Informal learning ideas
Summary
In January 2008 we asked for submissions to the Futurelab Ideas Incubator on the use of new technologies to showcase and support young people's informal learning.
In total 108 ideas were submitted, three of which have been selected to be taken forward. We'll work in partnership with the originators to explore the concepts further and showcase the outcomes. See Dream Catcher, ShoutBox and i-Mind for more details – these pages will be updated as more outcomes are available.
Alongside these activities we'll also be sharing, exploring and debating the more general themes which have emerged from this call for ideas – see themes and join the debate for further information.
The challenge
The questions we asked in this call for ideas were:
- How could we support young people to recognise what they are achieving in informal settings?
- What tools and practices could we develop to support young people to reflect upon and develop their out-of-school learning?
- How can we support educators to recognise, build upon and support children’s informal learning interests?
- What tools and practices could enable young people to showcase their informal learning to their families, friends, employers or educators?
We also asked applicants to consider:
- promoting educational equality for our most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in society
- developing ideas to meet the needs of a particular informal learning network or group
- working with young people to understand how and what they are learning outside school and how new tools and resources could help them
- considering the sorts of technologies children use outside school and exploring how these might support new approaches to learning at home or in the city
- working to develop creative and cutting-edge ways of capturing, sharing and commenting on learning in unconventional locations
- taking the opportunity to radically reimagine how learning happens and the role technology might play in supporting it outside the confines of the school.
