Network awareness tool - learning analytics in the workplace: detecting and analyzing informal workplace learning

This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of informal workplace learning in contemporary face-to-face and virtual environments. Informal learning is an important driver for professional development and workplace learning. However powerful informal learning may be, there is a problem when it comes to making it a real asset within organizations: Informal learning activities are mostly invisible to others, sometimes the learners themselves might not even be aware of the learning that occurs. As a consequence informal learning in organizations goes undetected, remains off the radar of HR departments and is therefore hard to asses, manage and value [1]. This problem poses an interesting challenge for the field of Learning Analytics, namely finding ways to capture and analyse traces of (social) informal learning in every day life and work networks. Therefore empirical research and tools are needed that can raise awareness about informal learning activities to make it surface the radar, amplify the benefits of it and strengthen the social relations through which it occurs. In this paper we introduce a tool that aims to facilitate exactly this and we hope to stimulate to widen the discussion on Learning Analytics by expanding the field from a predominantly educational focus to informal and workplace learning. In this paper we will discuss methodologies that Learning Analytics can draw upon to make informal learning more explicit and accessible to analyse and to share amongst professionals.