The Relationship Between Informal Learning and Online Communities: The Web is Your 21st Century Classroom

Internet technology and social media are changing the way we connect and learn. Online informal learning communities give individuals unprecedented access to information and collective knowledge, as well as the power of choice to determine how to acquire information. Online informal learning communities also provide a social element that serves to strengthen engagement and enhance the understanding and behaviors of learners. However, formal or “traditional” education questions its validity, and best practices for incorporating informal learning resources in the classroom. This presentation will offer evidence through literature review of current articles (from 2011-2015) on issues and trends in informal learning and online communities. After defining and describing the characteristics of informal learning and its relationship and support of online communities, the presentation will explore related theoretical models on learning, including Dale’s Cone of Experience, Bandura’s Cognitive Theory, Engestrom’s Activity Theory, and Wenger’s Communities of Practice and their relationships to informal learning. Finally, the presentation will explore current examples of successful online resources for informal learning such as YouTube, Khan Academy, and blogs. The integration of informal learning and online communities within formal education offers the opportunity to capitalize on the rapid growth of information, individualized interests, and changing preferences of 21st century learners.