In a recent post, Leigh Blackall talks about the decentralization of education. He shows a vision where learning is freely available to all through the best teachers on the Internet.

This can be made possible if teachers loosen their coupling with institutions and create an independant prescence on the web. Each teacher shares her research interests, and findings with everyone over her blog, podcasts and the like. Teachers also build communities of learning on their website. Learning is promoted by conversations; synchronous and asynchronous. By giving assignments and publishing micro-contents that explain various concepts in the form of text, audio, video.

This concept resonates very well with me. Extrapolating it to companies, I have always felt that 8 hour corporate training sessions are just not effective. Not that they are a waste, but a better mechanism must exist. Till recently I was unable to exactly define the "better mechanism". But again, thanks to the web and blogging I chanced upon the blogs of Jay Cross, who exposed me to the idea of "Informal Learning", and Stephen Downes, who has some revolutionary thoughts on education and life in general. I especially liked his talk on networks vs. groups. These and several thoughts of how the live social web comprising of blogs, podcasts, wiki's, and webcasts can foster true self directed learning are finally helping me create all the connections among these concepts.

An idea is emerging that there is indeed something better and more effective than classroom based corporate training (even though I talk about corporate training, I am sure the same concepts can be applied to undergrad and grad school as well).

Companyies need to create a culture and infrastructure where information is available, micro-mentors are willing (to teach informally), and (learning) conversations are possible. Again a loosely coupled system comprising of blogs, podcasts, forums, wikis, tagging, webcasts, conferencing, and education material (preferebly micro-content) can make this possible.

Such an infrastructure and culture will help individuals learn more effectively. A training session with 15-20 participants and a fixed agenda cannot satisfy any participant. It will be too slow for some, and too fast for others. Some may find time given for discussions less, while others may find time given for practical sessions to be lacking. We need to move away from formal training session towards an infrastructure (and people) that promotes continuous learning. Such an infrastructure will also help particpants become self-directed learners, which may be the most valuable lesson among everything else.