Informal learning

Informal learning is characterized by a low degree of planning and organizing of the learning context, learning support, learning time, and learning objectives. It differs from formal learning, non-formal learning, and self-regulated learning, as it has no set objective in its learning outcomes, but an intent to act from the learner's standpoint (e.g., to solve a problem). The term is often conflated with non-formal learning and self-directed learning. It is widely used in the context of corporate training and education in relation to return on investment (ROI), or return on learning (ROL). It is also used when referring to science education, in relation to citizen science, or informal science education.

Typical mechanisms of informal learning include trial and error or learning-by-doing, modeling, feedback, and reflection. This includes heuristic language building, socialization, enculturation, and play. Informal learning is a popular learning method that incorporates participation or learning through knowledge creation, in contrast with the traditional practice of teacher-centered learning via knowledge acquisition. Estimates suggest that about 70–90% of adult learning takes place informally and outside educational institutions.

The conflated definition of informal and non-formal learning explicates mechanisms of learning that organically occur outside the realm of traditional instructor-led programs. This may include participating in self-study programs, navigation of performance support materials and systems, practicing incidental skills, receiving coaching or mentoring, seeking advice from peers, or participating in communities of practice, to name a few.

Informal learning is common in communities where individuals have opportunities to observe and participate in social activities. Cited advantages of informal learning include flexibility and adaptation to learning needs, direct transfer of learning into practice, and rapid resolution of work-related problems. For improving employees' performance, task execution is considered the most important source of learning.

Informal learning can be characterized as the following:

The origin of informal learning has been traced back to John Dewey through his theories about learning from experience. The American philosopher Mary Parker Follett broadened the context of informal education from school to all areas of everyday life and described education as a continuous life task. Building on this work by Dewey and Follett, the American educator Eduard C. Lindemann first used the term "informal learning". The term was later introduced by Malcolm Knowles when he published his work, Informal Adult Education in 1950.

At first, informal learning was only delimited from formal school learning and nonformal learning in courses. Marsick and Watkins take up this approach and go one step further in their definition. They, too, begin with the organizational form of learning and call those learning processes informal which are non-formal or not formally organized and are not financed by institutions. An example for a wider approach is Livingstone's definition which is oriented towards autodidactic and self-directed learning and places special emphasis on the self-definition of the learning process by the learner. Livingstone explained that explicit informal learning is distinguished from tacit informal learning and socialization in the sense that the individual seeks learning in this setting and creates the conditions for it by putting himself in situations or engaging with others so that learning is possible.

As noted above, informal learning is often confused with non-formal learning. Non-formal learning has been used to often describe organized learning outside of the formal education system, either being short-term, voluntary, and having few, if any, prerequisites. However, they typically have a curriculum and often a facilitator.