Learning in Informal Settings
Today's adult learner was yesterday's Girl Scout or afterschool program participant
This week’s Learning Landscape theme is about learning in informal settings. This learning happens outside of environments or institutions that are set up for graded learning. I opened this week’s conversation by talking about my experience with Girl Scouts. My childhood experiences with Girl Scouts and other non-profits provided me opportunities, not offered to me at school or through exclusive services, to gain many valuable skills. These experiences profoundly impacted the adult learner I have become and am becoming.
In my local Girl Scouts troop, we sang, did arts and crafts, cooked, set tables, sold cookies and networked with women in the community. At Girl Scout (overnight) camp, we swam, canoed, sailed and camped deeper into the woods, with fewer modern conveniences than available at the main campsite. Through these hands-on, real-world activities, far from any school desk, we gained many skills. Girl Scouts recognized some of these skills by awarding us badges. However, we gained many other skills, such as collaboration and critical thinking, that were not represented by a badge (at that time, anyway).
Power of Informal Learning
Girl Scouts, after-school programs, community programs and other informal learning programs can be incredibly powerful in fostering holistic development, complementing and often enhancing the formal education children receive in schools. Program strengths in informal learning environments may include:
1. Flexibility and Learner-Driven Approaches
Tailored to Interests: Unlike a standardized curriculum, programs in informal settings can cater to diverse interests and passions. A child passionate about science can experiment (within program and resource limits) in a robotics club, while a budding artist can explore (within program and resource limits) different media in a community art class. Time and space in informal learning environments can allow for deeper engagement and sustained motivation.
Reduced Pressure: Without the pressure of tests, grades and rigid schedules, learning can become more enjoyable and less stressful. A more relaxed environment encourages exploration, creativity and a willingness to take risks and make mistakes, which are crucial for true learning.
Self-Paced Learning: Within programming limits, individuals can learn at their own pace, focusing on areas where they need more support or where their curiosity is piqued. This autonomy, with planned support, empowers learners and fosters a lifelong love for discovery.
2. Holistic Development Beyond Academics
Social and Emotional Growth: These programs are fertile ground for developing essential social and emotional skills. Through team sports, collaborative projects, group discussions and interactions with diverse peers and mentors, participants can learn teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, empathy and how to navigate complex social dynamics. This builds self-esteem, confidence and a sense of belonging. As with formal learning, outcomes can be impacted by the skill level and behavior of the adults “in charge”.
Life Skills and Practical Application: Many informal settings offer opportunities to develop practical life skills, from cooking and financial literacy to problem-solving and critical thinking.
Exploration of Diverse Talents: Youth can discover hidden talents and explore interests they might not encounter in a traditional classroom. This can include anything from music, dance and theater to coding, gardening and community service. In the traditional classroom environment, talents are often treated as tokens in a zero-sum game; there can be only a limited number of top minds or talents acknowledge.
Physical Health and Well-being: Many programs promote healthy habits such as physical activity. It is well-established that physcial activity can make the body and brain more receiptive to learning.
3. Fostering Innovation and Engagement
Creative Thinking: Informal learning environments often encourage "out-of-the-box" thinking, experimentation and unique solutions to challenges, fostering innovation. When I attended the Boys and Girls Club, I saw little boys stack mats in very creative ways to provide themselves a premium gymnastic experience. They saw the ways the mats were supposed to be used and then saw ways they wanted to use those mats for their purposes.
After-school programs, community programs and other informal learning settings can be powerful when they offer time and space to embrace a more natural, organic and learner-centered approach to development. They can supplement formal education, nurturing a wide range of skills, fostering positive behaviors, building strong communities and ultimately empowering individuals in their lifelong development.
For Adulthood
Both your past and current opportunities in informal learning settings matter.
It matters to you right now: When you learn informally, it's often because you're trying to solve a real problem or you're curious about something. For me, in Girl Scouts, I felt seen, heard and acknowledged, in the moment, by accomplished women. This personal connection and attention to my immediate needs made new information stick in my mind. These experiences illustrated for me what it means to be supported.
It's easy to access: You can learn anywhere, anytime. By providing me activities that happen outside of traditional school buildings, Girl Scouts taught me to see the world as my classroom.
You understand it deeply: When you figure something out through a real-life situation, you understand it better than if you just memorized it from a book. Making a food burner in Girl Scouts with a tuna can, cardboard, wax, wicks and a Hi-C can and then cooking a meal on top of the Hi-C can instilled a much deeper understanding of the practice and science of cooking than reading about it in a book or than cooking in a home economics kitchen at school.
It builds strength and flexibility: When you solve problems and learn with community support, you become better at handling new challenges and changing with the times. I didn’t formally learn about erosion control until many years after Girl Scouts camp, but we were doing erosion control. We went away from our campsites, further into the woods, to gather leaves in tarps. We spread those leaves around our campsite to prevent erosion from rain and everyday elements. Each week, we solved the problem of actual erosion and/or the threat of erosion to our campsite.
It's often more fun: Learning what you're curious about and enjoying the process is much better than learning because you have to. I experienced activities in Girl Scouts as play, and as I've realized, play is learning!
Adulting and Informal Learning
You're already learning informally every day! If you want to, you can do more on purpose. As a builder, you can engage others in informal learning opportunities as well.
Be curious: Always ask questions. "How does this work?" "Can I do this better?" "What if...?" A curious mind is always engaged in learning. Girl Scouts promoted self-directed learning, even before it became a popular framework in schools.
Try new things: Don't be afraid to experiment, even if you might mess up. Every mistake is a chance to learn something new. In Girl Scouts, we had the chance to experiment with different crafts and activities, which honored my interest in learning on my own (with the right supports, of course).
Think about what you learned: Take a moment to think about your experiences. What did you learn from that talk? How did you solve that problem? What could you do differently next time? You can apply this thinking in a Dungeons and Dragons game session or in community planning.
Listen to different ideas: Talk to people who think differently than you do. Read things from various points of view. This helps you see things in new ways. At Girl Scout camp, I met girls from many different towns, which broadened my world. I was from a small town of about 55,000 people. Even with my coming from a town of 55,000 people, meeting people from towns of about 20,000 and 6,000 was eye-opening for me.
Always keep learning: Remember that learning isn't just for school. It's a journey that never stops. Stay open to new information and experiences. Girl Scouts offer membership/sponsorship through adulthood. Also, opportunities are available for continuous learning by troop leaders for their own development and to better support troop members.
Teach others: Explaining something to someone else is one of the best ways to truly understand it yourself. My experience in Girl Scouts involved lots of peer teaching/learning and mixed age learning.
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What informal learning moments have shaped who you are as an adult learner? Share your stories in the comments!