Informal learning

Informal learning refers to learning in contexts of life, which was originally regarded primarily as a learning outside the formal education system (eg schools). Since the 1990s, the debate on informal learning has steadily increased and is currently being discussed in almost all areas of education.

Introduction

Although held about 70 percent of the adult learning outside educational institutions ( according to estimates), has not received " informal learning" in Germany a long time the social and scientific attention, as is the case in many other countries. With the flexibility of life-worlds and the worlds of learning to be flexible. While the development is characterized to the industrialized society through the formalization of education, it is the reflexive modernity, which is also called second modernity in which an informalisation of references is clear. This is also up to date. In addition to learning in school are not school-centered learning environments, from sports to music to media and part-time job of growing importance. So the federal government is explicitly referred to " informal education processes " in non-formal settings in the 12th Child and Youth Report, on the understanding of fluid transitions between formal and informal learning processes. Processes of informal education find then held in many places. Places of learning environments as well as opportunities are about the children 's and youth work, clubs, culture and leisure, the use of media or family activities. Commercial learning and adventure to be included in the considerations and informal learning in professional work is receiving increasing attention. The interaction of various kinds of environments, should be part of professional considerations and practices.

Examples

Anyone learning education institutions in the context of his hobby, his voluntary work or in his daily life outside, learns " informally ". For example: people go after a problem and try to solve it. They learn sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. It is learned in the social, family, communicative or work contexts in each case.

While it has long been research activities are informal learning in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States, the number of such studies in Germany only in recent years. Tully formulated in the introduction of " Competence Development in Transition" cornerstones of a new learning culture. Above all, the German Youth Institute has been working since 1990 on the subject, initially on the basis of learning for computer use.

Informal learning in family conversations about learning one generation from another place. The influence of family of origin on the acquisition of skills, motivation to learn and the minting of settings is emphasized for example in the context of the PISA studies and is brought into close connection with the formation of the habit in the sense of Pierre Bourdieu.

Between 2005 and 2007 a ​​study on the informal learning of young people was conducted in volunteering. The fact that there is something learned, should be well known and obvious, the study clarifies the HOW and the WHAT of learning. Results of exploration study to show how young people assess their learning experiences in Greenpeace groups, the Boy Scouts, the Protestant youth, the falcon, the volunteer fire department, the union youth or technical aid organization in hindsight. It was confirmed that learning particularly affects the social and personality- forming region here. In addition, political, technical, media or organizational skills to be acquired.

Also, policy-relevant competencies in the strict sense are acquired partly through informal learning. So is discussed in the English-speaking world have long known that social movements are also a learning space such as when Foley describes how activists of an initiative to preserve the rainforest in Australia, although for political reasons have been active, in hindsight could but describe significant informal learning processes. Also in Germany, the corresponding learning processes, such as citizens' initiatives, lately become increasingly aware of.

Informal learning contributes significantly to the learning experiences of young people. The mobile phone and computer use are examples of informal learning. Teenagers are superior to many adults in both areas. Important for such learning success is the motivation to learn, that is, the will to be able to master and use a device. The immediate feedback provided by the device support the learning process.

During the reporting system training is under informal professional learning, inter alia, visiting trade fairs or congresses, participation in short term events such as lectures or half-day seminars, self-learning by observing and trying out at work or in leisure, self-directed learning using understood by computer-assisted self-study programs, career-related audio and video cassettes, through the use of learning opportunities, such as the Internet, computer-assisted self-study programs, career-related audio and video cassettes. In the " Conceptual foundations for a National Education Report " options for recognizing informal learning are discussed. Here, the authors be stated, among other things, the existence of several gaps in data collection and the need for an expanded systematic empirical research on informal learning. Considerable research is also seen in relation to the quality of the learned. Must be also achieved recognition and equality of informally acquired competences.

Practical consequences of the discussion about informal learning offer themselves at different level. In Scandinavian countries, public places for many years been regarded as places of learning such as libraries and treated. People are introduced to the use of computers from about 50 years in the context of so-called Computerias in Switzerland. With new media, the possibility of a personal learning network is an important tool for informal learning.

Within the " UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development", there is a working group informal learning, which are compounds of different types of learning for sustainable development and informal environmental education ( Wohlers 2001) care. These examples could go on and on.

Concept and definition of informal learning

Educational researchers have no common understanding of what exactly is meant by " informal learning ". There are countless definitions and discussions to (see Garrick in 1998 and Käpplinger 2007). In practice, however, the sometimes subtle distinctions and difficult distinctions between are negligible " a more or less planned, more or less intentional or deliberate non-institutionalized learning." ( Dohmen 2001)

Dohmen (2001) therefore argues for the use of the proposed by Small (1999 ) Definition: The " concept of informal learning is related to all self- learning, which develops in immediate life and experience contexts outside the formal education system " < / ref name =. " dohmen01 " > however, there is the risk that informal learning in general only aggregated definition to a " residual category " is, in which can be interpreted into relatively arbitrary. In this respect also worth closer look at processes of informal learning ( Overwien 2004).

Although there is still the question of definition needs go far those clarifications, informal learning is receiving increasing attention in educational science discussions. So devoted a special issue of the Journal of Educational Sciences ( 3/2005) various aspects of informal learning, such as the theme of the family as an informal education center, the role of informal learning in the reproduction of inequality, informal learning in voluntary or informal learning with various media. As a basis provides a " keyword essay" an overview of the breadth of the discussion on informal learning ( Overwien 2005). In this paper, different perspectives are discussed, including those of the European Commission. This has now determined which definition of informal learning in the education debate the EU applies:

Formal learning Learning typically provided by an education or training institution, structured ( in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support) and leading to certification. Formal learning is intentional from the learner's perspective.

Non-formal learning Learning that is not provided by an education or training institution and typically does not lead to certification. However, it is structured (in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support). From the perspective of the learner, it is purposeful.

Informal learning Learning that takes place in everyday life, at work, family or leisure. It is ( in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support) not structured and usually not lead to certification. Informal learning may be intentional but in most cases non-intentional ( or incidental / random). (European Commission 2001, p 9, 32f ).

Recognition and validation of informal learning

In Germany, the " informal learning " that moved in and the recognition and certification of informal learning in the last years into view. As a consequence, there are now a number of training passes as instruments for the detection and recognition of informally acquired learning outcomes ( Bretschneider & Preißer, 2003 and Käpplinger & Reutter, 2005). Under various names, numerous concepts for individual qualification documents have been developed internationally. In particular, since the mid- 1990s, similar initiatives also emerged in the Federal Republic.

The proposals of a feasibility study resulted in a reference model for a nationwide deployable training pass, the pass profile. The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL ) is an example of a certification process, which can be used can be informally acquired knowledge and skills confirm and certified by an authorized testing center.

From a German point of view is worth to answer these questions the view of the neighboring countries, where some already proven method of detection of acquired skills informally used ( Käpplinger 2002 Käpplinger & Puhl 2003). In other countries, some for decades, a scientific discourse takes place, and often it also has many years of experience with the recording of informal learning achievements ( Dohmen 2001). In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland relatively early legislation on the recognition of informal learning were adopted with which "addressed education policy on a highly fragmented system of vocational training " ( Bretschneider & Preißer 2003, p 4): 1989 the system of " National Vocational was Qualifications' ( NVQs ) were introduced, " the open flexible, modular output- oriented forms of learning and places of learning and a well-developed alternative to school-based education and training - with a special focus on experiential learning in the workplace - has created " ( Dohmen 2001, p 78). In England, even the NVQ but are highly controversial in part because there are big problems in the implementation. (see Käpplinger 2002)