I get a newsletter from one of the many games/learning theory experts – Thiagi. Here is an exert from the most recent newsletter:
Blend Formal with Informal
According to Jay Cross, corporations over-invest in formal training that produces less than 20 percent of learning. The bulk of corporate learning occurs from the informal, unofficial, unscheduled, impromptu way that employees learn to do their jobs. For effective results, blend formal and informal approaches. Examples: Place white boards and felt markers near water coolers and cafeteria tables. Set up a graffiti wall for employee complaints. Establish an online chat room to follow up classroom training. Hold lunchtime learning sessions. Conduct formal monthly meetings to facilitate employee sharing of important things they learned accidentally.
White boards? Check! Felt markers? Check! Online chat – well, blogs? Check! Lunchtime learning sessions? Check! Monthly meetings facilitating employee sharing (developer hangouts – thanks Becky!) ? Check! Way to go Wharton Computing, we are going in the right direction to really facilitate employee learning. I can back that up, I have been non-stop learning since coming here full-time in September.
Here’s another interesting web site provided by Thiagi about how to give interactive lectures. It seemed to me that a good portion of the DL Roundtable was about creating interactivity between the developers and the users… so even though this deals with classroom lectures, I’m sure there will be some good points which can be applied to other areas:
