If we in the learning-and-performance field are serious about on-the-job learning (a much better term than "informal learning"), we need to be serious about how managers in organizations do their work, and specifically about how they guide learning on the job (and incidentally how they use formal training initiatives to enable and improve on-the-job learning).
Recently, a group of leading management thinkers got together to re-imagine management.
Here is a brief blog post on their thinking. It is well worth some reflection.
Test comment.
Posted by: Will Thalheimer | Monday, 09 March 2009 at 01:28 PM
Will
Surely informal learning and on-the-job learning are not synonyms?
I understand the former to describe 'how', the latter as being a statement of 'where'.
After all, it's quite possible to have top-down, mandated training occur in the workplace, and that is the antithesis of informality, no?
Is your formulation different?
Posted by: Dan R | Friday, 13 March 2009 at 04:37 AM
Matt, I think it's difficult to have an open debate about this while, for fear of moderation, trying to dodge discussing the use of performance enhancing drugs in North America.
Posted by: ssi | Wednesday, 20 April 2011 at 03:36 AM