Informal Learning and Teacher Training on the Web: User Perceptions of Two Italian Online Communities for Teachers

Livia Petti
Dipartimento di Scienze Umane per la Formazione «R.Massa» - Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
Serena Triacca
CREMIT - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Informal Learning and Teacher
Training on the Web:
User Perceptions of Two Italian Online
Communities for Teachers

Dott.ssa Livia Petti, PhD livia.petti@unimib.it
Dott.ssa Serena Triacca serena.triacca@unicatt.it

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Introduction
 The recent societal changes which have given rise to the “knowledge society”
(Drucker, 1993) have also raised interest in lifelong learning
 The knowledge and skills of individuals are of key importance to the
organizations
 In addition to formal training programs, individuals enhance their learning in
both non-formal and informal contexts.
 Informal learning may take place in the course of everyday life, at work, at home
or while surfing on the Web (Conner, 2004)
 We chose to focus on two well-known Italian websites for professional
schoolteachers: Orizzonte Scuola and La Scuola che Funziona

Primary research aim: explore the perceptions of the members of the
communities regarding informal learning on the Web, with particular
reference to their own online experience and the extent to which it may be
considered training 2

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Methodology
 Mixed model: quantitative and qualitative methodology:
1. online questionnaire (Zammuner, 1998) (11 questions two of which
were open) - completed: 320 (276 Orizzonte Scuola and 44 La Scuola
che Funziona);
2. structured telephone interviews (Anderson, 1990) (14 Orizzonte Scuola
and 10 La Scuola che Funziona);
 two interviews with community founders (Mantovani, 1998)

3

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Analysis of the questionnaire data

The data analysis was focused on:
• the reasons that led the users to visit/register on the website;
• the differences between learning in formal contexts and informal
online settings;
• the advantages of taking part in online communities;
• the most valuable learning resources encountered in the current year;
• the resources typically availed of to enhance knowledge with a view to
resolving on-the-job issues.

The average age of respondents was 41 years for Orizzonte Scuola
users and 38 years for La Scuola che Funziona users.

4

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Reasons for participating in the online community.
Orizzonte Scuola: tag-cloud of responses

5

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Reasons for participating in the online community.
La Scuola che Funziona: tag-cloud of responses

6

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Learning in
formal and informal contexts
Space-time

respect of times, places and schedules autonomous learning, extensive reflection and
retrospective review
Topics-resources

courses of conceptual and theoretical learning and adults choose resources according to their own
limited practical application, and are viewed as not interests and needs, therefore the motivation to learn is
providing tailored solutions for the professional issues extremely high
of individuals
certificates of training are provided the Web facilitates the unexpected discovery of novel
and useful content, but there is an associated high risk
of drifting away from the original focus of enquiry

the user is a “pro-sumer” and resources are constantly
available

Social dimension

immediate exchange with the trainer and peers discussion boards provide the greatest opportunities for
the fruitful exchange of views on various topics as well
as the chance to give and receive help
there is a tendency for the lecture style to persist thematic interest groups often form spontaneously

7

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Advantages

• Both Orizzonte Scuola and La Scuola che Funziona users ranked first
"remaining informed of developments in my professional field“
• In second place came "resolving on-the-job issues” for users of Orizzonte
Scuola, and "sharing practices" for users of La Scuola che Funziona

 Importance attributed to the continuous updating of knowledge and skills
in order to keep up with the times and resolve current issues

8

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Sources of learning

• Orizzonte Scuola was ranked first by 39% of its user sample amongst
their main sources of learning and ongoing training, followed by informal
contexts (reading and conversations with friends) and work contexts
(observation, meetings, working groups)
• 26% of La Scuola che Funziona users identified informal contexts as their
primary source of learning and ongoing training, 24% cited formal learning
programs (face-to-face or online courses) and 23% work situations.

 Several users reported that formal training courses are not always
productive, given that attendance is either prescribed by head teachers or
required to attain points in the merit ranking.

9

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Structured interviews: metaphor analysis

Aggregation dimension Metaphors: public square,
small public square, fishing
net, spider web, melting pot
Structural dimension Metaphors: container,
jewellery box, well-fenced
garden, notebook, rainbow
Social constructivism Metaphors: anthill, ship with
dimension crew
Novelty and change Metaphors: megaphone,
dimension refreshing wind, kite, sea,
flying carpet, a prodding that
keeps you awake, flowing fluid

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Structured interviews: analysis of users’ perceptions (1)
The online communities may be considered to provide training, albeit with
different nuances.
Forums.

"You can talk about training in the forum because there is exchange,
discussion and collaboration, even if the user does not participate
actively, but simply reads what others have written because there is so
muchuseful material to draw on and so many ideas ... ".

"to the extent that one participates and is actively involved, one takes part
in the training process. Reading and uploading material is less useful in
terms of training, because it is participation that has a training effect".

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Structured interviews: analysis of users’ perceptions (2)

News, information, materials.
Even the read-only information and news about the educational sector
was a source of training and professional development.
"Wanting to be up-to-date and follow new developments in depth is a form
of training".

Informal learning on Web and self-training processes.
"The information and materials that I select help me to improve as a
teacher; also some of the news items that I read lead me to other insights
that I could never have imagined and I learn in this way through my
reading from selected Internet sites".

Livia Petti
Serena Triacca

Conclusions

• Education and learning exist whenever there is wareness on the part of
individuals that they are acquiring skills and knowledge, that is to say
that they are learning, which in turn generates processes of change;
• training necessarily involves change in the individual (Guskey &
Haberman 1995);
• the risk typically inherent to online settings is that of “getting lost”
amidst the rich variety of resources offered;
• motivation is key;
• participation in online communities does not constitute a systematic
training programme, being more related to the needs of the moment. In
this sense, it could be defined as on-demand training.

Informal Learning and Teacher Training on the Web: User Perceptions of Two Italian Online Communities for Teachers

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