I don’t know if you would agree with me but I think that best learning opportunities are the ones which encompass collaboration.

Also, I learn much better from informal learning opportunities in comparison to formal learning opportunities.

Let me explain my point further: Formal learning opportunities are characterised as structured learning environments with a specified curriculum usually in the form of graduate courses and mandated staff development.  Formal learning opportunities usually reflect the “traditional training model” and operate under the assumption that teachers can brush up their knowledge and skills through exposure to workshops and courses given by experts who disseminate information (Feiman-Nemser, 2001 cited in Richter et. al. 2011).

Informal learning opportunities on the other hand;

• Do not follow a specified curriculum
• Include individual activities (e.g. observations) as well as collaborative activities, (e.g. conversations with colleagues, mentoring, teacher networks & study groups)
• Encourage teachers’ own initiative in participation
• Encourage peer learning and reflection because they are embedded in classroom or school
  context

In short informal learning is a cooperative process which provides the opportunity to learn from experience of other colleagues.

My Colleagues spreading light like a firework

At my school, just before the summer school begins, I had the golden opportunity to participate in workshops and sessions delivered by my colleagues in a two-day ‘Symposium’ and I have to say that I had so much fun and insights. Thefore, my metaphor for our symposium is “firework”.

Participating to the Symposium was on voluntary basis. Organisers invited everyone who wanted to share their previously delivered conference presentations, reserach results or teaching ideas.

There were a wide variety of topics ranging from ICT in ELT, blogging with students, using images to boost learner creativity and motivation, reading enrichment, using facebook, grammar activities, conflict management and effective communication, using document camera  to improve students’note-taking skills,how to incorporate newly learned lexis and grammar into writing, the impact of using wordlists in the language classroom on students’ vocabulary acquisition, communicative activities, portfolio assessment, to peer observations.

After all, considering my happy mood stemming from the acknowlehdegment that I am surrounded by a warm network of colleagues, I felt that uptake of the learning opportunity was high for me. I really believe in the mighty power of collaboration. I learn the most in this way!!!

SELI SYMPOSIUM on PhotoPeach

References
Richter, D. et. al (2011). Professional development across the teaching career: Teachers’ uptake of formal and informal learning opportunities, Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 116-126.