Here's how the 7Cs of social learning add business value

Social learning is not a new concept. Albert Bandura, a social learning theorist, noted that learning is a process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation or direct instruction. In the digital age, social learning is taking on a new flavor. With a variety of unique learning methods that are fast becoming mainstream – right from micro-learning, e-learning, gamification, just-in-time learning, social learning technologies are booming. 

Among the myriad social learning technology tools that are available in the marketplace, organizations choose technology tools based on the learning culture to meet the employees’ needs. 

But how do you make them work?

The 7 Cs are a great starting point to make an informed decision. 

Every organization is different. And so ‘the 7 Cs’ will need to be contextualized to your company’s social learning strategy. Here are some concrete steps that you can take: 

• Create communities of practice (common interest) or communities of purpose (common goals) to foster ‘on-the-job’ social learning. 
  
  
• Provide platforms and opportunities to initiate on-demand; real-time discussions centered on learning with experts. This will enable people to connect, create content and actively learn. This includes using wikis, blogs, discussion forums and encouraging people to rate, review and comment on courses.
  
  
• Enable real-time crowdsourcing for content such as YouTube videos, images, etc. to encourage users to contribute content. 
  
  
• The learning environment must bring together coaches, peers and instructors to interact, share knowledge, or teach each other. Encourage conversation by conducting focus groups and soliciting feedback on products, services, and courseware. 
  
  
• Design learning platforms and channels to provide “learning recommendations” based on “most taken,” “most highly rated” or other user-based ratings. This will help build a connection and help initiate conversations around learning. 

Companies are recognizing the value that social learning brings to business; however, challenges do exist. L&D must work out policies to exert good governance and control in an increasingly social and democratized environment. Wide-scale adoption is possible only when workplace social learning tools emulate the convenience and simplicity of consumer-based social networking applications such as Twitter or Facebook. It is essential to ingrain a “social” culture- one that embodies values such as openness, transparency, connectivity, communication, and collaboration.