The New Social Learning - a review

In my third review of books on social learning in a month (see my posts on Jane Hart's Social Learning Handbook and Jane Bozarth's Social Media for Trainers), I turn to Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner's The New Social Learning, a book recommended by both the Janes.

Before I get on to the book, I want to share what was the most striking insight that I obtained while I was reading. As you have probably gathered, I don't regard social learning as synonymous with the use of social media for learning - social learning has never in human history been anything other than routine and everyday. And up until now it has not been discouraged - in fact we've regarded learning with trainers/teachers, subject experts or peers as our default option, whether formal and off-job, one-to-one on-the-job or completely informally.

The problem is that, now we have such fantastic tools to enable social learning across geographic, departmental and organisational boundaries, we're facing the first real challenge to social learning we have ever faced - at least in the workplace. What is that challenge? Ironically (at least for me, because this is what I do) it's e-learning. Not e-learning with other people, live or asynchronously, but self-study. On your own and typically unsupported.

Yes, an over-emphasis on self-study is a real potential threat. We may have under-used self-study in the past, given it's huge efficiencies and flexibility, but the economic crisis is driving us towards an over-reliance. In my view, self-study is great for small chunks of learning or as preparation for or follow-up to a more social learning activity. While learners like self-pacing, learning in small chunks and learning on-demand, they want all that within a social context. Why? Because they need to externalise their learning, to test it against the perspectives of others, to benchmark their skills.

I can do no more than quote from the book (p39):

"In a landmark study, Richard J Light of the Harvard Graduate School of Education discovered that one of the strongest determinants of students' success in higher education - more important than their instructor's teaching styles - was their ability to form or participate in small study groups. People who studied in groups, even once a week, were more engaged in their studies, were better prepared for class, and learned significantly more than students who worked on their own."

Oh yes, I nearly forgot about the book. In a word, excellent. I'm not going to pretend I read it cover to cover, because in my case that really would be preaching to the converted. But from what I have seen, this book presents a highly credible review of the arguments for a new social learning, enhanced by technology. It includes plenty of real-life cases that prove the point and a great source of practical ideas. I'm sure I'll be referring to it for many years to come.

By the way, I couldn't find a Kindle version when I bought my copy, but Tony Bingham has assured me I can find it right here.