Innovative thinking about learning from the corporate sector

Paine, N. and Masie, E. (2010) Learning Perspectives 2010 Saratoga Springs NY: The Masie Center and the Learning Consortium

This is a collection of contributions from ’40 Global Learning Leaders’ about changes in the learning field, all from outside the traditional formal education system, and with a strong focus on lifelong learning. It is an open source e-book, downloadable for free. The book includes contributors from Intel, Google, Lockheed Martin, Accenture, Avon Products, CNN, and – wait for it – the CIA (what did they learn from the movie ‘Fair Game’, I wonder?).

The book is in four sections:

• new paradigms for learning
• contributions from the 30 Under 30 group: thoughts from young workers about learning in the modern organization
• Learning in Action: case studies of learning in organizations that ‘are alive and well today’
• the future: what will change or stay the same

Those working in organizations that are not formal educational institutions, but do consider themselves to be a ‘learning organization’ – and aren’t all successful organizations that these days? – will find this book extremely useful. Also, anyone interested in transforming our traditional educational institutions will find many excellent ideas, visions for learning, suggestions and experiences in this book.  And isn’t it interesting that the really innovative ideas about learning are coming from outside the formal education system?

It’s also worth reading to find out about ‘Prairie Dog learning’ (a new one for me!), crowd-sourced learning paths, developing deep expertise in an organization, and many other interesting notions of learning. One of the best sources of innovation in learning that I have found.

Thanks to Richard Elliott’s e-learning Watch for directing me to this.