Invisible Learning (presentation)

In 1980, Seymour Papert predicted that computers would Q: 30 yearstransform later, what has happened? fundamentally A: Not much. education -and ultimately make the school itself redundant. ...Why?

Q: 30 years later, what has happened?

A: Not much. ...Why?

It’s not about the technology.

It’s about people and how we use technology.

Knowledge Society demands a deeper change in the culture of teaching, and, particularly, in the way how we learn (and unlearn).

A rich literature base supports the idea that alternative methods of learning, especially informal or non-formal learning (“invisible learning”), could build and enrich lifelong learning in many ways.

Moreover, our knowledge-based societies need to rethink and explore all those “invisible” (non-formal, not certified, but equally relevant) ways of learning.

What is invisible learning?

Learning that fosters the development of personal knowledge - both tacit and explicit and skills relevant for the 21st century.

Combines new and flexible ways of sharing and acquiring content, knowledge, skills and experiences: Individually or collectively, faceto-face or virtually, inside and beyond schools.

Invisible learning also recognizes the acquisition of knowledge as a continuous activity that’s natural for humans, linked to our individual ways of finding meanings within our life experiences.

What are examples of invisible learning?

Shibuya University Network (Japan): A practical, community-based continuing education option for everybody. It’s not the typical university, because you are not granted an academic degree, but it is a good way to learn from the community you live in or the place that you’re most fond of.

bancocomun.org +

shibuya-univ.net +

The Bank of Common Knowledge (Spain): A pilot experience to research social mechanisms for the collective production of contents, mutual education, and citizen participation. It is a laboratory, exploring new ways of enhancing the distribution channels for practical and informal knowledge.

What are examples of invisible learning?

knowmads.nl +

Knowmads (Netherlands): A life-long learning community. They work from the principle of a team setting based on action learning.

“First we discover what is going on around us, then we design, then we start to build and then we amplify it in a learning setting and as a socio-economic venture.”

Scandinavian Experiences (Finland, Denmark, Norway & Sweden): The use of ICTs as tools for everyday life are not restricted to the workplace or study place. The challenges that these education systems face are identifying which ICT skills should be acquired in the formal learning environment (school) and which ones should be developed in “other” contexts (home, free time, social networking, self- learning, peer tutoring, etc.).

insight.eun.org +

We’d like to hear from you!

What is invisible learning?

What does invisible learning mean for you?

How do we make the most of it?

Do you know any informal learning experience in your country?

You are invited to collaborate at invisiblelearning.com!

Write a paper and email it to invisible@flacso.edu.mx (it will be shared with others at invisiblelearning.com and may be selected for publication in a book!)

Create a YouTube video and tag it with invisiblelearning (it will be pulled automatically into the Invisible Learning website) Share your other work and experiences (open format: video, podcast, photo, animation, software, 3D, etc.) -email us at invisible@flacso.edu.mx to get started!

www.invisiblelearning.com