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Krishna K. BistaPSE 6670: Chapter 3Dr. McNellisFebruary 11, 2009
Q.1. Define both informal learning and incidental learning. Explain how each differs from formal learning, and give an example of each.
Informal learning is not fully structured and takes places in a variety of places, suchlearning at home or wok or from daily interactions. Unlike formal learning, it does includeclassroom-based learning. For young learners, informal learning is a continuous processwhereas for adult learning it is specific and goal oriented. Marsick and Watkins (2001)defined informal learning as “a category that includes incidental learning may occur ininstitutions, but it is not typically classroom-based or highly structured, and control of learning rests primarily in the hands of the learner” (25). Many people learn informally aboutculture, language and society rather than from formal learning. For example, I also learntabout playing the piano informally. First, I watched my mom playing the piano several days,all most every time she played, and later I tried myself. Sometimes my mom used to teach meabout how to play it in particular hymns. I did not have to go to school to learn the piano.Some basic characteristics of informal learning:-It often takes place outside leaning institutions.-It does not necessarily follow a specified teaching-learning curriculum.-It may not include certain pedagogies of learning.-It is highly based of everyday life.
 
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Incidental learning is a “byproduct of some other activity” (Marsick & Watkins, 2001 p. 25). It may be learning from mistakes or learning by doing. It’s natural and spontaneousaction that comes on the way of doing a task. The learner may not be conscious in incidentallearning. Such learning gives more pleasure for the learner once s/he learns something newwithout being noticed. For instance, in teaching class, a teacher learns more professionallyfrom a process of trial and error. Most of the time we learn ourselves many things, for example computer skills, swimming and painting incidentally while playing or working in thecomputer. Incidental learning differs from formal learning because it is the learning fromunplanned or unexpected events.In short, informal and incidental learning is learner-focused means of learning. Ittakes place any time in any place and the learner mostly learns from the life experience.Reference:Marsick, V. & Watkins, K. (2001). An Update on Transformational Learning, In
The NewUpdate on Adult Learning Theory
, Ed. Sharan, M. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, pp.25-34.
 
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2) List and discuss the three conditions that can enhance informal and incidental learning.Give an example of each.
Victoria Marsick and Karen Watkins developed the model of informal and incidentallearning in 1990. This model includes our belief as context and learning strategies,consequences, lessons, experience and triggers as a part of meaning making process. Theyhave emphasized three conditions to enhance informal and incidental learning:
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Critical reflection to surface knowledge and beliefs
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Stimulation of proactivity on the part of the learner to identify options
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Creativity to encourage a wider range of options(Adopted from Marsick and Watkins, 2001)Learners generally enhance informal and incidental learning through critical reflectionof their own life experiences. It also helps them increase their awareness of the learningopportunities. Educators of adult education provide a structure in which the learners get plenty of opportunities of self exploration. In other words, the learners do several planningand arrangement in their day to day life. For instance, they learn how to work, they think andre-think, they apply one way to another, and plan for tomorrow.Adult educators also help learners analyze social, political and economic underlyingstructures of their community or nation so that the learners can examine and construct their own viewpoints to be more proactive later. While working and following social patterns, thelearners in long term, either by incident or informal way, can identify which options are moreuseful and which are not in the existing culture. Let’s take an example of a non-governmentorganization. When the organization lunches it programs in the community, people will watch
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