Education beyond classrooms: Sustaining indigenous identity through community and family-based learning in Tengger tribe Indonesia

Background: Due to the presence of vast green pastures and moderate climate in J and K (UT), livestock sector has assumed a lot of significance in its Agrarian economy. In this context, the study has explored production and marketing of milk in Pulwama district of J and K. Pulwama district was chosen purposely as it is famously called as ‘Anand of Kashmir’ and contributes around 24% milk in Kashmir region of J and K. Methods: Milk production and its disposal pattern by the milk producers in Kashmir was categorized into formal and informal milk marketing channels. Formal channel consisted of production, processing and retailing of milk by small producers through organized channels such as Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers’ Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL). The informal channel comprised of milk processing through traditional vendors and other local intermediaries and or direct retailing of milk to consumers by small milk producers. A comparative analysis of 25 milk producers each in formal and informal milk marketing channels was made to understand demographic profile, costs and returns, major problems and benefits under both the channels. Result: The findings of the study have revealed that JKMPCL dairy cooperative has created a well-organized formal channel of milk procurement, processing and retailing. Young and educated milk producers’ participation was found to be more in formal channel as compared to informal channels. Milk producers in formal channel had more land and larger ownership of dairy animals. Formal channel producers received larger returns due to higher milk yield and prices than the informal channel producers though the cost of milk production was found to be higher in formal channel. The study suggested that enhancing milk procurement and processing through formal channels such as cooperatives and extending advance credit and training facilities and veterinary services through cooperatives can a play a vital role in improving farmers’ welfare in Kashmir region of India.

Purpose: Electronic devices consumption, especially smartphones for communication, have increased significantly, causing the potential for electronic waste to increase too. However, the high potential of this flow has not been matched by good waste management. This study aims to develop a management network for e-waste that collaborates formal and informal channels to provide optimal supply chain benefits in terms of economic and environmental aspectsDesign/methodology/approach: This research designs an e-waste management network followed by building a single-objective mathematical model that considers economic and environmental aspects. This model was solved using Mixed Integer Linear Programming.Findings: The supply chain will benefit from the proposed management network by collaborating formal and informal channels. With an incentive of 10,000 IDR, it is hoped that it will be able to invite consumers and informal collectors to collect waste informal channels. The total profit from managing electronic waste supply every month from Yogyakarta Province is 5.529 x 1010 IDR with the composition, consumers 81.2%, informal 13.3% channel obtained from informal collectors and repairing centers and 2.1% for formal channels, and there is an intangible profit of 3.4%. The formal channel provides more significant benefits than the informal, but requires a significant investment. This formal channel feasible if at least 33% of the total supply goes to this channel.Research limitations/implications: The model designed is deterministic. Therefore, it can be developed into a probabilistic model for further research to represent more real cases in the field.Practical implications: Regulation is the factor that most influences consumers' intentions and behavior to participate in e-waste management programs. It will be able to change consumer behavior by forcing consumers to participate in e-waste collection programs. Therefore, a government regulation is needed that organizes and supervises the implementation of the proposed management model.Social implications: Currently, the practice developing in the community is that the informal sector carries out smartphone waste management, therefore in the designs made, informal actors are still given space in waste management for the repair process and the secondhand market. Meanwhile, further processing, such as recycling, must be carried out through formal channels taking into account the environmental impact.Originality/value: Few studies have developed an electronic waste management model by collaborating informal and formal channels that consider economic and environmental aspects, and its implementation is organized and supervised by government regulations.

This chapter has investigated the importance of informal language learning in second language acquisition through a case study of two ESL learners. The effect of various kinds of informal learning with various resources on language proficiency and performance are discussed in relation to Bennett's model (2012). The case study shows that an “intake-type” informal environment can provide input to the language acquisition and self-directed learning and is crucial to effective language learning. Through the interviews with the subject learners, it can be seen that the learner with higher English proficiency and performance has been using self-directed language learning throughout his childhood and youth whereas the learner with lower English proficiency and performance generally has adopted tacit learning, which seems to be less effective in informal learning. Hence, self-directed learning should be promoted in schools and colleges by raising students' awareness of its importance and promoting learning-to-learn strategies.

This chapter has investigated the importance of informal language learning in second language acquisition through a case study of two ESL learners. The effect of various kinds of informal learning with various resources on language proficiency and performance are discussed in relation to Bennett's model (2012). The case study shows that an “intake-type” informal environment can provide input to the language acquisition and self-directed learning and is crucial to effective language learning. Through the interviews with the subject learners, it can be seen that the learner with higher English proficiency and performance has been using self-directed language learning throughout his childhood and youth whereas the learner with lower English proficiency and performance generally has adopted tacit learning, which seems to be less effective in informal learning. Hence, self-directed learning should be promoted in schools and colleges by raising students' awareness of its importance and promoting learning-to-learn strategies.

형평성 관련 비형식 과학 학습 및 교육 연구 경향 탐색 : 네트워크 분석법의 다학제적 적용

Successful innovation depends on the management of a firm's knowledge base. This paper empirically investigates the determinants of knowledge regulation. Using a unique survey dataset, the analysis suggests that research and development managers do not leak knowledge randomly, but rather regulate knowledge consciously. I find that the source and the channel of knowledge inflows impact knowledge regulation. The findings reveal that the more a firm profits from knowledge inflows from competitors, the fewer actions it takes to regulate outgoing knowledge. I do not find that the extent of knowledge inflows from collaborating firms impacts knowledge regulation. However, the type of channel being used to acquire knowledge matters. Compared with public channels, the different types of private channels used to access knowledge inflow and the type of the competitive relationship influence the firms' decision to regulate knowledge outflow in the following way: concerning relationships with competitors, firms regulate knowledge outflow more when using formal channels, but less when using informal channels; concerning collaborative relationships, firms regulate knowledge outflow less regardless of whether they are using formal or informal private channels compared with using public channels. Presumably, firms that acquire knowledge from competing firms through formal private channels try to establish opaque and soundproof fences to surround them, whereas firms that acquire knowledge from collaborating firms through formal or informal private channels do not want to restrict circulation, but rather facilitate inter‐firm knowledge exchange.

Although knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial firms experiencing high growth and generating innovations are widely acknowledged as important for economic growth, surprisingly little is known about how such firms achieve and maintain a high level of knowledge intensity through which to innovate. Our article further develops the concept of knowledge intensity by proposing that it is augmented by external and internal search activities carried out by the entrepreneurial firm and analyzes how these activities affect innovation performance. We use principal component analysis to derive formal and informal search channels from summated rating scales—measuring reliance on internal and external sources of knowledge—and then use fractional logit regression to explore how these channels relate to a firm’s innovative performance, i.e., the share of innovative goods and services sold. We find that searching via informal channels, and formal channels toward scientific and technological knowledge, improves innovation performance of both goods and services, while searching via formal channels toward market knowledge positively affects only innovative goods. Overall, informal channels matter more than formal channels. Lastly, we find substitution rather than complementarity effects between external and internal search channels in their effect on innovation performance in both goods and services. Thus, we interpret that building up knowledge intensity per se through search matters more for innovation performance than whether search is internally or externally focused. Our work contributes to the growing literature on knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship, to the related literature on new technology-based firms and young innovative firms, and to the general understanding of knowledge intensity at the firm level.

PurposeThis research paper aims to explore how secondary school-aged business owners utilise social media to engage in informal learning. The authors make use of the concept of a self-directed experiential learning cycle to empirically explore adolescents’ entrepreneurial learning processes without formal guidance or curriculum.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a one-on-one interview approach with a critical incident technique in interviewing to examine the experiences of 10 Grade 9–11 business owners who run social media-based businesses on Instagram.FindingsThe results demonstrate that student business owners were able to capitalise on social media for venture creation and informal learning. They effectively engaged in experiential learning cycles with active help-seeking and mentorship in response to challenges in their business journey. A variety of resources within social media, their social circle and the internet were employed by students, highlighting the role the self-directed element plays in their experiential learning process.Practical implicationsThe research urges institutions to recognise the potential of informal learning on social media and offer more support to strengthen students’ learning.Originality/valueThis research represents the first exploratory study on the potential of school-age teens’ self-initiated informal entrepreneurial learning while testifying the theory of the self-directed experiential learning cycle in the context of social media businesses. The study offers novel insights into the fields of students’ informal learning, entrepreneurial learning and social media learning.

Learning is becoming more self-directed and informal with the support of emerging technologies. A variety of online resources have promoted informal learning by allowing people to learn on demand and just when needed. It is significant to understand self-directed informal learners’ motivational aspects, their learning goals, obstacles, and successes when using online resources. However, scant knowledge exists about self-directed learning factors, such as informal learners’ behaviors and motivations, which would suggest guidelines for improving their learning performance. The goal of this study was to contribute to the understanding of learners’ motivational factors and self-directed learning aspects of informal learning when using online learning resources. In this study, a survey of learners from various informal learning websites was conducted. Quantitative analysis including descriptive and frequency analysis regarding informal learning experiences was conducted. The results show that the main ...

Teachers increasingly turn to informal learning but often encounter challenges in their agency to improve technology integration practices. Through a qualitative paradigm and partly adopting the strength-based Appreciative Inquiry (AI) method, this study explored best leadership practices and considered how teachers’ self-directed learning might be enabled to better support technology use in pedagogy. Applying the discovery and dream phases of AI, the study engaged Ghana’s teachers, headteachers and education officials in constructive phone dialogues to identify practices that foster teachers’ informal learning. Different shared themes emerged through thematic analysis, revealing enabling leadership and support mechanisms contributing to teachers’ self-directed learning. Leadership support from key individuals at home, the district, and the school ecosystem surfaced as enablers for engagement in informal learning during the discovery phase. At the dream stage, teacher motivation, access to computers, headteachers’ leadership for collaborative learning, and dedicated time for independent and informal collaboration were envisioned to nurture teachers’ cointinuing self-directed learning. Findings have implications for education researchers and leaders to transition from deficits towards a strength-based inquiry as a promising tool to uncover inspiring leadership practices, actors, and support structures that cultivate and reinforce teachers’ self-directed learning to supplement formal professional development for technology integration.

This research targeted the learning preferences, goals and motivations, achievements, challenges, and possibilities for life change of self-directed online learners enrolled in a massive open online course (MOOC) related to online teaching hosted by Blackboard using CourseSites. Data collection included a 40-item survey of which 159 MOOC respondents completed the close-ended survey items and 49 completed the 15 open-ended survey items. Across the data, it is clear that self-directed online learners are internally motivated and appreciate the freedom to learn and choice that open educational resources provide. People were also motivated to learn informally from personal curiosity and interest as well as professional growth needs and goals for self-improvement. Identity as a learner was positively impacted by informal online learning pursuits. Foreign language skills as well as global, cultural, historical, environmental, and health-related information were among the most desired by the survey respondents. The main obstacles to informal online learning were time, costs associated with technology use, difficulty of use, and lack of quality. Qualitative results, embedded in the findings, indicate that self-directed learners take great pleasure in knowing that they do not have to rely on others for their learning needs. Implications for instructional designers are offered.

Although the existing research demonstrates the growing understanding of the importance of both formal and informal professional learning of teachers, informal learning remains less explored. This article responds to the dearth of existing literature by presenting one part of a larger study that captured the self-reported experiences of 440 teachers from 29 schools in Kazakhstan. The study provides empirical evidence for social media to become an integral part of teachers’ professional practice, suggesting virtual professional communities to be a helpful setting for teachers’ informal learning. The study suggests an empirically validated relationship between the following four factors of teachers’ informal learning in virtual professional communities: the need for professional connectedness, knowledge sharing self-efficacy, knowledge sharing and knowledge receiving. Highlighting the role of knowledge-sharing self-efficacy, the results of structural equation modelling suggest that this factor should be considered for promoting teachers’ informal learning in virtual professional communities.

An introduction is presented in which the editors discuss articles in the issue on topics including lifelong learning, informal education and social media in education.

This study defines mobile technology (specifically in this study, smart phone technology) as a contemporary learning tool and environment that can make a difference in users’ informal learning practice. Currently, in Korea, there are thirteen millions smart phone users and the number of smart phone users worldwide is expected to exceed one billion by 2013. Mobile technology is, therefore, becoming a device that many people carry every day and its possibility to facilitate learning seems to be highly promising. With such societal and cultural movement in mind, to understand the nature of mobile users’ experiences and their meanings in terms of learning, the study investigates (a) users’ actual experiences in using mobile, (b) users’ perceptions toward the effectiveness and meaning of mobile for learning, and (c) the characteristics of informal learning appeared through mobile learning. In other words, the study aims to suggest practical guidelines by answering to the following inquires; 1) which experiences do the mobile users perceive conducive to learning? 2) depending on how users understand and define learning in general, does it influence on their use and perception of mobile as a learning tool?, and 3) what can be the most effective way of using mobile for learning in relation to the perspectives of informal learning? Here, the theory of informal learning is applied as a framework. Informal learning, in a broader sense, defines everyday experiences from which we learn something (Merriam & Cafarrella, 1999). According to Schugurensky (2000), informal learning can take different forms due to the presence or absence of intentionality and awareness of learning. He defines informal learning in three forms - self-directed learning, incidental learning, and socialization. While mobile learning has been researched a lot recently, its potential for informal learning, especially for adults has hardly been studied. The research study was conducted in Korea in summer, 2011 and plans to conduct the sequel in USA in fall, 2011. The online survey questionnaire consisted of 20 questions was developed and implemented and the mixed research methodology was applied in that it included both quantitative multiple-choice items and qualitative open-ended questions. The initial findings show that the majority of participants became aware of positive changes in everyday life, including learning. Also, three forms of informal learning: directed learning, incidental learning, and socialization were respectively identified in this environment. More specifically, mobile is perceived to be meaningful especially for directed (or self-regulated) learning while it is seen to be least beneficial for incidental learning. For socialization, interestingly, only certain participants agree that it has occurred through mobile learning or may occur. Finally, the participants find mobile the most useful for information search and knowledge acquisition. In conclusion, the mobile platform can facilitate different types of informal learning and work not merely as a learning tool but a learning environment ultimately. It particularly seems to enhance adults’ learning more enriched and prospered.

This study explores the role of informal learning as an essential yet often overlooked factor in women's empowerment. While formal education systems often get the most attention in empowerment discourses, informal learning methods—such as community education, mentorship, and self-directed learning—have substantial potential to elevate women's social and economic status. Drawing on qualitative analysis from case studies, interviews, and secondary data, the study investigates how women in rural and marginalized urban settings leverage informal educational structures to overcome barriers to empowerment. The findings suggest that informal learning is a key driver of women's agency, particularly in contexts where formal education opportunities are limited or inaccessible. This paper contributes to the broader discourse on gender equality and education by highlighting the untapped power of informal learning in shaping women's empowerment in both social and economic domains.