Irving Wladawsky-Berger: Informal Learning and Community Libraries
Builds on the work of John Seely Brown, former Science Director of Xerox PARC, who is a great proponent of tacit knowledge and workplace learning. (There is a link to a recent presentation by John SB). Commentary on the observation that much of the learning that we engage in is outside of formal educational channels, especially for adult learners.
posted by David Topps @ 9:34 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Posted by David Topps, on behalf of Jacques Abourbih:
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There are a number of issues this article brings up that needs explored with relevance to the concept of informal learning and NSOM.
1) Intuitively we have all known that we learn far more in the real world by informal learning than from formal learning. Be it Medicine or any other field.
2) The challenges:
a) How do we assess knowledge aquisition, relevance of what has been learned? Traditional testing? Is it desirable to even test this kind of knowledge? how do you document that you have learned?
When MOCOMP program started about 10-15 years ago by the RCPSC I was part of a pilot project that attempted to "document'" (among other learning experiences) precisely "informal learning". So the RCPSC gave us little yellow notebooks and each time you had an "inormal" learning experience--suchaas a discussion with a colleague you would write it down and you would get credited for the experience...
The process was cumbersome and frustarting, especially in the middle of a busy day.
b) The second major challenge is "creating" the favorable environment within the institution that will foster this kind of epiphanies called "informal learning." The environment is crucial.
When I did my fellowship in urological oncology at PMH, soem 25 years ago now,just by osmosis through the walls I got to know about bone marrow transplant (the mantra-du-jour back then) than I have known since.
NOSM is young still. The corridors are yet not echoeing yet. but since I started in December, just by being around Amadeo, Carita, Tom, Kristen, my knowledge base in areas so removed form my field of expertise has grown exponentially.
c) How do we (as teachers at NOSM) impact on our students to promote this osmotic transmission? How do we encourage this friction?
d) This type of teaching will become primordial in phase 3 and onwards in the life of a student of medicine (as opposed to a medical student).
Jacques Abourbih
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