Workers see Value of using social media for learning and development

A new study by the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) reveals that many workers see value in using social media tools for learning and development. The study found that more than 80 percent of respondents expect social media tools to become part of their organization’s learning function within the next three years. At present, however, just 24 percent of respondents reported using social media for informal learning at work, and nearly 100 percent indicated they use social media in their personal lives, according to ASTD. ASTD also discovered a strong correlation between individuals reporting high use of social media tools at work and their opinions that the tools help them learn useful information, boost the amount of work they get done, enhance the quality of their work, and improve their ability to learn more in less time. “Understanding the huge impact Web 2.0 technologies have on how the workforce learns is critical to engaging employees and customers, and ultimately, critical for an organization’s growth and success,” said ASTD President and CEO Tony Bingham, who along with Marcia Conner has co-authored a new book called “The New Social Learning: A Guide to Transforming Organizations Through Social Media.” ASTD says the book “explains why classic business models, which assume that relevant information is created and shared through management or training,” are no longer sufficient. The authors assert that these emerging technologies enable a new kind of knowledge-building system that is people-centric.

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EDSI Commentary

Training and development in the workplace now involve social collaboration and a social learning network.