Problems and opportunities in the use of technology to manage informal learning
Date
2014-10
Authors
García-Peñalvo, Francisco J.
Griffiths, Dai
Jonhson, M.
Sharples, P.
Sherlock, D.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
There is a mismatch between the enthusiasm of policy makers and other actors for initiatives to support the validation of informal learning, and the lack of adoption of systems in practice. This problem is explored, with reference to the creation of the Informal Learning Collector in the European Commission TRAILER project. It is proposed that formality in learning can be usefully understood as a measure of the degree of managerial control over the learning process. It is then argued that the use of managerial tools, such as validation and competence catalogues, runs the danger of constraining the scope for informal learning. Analytics techniques offer the possibility of providing insight into practice by examining documents, without the need for formal description or tagging. However, these methods raise problems of surveillance (by companies and the state), confidentiality, and security of data. A prototype system is described which tests the feasibility of the approach.
Description
Keywords
Informal learning, Aprendizaje informal, Learning analytics, Analítica del aprendizaje, Human-computer interaction, Interacción persona-ordenador
Citation
García-Peñalvo, F. J., Griffiths, D., Jonhson, M., Sharples, P., & Sherlock, D. (2014). Problems and opportunities in the use of technology to manage informal learning. In F. J. García-Peñalvo (Ed.), Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality (TEEM’14) (pp. 573-580). New York, USA: ACM.