Revolutionizing the world of corporate training, e-learning provides learners, professionals or not, with educational content accessible via the internet or intranet. The Social learning is one of the existing e-learning solutions. Increasingly popular, this online learning method makes it possible to share knowledge with other learners. From the operation of the coffee machine to the manipulation of an underwater neutrino telescope to shiatsu massage, your employees can potentially learn everything from each other. Well, obviously, it usually revolves around their job, but they may surprise you.
Social learning, learning based on mutual support
The Social learning is defined as a participatory learning method. It offers the opportunity for all learners to broaden their knowledge and develop their skills by interacting with other collaborators. The latter can be work colleagues, other learners, trainers, or even tutors. The social learning program is based on the social learning theory developed by psychologist Albert Bandura in the 1970s. Observing and imitating the behavior, attitudes, and emotions of others play an important role in learning. Throughout the training, each member who makes up the group acts as both trainer and learner. Everyone is involved in finding a solution to a given problem while optimizing their performance and acquiring new knowledge. Real ones learning communities, sometimes made up of employees from different companies, can thus be trained. However, beware of the collaborator (there is always one) who seems to know everything about everything. In 95% of cases, it means that he doesn't know anything about anything.
Social learning, an interesting technique for your training strategy
Social learning is one of the online learning solutions that promote engagement and motivation. Thanks to collaborative learning, the learner is more active than when he is alone in front of his screen trying to assimilate the new information given to him. Unlike a passive learner, the active learner participates intensively in the course, making it easier for them to record information. Therefore, the more learners interact with each other, the more motivated they are and the lower the risk of dropping out of the training. In the context of social learning, learners develop a certain sense of belonging to the group. Thanks to the sharing of knowledge and information, they feel more useful and are happy to commit themselves to improving group cohesion. In addition to the ease of remembering information, which makes it possible to Countering the forgetting curve, the collaborative learning mode improves the productivity of participants and the performance of employees. On the business side, social learning offers the possibility of obtaining quick and structured feedback from employees and collecting a maximum of data while limiting costs. The return on investment e-learning training that integrates social learning is often very interesting. Moreover, it makes it possible to internalize the learning of certain sensitive skills. For example, “how to launch a nuclear attack procedure” is a course that few providers offer. If not none. At the same time, it would be a bit suspicious.
Social learning: when traditional tools go digital
In the context of social learning, the trainer or organizer takes on the role of facilitator and mediator of the group. He is responsible for synthesizing and interpreting information in order to facilitate learning. As for the learner, he participates in his own learning and contributes to that of others. He can also become a proofreader by evaluating the performances, ideas and productions of his peers himself. Everyone constitutes an effective learning community that they organize and animate using professional co-development approaches. In social learning, there are many learning tools. You can use chats, forums, tools to create paths for Digital learning, video conferences or social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. To optimize and facilitate communication within learning groups, you can use various popular features such as reactions, comments, posts, private messaging, or discussion groups. Tools for creating digital learning courses such as LMS, LCMS, authoring tools or rapid learning tools offer the possibility of producing formal educational programs, perfect for introducing communities to the world of e-learning. Video conferences, on the other hand, take the form of interactive meetings during which the organizer and the learners can interact directly. Moreover, during a video conference, if you do not turn off your camera, you will be filmed all the way through. The same goes for the microphone: we can hear you. So pay attention to cleaning your nose or talking to your family/partner/roommate/pet. You are likely to be recorded, shared, and become the laughing stock of the Internet for at least a week.
Integrating social learning in a company
Social learning is an alternative that can be adopted to optimize the training path within a company. In terms of e-learning, standards are established, especially with regard to communication. These are the Sharable Content Object Reference Model or SCORM standard and the Aviation Industry CBT Committee or AICC standard. These regulations make it possible to use educational content on all the platforms on which they are submitted. In addition, before setting up a social learning system within a company, it is necessary to Define training targets in advance to select the appropriate tools, the objectives of the training, the strategy to be adopted and the means used. There is also a need to inform, mobilize and encourage potential learners to integrate communities. Using a community manager can be advantageous. In addition to the social networks or author tools mentioned above, you can also optimize training via the Gamification. This method consists in participating in group games, in particular quizzes or battles between learners. The microlearning, with training videos under 5 min, can also solve time constraints.
Social learning is an effective, innovative and motivating method that allows you to learn in a different way. This digital learning method is based on the formation of communities of learners whose aim is to encourage debate on a subject, the sharing of experiences and self-correction through peer interaction. Practical, scalable and easy to set up, social learning uses various digital platforms such as social networks, gamification or virtual meetings by video conference. During which it is appropriate to ban cats (real, those with hair). Otherwise, they always put themselves where you most annoy you, in front of the screen. And a conference where a third of the participants are represented by cat snouts/legs/buttocks is not very serious.
