Assessment and Visualisation of Informal Learning In Social Fields Supported by Plone more

Assessment and visualisation of informal learning in social fields supported by Plone Maria Jandl, Gunter Vasold, Andreas Behmel FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft mbH Key words: Lifelong competences, informal learning, lifelong learning, virtual community of practice, disabled people, assessment method set, mutuality, trust, mandate, Plone, content management system, smart folder, accessibility, weblog, discussion forum Abstract: The article addresses issues of informal learning at the workplace and the visualisation and transfer of tacit knowledge within the project “Lifelong competences - informal learning in social fields” http://www.informal-learning.org, supported by the European commission (initiative Leonardo da Vinci). Informal learning processes of employees in social fields (especially in care facility for disabled people) are assessed, visualized and transferred by face to face meetings and within a virtual community of practice. A platform based on the open source software Plone was developed using an innovative approach of dynamical structured content by so called smart folders. 1 Definition of informal learning Everybody learns every time and everywhere; at home, at the kindergarten, at school, at the workplace. Informal learning is the core of lifelong learning; it is neither organised nor structured in terms of objectives, time or learning support. Informal learning is in most cases unintentional from the learner´s perspective and it typically does not lead to certification. (1) Most of learning processes are informal. Livingstone states that 75 % of the learning processes of adults are self initiated and informal. (2). Cross argues in his weblog that the percentage of informal learning is higher and refers to these learning processes as “the other 80 %”. “At work we learn more in the break room than in the classroom. We discover how to do our jobs through informal learning - observing others, asking the person in the next cubicle, calling the help desk, trial-and-error, and simply working with people who know. Formal learning - classes and workshops and online events - is the source of only 10% to 20% of what we learn at work.“(3) So far informal learning is an important but often forgotten factor. There is not much research or work on how to use and manage informal learning in enterprises. One area, where informal learning plays a great role in everyday work and comprises complex situations and complex tasks, is the services for disabled people. The situation described above is the basis of the project “Lifelong competences – informal learning in social fields”. 2 “Lifelong competences- informal learning in social fields” The project “Lifelong competences – informal learning in social fields” (http://www.informallearning.org), supported by the European commission within the initiative Leonardo Da Vinci, aims to make informal learning at such workplaces visible and assessable. To achieve these aims, people working in the social service organisations of the project consortium become members of a virtual community of practice where they contribute and get access to otherwise not communicated experiences and competences. 2.1 Project information The project lasts three years and is coordinated by Mosaik, an Austrian care facility for disabled people. The nine European project partners are institutions from Sweden, Belgium, Great Britain, Slowakia, Hungary and Slovenia that offer training for employees in the services of disabled people. FH JOANNEUM is participating as the technical partner. The target group of the project is employees of the project partners. They work in different professional fields, such as special pedagogy, special trained teacher, kindergarten teacher, social worker, physiotherapist, speech therapist, ergo therapist, etc. Qualified employees as well as semi skilled employees have a large demand for informal learning and best practice. Therefore, the projects’ support of informal learning and the facilitation of access to the informal knowledge will increase the quality of support for disabled people. 2.2 Project objectives More specifically the project aims to: • develop an assessment method set to make informal learning understandable and comprehensible • make the results of informal learning, such as know how and competences, visible in order to assess them • develop a training for skill resource managers, who use the instruments developed in the project to investigate competences and accompany their colleagues at the virtual platform • develop user-group specific communication and collaboration tools (weblogs, wiki, etc.) that support the informal knowledge visualisation and transfer and that facilitate the development of a virtual community of practice for the professional groups of the involved institutions (see http://www.informal-learning.org). The following sections describe the progress and the results of the project. 3 Assessment of informal learning The work package “assessment of informal learning” aims to develop an assessment method set. Therefore a model of an iterative process including assessment of the status quo, analysis, interpretation, conclusion and reflection was chosen. In this process several methods such as moderated discussions, interviews, case studies, open space etc. were used. The first step was an analysis of the learning conditions at the partner organisations and based on these results, methods and tools for informal learning were developed. The analysis focused on the four dimensions of learning: learning directly between professional and client, learning between a professional group, learning between different professional groups and learning between different organisations and departments. The analysis of learning at partner organisations focused on three areas: • Context and key factors for understanding of learning at partner organisations • Past history of learning (how and what have you learnt in the past in your field of work, in your organisation, as individual? Which tipping points have been important to you in order to change direction in practice of your field, organisation or as individual?) • Present practice/case studies (who learnt what in which situation? How does the learning process look like?) 3.1 Influencing factors In total five descriptions of learning context, five descriptions of learning history and fifteen case studies were developed, discussed and analysed in a project meeting. As a result of the analysis the following three factors based on the theories of power by Robert Dahl, Bachrach and Baratz (4) were investigated which influence the context of learning: • • • Structural factors (e.g. national regulation/norms, financial resources, organizational design, existing ideas in the public and in politics, physical resources such as space and room) Individual/colleagues/leadership resources as a ”filter” of structural conditions (e.g. emotions/feelings, perceptions, values etc.) Individual/colleagues resources as “interpreter” of structural conditions (e.g. the way of formulating problems, what is put on the agenda, who decide what?) During the discussion concerning context and learning history, it was evident that there is one most common experience beside the differences in structural factors etc. This common experience is that “leadership attitude” (acceptance, understanding and stimulation) towards learning in practice is of great importance. The leaders do filter the structural factors and give “mandate” in different directions from their point of view. We can conclude, as Herbert Simon did in the 1960´s: It is not the “decision” itself that is of interest, it is the premises lying behind the decision in terms of emotions, cognition, values and so on that make certain decisions possible and some not. (5) 3.2 Crucial processes for learning in practice There was a wide range of experiences gained within the case studies presented. The case studies included learning between single persons (therapist and client) as well as learning between different organisations. One key factor for learning in practice is testing and stepping outside of our every day well known routine. Investigating the case studies the following processes that are important for learning in practice could be pointed out (6): • • • • • to build up trust and to mandate, to orientate in the world to formulate a problem or challenge to plan for the future and to reflect the action and its effects. In all of the processes a key term was “mutuality”, by which we meant that most processes in the social field of support are in the ideal case a matter of relation between two subjects. No one should therefore be an object, but a part, a participant in the learning process. If the “patient” does not formulate the “problem” by himself, understand its implications and the treatment, then the treatment will have no or low effects. The following processes are crucial in the learning process: 1. It is important if there has been a mutual competence situation (between client and professional), or if only one part has learned something. 2. The new shared competence and experience is transformed to visible knowledge (of how the problem should be formulated) by some medium (e.g. a written paper or a habilitation plan). 3. The visible knowledge is evaluated, compared or tested by others (comparison of experiences and theory). 4. The visible and evaluated knowledge is spread to others (in formal education, tutoring, by articles, on the web and so on). 5. The visible, evaluated and spread knowledge is used as a new competence by others not directly involved with the prime experience. If the first criterion “mutual competence” could not be fulfilled, all other criterions cannot be reached. The problem then is that we have “missed” a key to true learning between the client and the professional and thereby the vision of “empowered clients” is not reached (7) 3.3 Models for understanding of informal learning In a next step a model for the understanding of informal learning based on the theories from Argryis and Schon was elaborated. (7) Argryis and Schon elaborated three main types of learning: learning by adjustment to pre-structured certainty which includes the reproductive learning situation and productive learning situation as well as dynamic learning under uncertainty which comprises the creative learning situation. We added the further dimension “problem formulation” and created a new category for dynamic learning under uncertainty, the “mutual creative situation”. This situation is characterized by mutuality: the problem, method and goal are founded mutually, the results are valued mutually. If you apply this model to the learning situations in the project you can state that reproductive learning situations where the teacher formulates the problem, tasks and methods are seldom. Productive learning situations are more often which differ concerning the degree of prestructure. Also creative learning situations are frequently where the professional has the power of formulating the problem as well as mutual creative situations between client and professional where therapist and client formulate together problem, goal, method and results. 3.4 Methods and tools for assessment of informal learning Finally tools for the assessment of informal learning on organizational, group and individual level were developed. (9) These are: 1. Organizational level: A competence analysis group analyses the relation between actual competence of an organisation and the needs of competence. 2. Group level: The learning conversation method which is a model of dialogue in a group based on reciprocity as well as focus groups are used to assess informal learning. 3. Individual level: A leader (skill resource manager) accompanies the colleagues through the process of self reflection, dialogues, comparison and exchange. For these processes guidelines will be developed. The work on the methods and tools for visualizing informal learning will be continued. It is also planned to train trainers (so called skill resource managers) to use these methods and tools in face to face meetings and to accompany their colleagues at the virtual platform. The platform is a place to visualize the tacit knowledge, to participate in the virtual community of practice and to collaborate and communicate. 4 Community of Practice Within the project the development of a “virtual” community of practice with people working in the field of services for disabled people shall be facilitated following the community of practice model (CoP) of Etienne Wenger (10). Wenger’s Community of Practice (CoP) model is one of the theoretical models on the notion of learning and professional development within a community. According to this model there are three criteria which we need to support in order to assist the development of a virtual community. • The domain is the area of interest, which creates the common ground and a sense of belonging. • The practice is the body of shared knowledge and resources, which enables community members to develop and deal efficiently with the domain. • The community criterion is the social frame and arena for the learning and knowledge exchange. The domain, community and practice dimensions refer to areas, which have to be addressed and acknowledged in order to create the right “ecology” to encourage the development of CoPs and the active participation of its members within it. In the same way that knowledge is emergent and organic so are CoPs. This also means that CoPs cannot be managed in the traditional sense of ordering. Instead one can encourage, cultivate and nurture these three tightly interconnected, dynamic dimensions. 4.1 Domain At the initial stage of a community the founding members must negotiate the domain and the necessary roles for the community. An established domain will help the community to develop a shared understanding of its area of expertise. A shared passion between group members is vital because, for learning to happen at all it must concern a subject, which people care about. Real learning occurs when people are trying to do something that they want to do. Over time learning is made easier because members share a commonly accepted “view of the world”, which facilitates the rapid exchange of information about particular cases or correct procedures. A well-defined domain also legitimises the community by affirming the purpose of the members and their value to each other. Without commitment to the domain, a community is just a group of friends. A shared domain creates a sense of accountability to a body of knowledge and therefore, to the development of a practice. Although the domain reflects the members’ own view of what they think is important, it is not a static dimension of a community. If new problems or more pushing questions arise, perhaps under the pressure of external changes the members of a CoP redefine the domain (11). 4.2 Practice Whereas the domain is the area of expertise, which the community focuses on, the practice is the specific knowledge the community shares, develops and maintains. In the context of communities of practice, the practice means the following: Socially defined ways of doing things in a specific domain: a common set of approaches and standards which creates a basis for action, communication, problem-solving, performance and accountability. 4.3 Community The community element presents the social frame and the arena for the learning processes to take place. It is a very important element since the human relationship is the basis for learning within this social-cultural perspective. T. Bender and S.M. Kruger’s sociological definition of community is the benchmark used by Wenger et al. to gauge how present the community factor is in a community of practice: A community involves a limited number of people in a somewhat restricted social space or network held together by shared understandings and a sense of obligation. Relationships are close, often intimate, and usually face-to-face. Individuals are bound together by affective or emotional ties, rather than by a perception of individual self- interest. There is a ‘we-ness’ in a community….” (12) A strong community element is essential for a CoP to be effective, because the construction of knowledge as well as the knowledge sharing processes depend on a well-functioning relationship among the learners. It is “people” who drive the whole structure, not best practices or websites. This is also why members need to be aware of how to behave towards one another. A CoP can be seen as a group of people who interact, learn together, build relationships and in the process develop a sense of belonging and mutual commitment. Core members of a CoP need time to learn about one another and discover how to operate as a community. Regarding this, Wenger holds engagement and mutual commitment to be the central aspects of the community. A strong community fosters interactions based on mutual respect and trust. This encourages members to share ideas, ask difficult questions, to make an effort and leverage other members’ competencies, to expose one’s ignorance and to be attentive to the needs of others (13). 5 The implementation 5.1 User survey At the beginning of the project the user’s experiences and needs were examined in a survey. We further investigated communication strategies, the user’s competence in media use and the state of their organizations IT equipment and network connections. It turned out that our target audience was very heterogeneous concerning education, professional interests and computer literacy. A majority has not much experience with communication media like chat or discussion forums and preferred traditional communication like face-to-face, telephone calls or letters. However, some had very clear ideas how they would use the platform und suggested the integration of wiki pages and weblogs as additional tools to the discussion boards, chat and a file archive. 5.2 Technical decisions The community uses a WWW platform, which has been developed at FH JOANNEUM on the basis of the content management system Plone (http://www.plone.org), which is built on the application server Zope (http://www.zope.org). Both Plone and Zope are open source products which are used in many projects all over the world. In previous projects we used other content management software, mainly PHP Nuke. We came across a lot of shortcomings, strange designs decisions and bad code quality, so we decided to switch to a new system. We evaluated some products, taking a closer look on Typo3 and Plone. Finally our decision for Plone was based on the overall impression and some important features like the workflow engine, the very powerful and flexible role/rights system and the support for multilingual content. We also liked the syndication tool, which is available for almost any content type, the possibility to comment any piece of content and the way users can subscribe for specific parts of the system. We are developing on the file system (i.e. not through the web) and wrote a central Plone product ‘LLCSite’ and some more smaller and less complex products. Our user management is based on the CMFMember Product. We added some more fields and different workflows. A lot of functionality of the platform comes from existing products, some of them without changes and others with minimal modification to fit our needs. 5.3 Implementation of the platform Based on the results of the user survey and the technical decisions made, the implementation of the platform was carried out evolutionary and in close collaboration with the users. A series of consecutive prototypes were developed and released for public use. The resulting feedback allowed it to match the functional range and the usability with the real needs of the users to a high degree. In parallel a strong emphasis was put on developing “Sociability” through supporting various online activities and social interaction in the platform. A set of supporting documents were provided, amongst them guidelines for communication and copyright issues (14). The platform “Informal Learning” (http://www.informal-learning.org) is composed of three main areas: “Project”, “Internal” and “Community”. Before proceeding to one of these areas the user will enter the site over the “Home” page, which gives a short description of the above mentioned site structure, presents selected content items and finally gives an overview of the recent activities and changes (see figure 1). The area “Project” contains all relevant information about the Leonardo-project “Lifelong Competencies – Informal Learning in Social Fields”, in the context of which the platform was developed. Details about the project related items are given, like events, involved partner organizations, glossaries of terms used in the field, a gallery and contact details. This area of the platform is open to all visitors, even to non-registered guests. The focus of the area “Internal” is used for the organization of the project work itself and can only be accessed by registered project partners. A file archive supports partners in document management, further details about people involved to the project are available and a mail archive helps to keep track of the project internal communication. Finally there is the “Community” area, which is the heart of the platform. A mission statement is given and common community netiquette guidelines are provided. There is a discussion forum and an archive summarizing the personal weblogs of the members. A bookmark archive contains classified and commented links. A file archive and an image archive show up the respective contributions by community members. 5.4 Innovative Features An innovative approach was used for the community: most of the content is structured dynamically by using so called smart folders. These smart folders are “virtual” folders, which show up content specified in an attached search query. In its simplest form it can be used just to show specific object types in such a folder, as for example all objects of the type “Web links”. But there is almost no limitation in generating even the most sophisticated queries. This highly customizable solution allows organizing or reorganizing the content with a minimum effort and without the necessity of physically moving a huge number of items manually. It even allows multiple views on the same content, without the necessity to duplicate any of the shown items. A new approach was also used for the submission of a number of object types. Instead of having to navigate to the respective location and then submitting an item, each user is doing that in his/her personal folder. This personal folder represents the central workbench for each user where s/he can draft, create and assemble the contribution of files, links and personal weblog entries. Any user contribution has a publication state which can be changed by the user. These states are “private”, “visible for members” and “visible for all”. If the user selects the respective state for an item, it is published dynamically in the structure of the public accessible area, with the use of the above mentioned smart folder functionality. Furthermore the respective links, which allow the creation of these “personal” object types, are visible permanently in the main menu. A strong focus was put on accessibility issues. The platform conforms to AA criteria of the W3C-consortium. Scroll wheel or keyboard respectively allows enlarging page items and navigating to key pages of the platform. AJAX features as the Live-Search functionality enhance the usability by making the platform feedback more responsive. To support social interaction all members who are online at a given time are displayed on the page. The username of each of these members links directly to his/her personal info page. Beside personal information links are given to start communicating directly with the respective person via a platform internal messaging facility. 5.5 First experiences The first prototype of the platform was launched in February 2006. We invited all project members to register and offered workshops to demonstrate the platform, its structure and tools and to receive feedback from our users. We gained first experience with the platform in real life. Following our user-centred approach we wanted to improve our prototype permanently to make it more user-friendly. So we collected the feedback and began make necessary changes, e.g. we changed the type of the discussion forum and implemented new tools. At the same time we provided support to all users in order to develop a virtual community who uses the platform for collaboration and communication focusing on services for people with disabilities and informal learning. So far, we invited the project members to register and become a member of the virtual community, we introduced new members to the platform and moderated online discussions, e.g. a discussion on the definition of informal learning and on burn-out prevention. Following the feedback of our users we optimised the prototype 1 and built prototype 2 and finally Prototype 3. By now (June 2006) 50 members from all project partner organisations are registered and use the features of the platform. There are discussions on 14 topics, 75 pictures, 33 links and 29 weblog entries, etc. In summary, you can say that our target group is heterogenous. Some of them are very interested and keen on ICT, others are shy and do not feel comfortable with computers. Now is the starting phase of the platform and the community, more activities will follow in autumn. In September 2006 we will start a training for skill resource manager on assessment of informal learning and on e-skills (e-moderation and the use of the platform). The skill resource manager will use the platform to upload the results from their work at their organizations (focus groups etc.) and use the platform to discuss, exchange experiences with other Skill Resource Managers. They will also be promoter for the platform and community in their own organization and accompany their colleagues online. 6 Summary Informal learning at workplace is a forgotten but important factor. In the project “Lifelong competences - informal learning in social fields“ supported by the European commission (Leonardo da Vinci initiative) an assessment method set is developed to make informal learning at care facilities for disabled people visible and comprehensible. First results are available. The learning processes were analysed and the following key processes for professional learning are stated: trust and mandate, orientation, formulation of problems, planning as well as action and reflection. The following steps are necessary to reach and acknowledge learning results: a common competence process between professional and client, the visualisation of gained competences and experiences (e.g. by writing), the evaluation of the competences, and distribution of visible and evaluated knowledge to others and transfer of knowledge. The employees of care facilities for disabled people build a community of practice (according the model of Etienne Wenger) and exchange knowledge gained. Therefore a platform developed with the open source software PLONE was built to pass on informal knowledge and consists of different tools for collaboration and communication (such as weblogs, wiki, archives, news etc.). An innovative approach of smart folders is used to generate content dynamically at the platform. Pictures/Figures/Graphics: Figure 1: starting page of the platform prototype http://www.informal-learning.org References: [1] TISSOT, Philippe: Terminology of vocational training policy - A multilingual glossary for an enlarged Europe. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 2004. [2] LIVINGSTONE: Informelles Lernen in der Wissensgesellschaft. Erste kanadische Erhebung über informelles Lernverhalten. In: QUEM-Report: Kompetenz für Europa. Wandel durch Lernen – Lernen durch Wandel. 60 (1999), p. 65-91. [3] http://www.internettime.com/blog/archives/000443.html, 10/04/2006 [4] DAHL, Robert: Political oppositions in western democracies. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1968 and BACHRACH, Peter; BARATZ, Morton S.: Power and Poverty: Theory and Practice. New York: Oxford University Press 1970. [5] SIMON, Herbert: Administrative Behavior. New York: The free Press1966 [6] REINMANN-ROTHMEIER, Gabi; MANDL Heinz; ERLACH, Christine: Wissensmanagement lernen. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz 2001. [7] SKOGLUND, Per et al: Learning in professional Practice – Context, Processes and Results. Report from the Gothenburg-meeting and some theoretical, terminological and methodological clarifications for the future. Unpublished document in project LLC. [8] ARGRYIS, Chris; SCHON Donald: Organizational Learning. A Theory of Action Perspective. Reading 1978 and ARGRYIS, Chris: Overcoming Organizational Defenses. Needham: Allyn & Bacon 1990. [9] ENGEN, Tone, SKOGLUND, Per: Vad ar let fragan om? Verksamkeitsutrechkling. Natur Kultur (coming soon) [10] WENGER, Etienne: Communities of Practice. Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge: University Press 1999. [11] WENGER, Etienne, McDermott Richard, Snyder William: Cultivating Communities of Practice. A Guide to Managing Knowledge. Boston: Harvard Press 2002. [12] WENGER, Etienne, McDermott Richard, Snyder William: Cultivating Communities of Practice. A Guide to Managing Knowledge. Boston: Harvard Press 2002, p. 241. [13] WENGER, Etienne: Communities of Practice. Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge: University Press 1999, p. 72-84. [14] PREECE, Jenny: Online Communities. Designing Usability, Supporting Sociability. New York: Wiley 2000. Authors: Ms Maria Jandl, Mag. FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft mbH, ZML – innovative Lernszenarien A_8020 Graz, Eggenberger Allee 11 T +43 316 5453 8560, maria.jandl@fh-joanneum.at Author(s) short biography (biographies): Maria Jandl holds a degree in pedagogy and German literature, studied pedagogy with the use of games in schools. She has a broad experience in youth and adult education. Since 1999 she works at FH JOANNEUM CML in the management, didactic concepts and evaluation of e-learning projects. Her research interests are informal learning, communities of practice, learning systems for disabled people, online moderation and online collaboration. Mr Gunter Vasold, Mag. FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft mbH, ZML – innovative Lernszenarien A_8020 Graz, Eggenberger Allee 11 T +43 316 5453 8573, gunter.vasold@fh-joanneum.at Author(s) short biography (biographies): After studying history, German literature, philosophy and information science Gunter Vasold got a master in history and historical information science. He worked for years in research projects and as system administrator and software developer. 2003 he joined ZML – Innovative Learning Scenarios at FH JOANNEUM in Graz, Austria. His main interests are technical aspects of e-learning and on social software. Mr Andreas Behmel, DI FH JOANNEUM Gesellschaft mbH, ZML – innovative Lernszenarien A_8020 Graz, Eggenberger Allee 11 T +43 316 5453 8568, andreas.behmel@fh-joanneum.at Author(s) short biography (biographies): Andreas Behmel studied architecture at the Technical University of Graz. In parallel he worked in various architectural offices. In 1995 he went into business for himself as architect and designer (3D-graphics, Print, Web). Besides architectural and design projects emphasis was given to architecture-based graphics, computer animations and new media. Since 2002 he works in the CML in the areas of 2D / 3D media design, content development and the coordination of the technical aspects of project development.