Since informal learning is by definition learning without a specific structure it is hard to determine the best way to provide tools to support this type of education. It almost seems that one would have to prepare information on every possible topic in the hopes that a small slice of it is available when a learning needs it. While this may be true in some cases, I have found that using forums to create a repository of user generated content is sometimes the best way to meet this need.
What is a forum?
Forums come by many names such as message boards, bulletin boards, online discussion sites, newsgroups, etc. However they are all generally the same thing, a community of practice. A forum is a platform where users can engage in an ongoing conversation with other users. By introducing a forum to your learners they will be able to ask questions and receive a variety of detailed responses from their colleagues. Each response provides a different way of looking at the topic and pulls from different experiences. In addition, this feedback is documented and available for the next person that has a similar question. As such a forum becomes an “on-demand” reference for your learners.
As discussed in my previous blog post (Social Media Tools in Social Learning) this is the concept behind the Best Buy Blue Shirt Nation (BSN). When employees of Best Buy have a question about a new product they are able to log on to the BSN and search the forum to see what people have already said about that product. If the employee has a specific question, they can add their question to the discussion and receive feedback from colleagues from all over the country. Not only are the users who are asking the questions learning something, but so are the employees answering the questions. The exercise of writing out their responses on the forum forces them to truly analyse their thoughts and further prepares them to have a conversation with customers.
There are many forum building tools out there that you can use to create your own forum. Take a look at the features provided by these forums:
- vBulletin- This is the forum software that I use to construct my forums. While it isn’t free I feel it is the best option out there. It is highly supported by the forum community so there are plenty of templates, skins, and extra code you can add to personalize your forum. Currently vBulletin is in the process of testing their newest version (4.0). There is no launch date for 4.0 yet, but looking at the features listed I can’t wait!
- phpBB- This forum software is released through the GNU General Public License which means that once you download it you can make any changes you would like to the code. In addition phpBB is free and also has a good deal of options.
- bbPress- From the makers of WordPress (the number one blogging software) comes this relatively new forum software. It is also free, but very simplistic. If you are not convinced that a forum is right for you, I would suggest starting here.
So how can YOU use a forum?
Here’s one suggestion, create a forum for a course that you teach on a continual basis. Post a few questions prior to the course and have your learners add their responses. This will not only give you an opportunity to get a sense for your audience, but also give your audience a chance to interact with each other prior to the course. When the class meets for the first time introduce the forum as a tool that they will use throughout the course and even after the course. During the course use the forum between sessions to keep your audience engaged and solicit their feedback. After the course invite your class to post follow up questions and get their colleagues opinions. Finally, use the same forum any time you teach the course in the future. By using the same forum, the new group will be able to benefit from the collective knowledge of the previous class. Also, with most forum software, any new posts will automatically be sent to any users that have opted into following that conversation. This will provide an opportunity for new students to connect with learners from the previous courses. Therefore the forum can also act as a reinforcement tool for your previous learners.
Forums are a great way to encourage a community feeling among your learners, as well as keep them engaged for the long term. If you keep your eye out for ways that you can incorporate a forum into your learning plan you will be suprised you didn’t add this technology sooner!
Best,
P.S. If you are using a forum for your training/learning programs please share your experiences in the comment section below!
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