. Excellent commentary Michael. I agree that there are a lot of challenges in the area of learning and I believe those challenges are going to help drive innovation. It is a very exciting industry to be involved in.

]]> By: Michael http://citizensheep.com/blog/2008/10/09/social-technologies-and-the-blurring-of-formal-and-informal-learning/comment-page-1/#comment-303 Michael Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:12:14 +0000 http://citizensheep.com/blog/?p=197#comment-303 Thanks Nick. And I guess this is reinforced by institutional and public expectations: the teacher is generally expected to be the teacher and the student the student. Thanks Nick. And I guess this is reinforced by institutional and public expectations: the teacher is generally expected to be the teacher and the student the student.

]]> By: Nick Booth http://citizensheep.com/blog/2008/10/09/social-technologies-and-the-blurring-of-formal-and-informal-learning/comment-page-1/#comment-302 Nick Booth Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:57:35 +0000 http://citizensheep.com/blog/?p=197#comment-302 This is really good. The the real issues are cultural. In my view it is a question of shifting relationships between learners and teachers. In truth many teachers aspire to breed independent learners - without being able to relinquish the old style power relationships which keep people as passive learners. Social media, yet again disrupts, challenges relationships more than it does technology and tools. This is really good. The the real issues are cultural. In my view it is a question of shifting relationships between learners and teachers. In truth many teachers aspire to breed independent learners – without being able to relinquish the old style power relationships which keep people as passive learners. Social media, yet again disrupts, challenges relationships more than it does technology and tools.

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