Join us on Bluesky for #LTHEchat on Wednesday 20th May at 8pm BST with guests Puiyin Wong (@puiyin.bsky.social) and John Brindle (@johnbrindletel.bsky.social) to discuss how curiosity-driven conversations can spark meaningful professional growth and evolve into vibrant, supportive communities.

Introduction

Some of the most meaningful professional learning does not begin with a formal programme. It begins with a question, a conversation, and the curiosity to keep exploring. Sometimes, that shared curiosity is enough to start a community. 

We started #TELresearchers and #HEresearchers out of sheer curiosity and a desire to learn more about research career pathways from academics who supervise on our PhD programme. What has grown from that is a global community series with a wide range of speakers and participants. 

So, how do we pursue our curiosity to develop ourselves? And how can we build community around our interests? 

Getting Informal

Informal learning can be a powerful way to develop yourself and others. While it requires a high degree of self-motivation, it can be strengthened through communities and special interest groups (Macià and García, 2016). Although the definition of informal learning is highly contested (Švigelj and Cruz, 2023), it is widely recognised as a core part of continuous professional development across a range of disciplines. In our view, creating space and time for this type of learning is key to a successful and fulfilling career in learning, teaching, and research. 

Curiosity drives this self-directed approach to learning. So how do we build on that curiosity and develop it into a community-focused informal learning opportunity? 

Network

A strong informal learning approach depends on networks, particularly personal learning networks. At the heart of this are four behaviours of learning in an informal network: Consuming, Creating, Connecting, and Contributing (Milligan et al., 2014). In setting the scene for this week’s #LTHEchat, we want to explore these four behaviours in relation to our own practice in informal learning networks.  

Consuming

Creating space for those who want to listen and learn is important in informal learning opportunities. For some, this is their preferred way of “discovering new knowledge and ideas”. We allow participants to ‘lurk’ and listen to the discussion, or to contribute actively if they wish.  

Creating

Creation should be encouraged, and participants should be ‘making knowledge structures public’. By providing opportunities to share sense-making and personal accounts of their journeys, the #TELresearchers and #HEresearchers communities enable speakers to make their knowledge structures public and add ‘a layer of value from which others can benefit’.  

Connecting

As hosts of the community, we have seen our personal learning network grow significantly. Many peers want to talk about research and scholarship beyond our initial PhD cohort, and we have seen this most clearly when speakers and participants are encouraged to share their experiences.  

Contributing

Contribution happens openly. Curated questions, speaker engagement, and open-floor Q&A sessions all help those who want to contribute to the knowledge-creation process. 

How do you see yourself in Milligan et al.’s (2014) four C’s of learning behaviour? 

Openness

Open practice, for us, is a non-negotiable part of informal learning and grassroots CPD development. All of our talks are open: some are shared through the National Teaching Repository, and all are available through YouTube. Invitations are open to anyone who is curious and interested in the shared practice of #TELresearch and #HEresearch, and in the journeys that prominent researchers and scholars have taken. For us, that is the real value of open and informal learning networks. They show that grassroots CPD can start with a small question, grow through shared curiosity, and become a space where people connect, contribute, and keep learning together. 

References 

Macià, M., & García, I. (2016). Informal online communities and networks as a source of teacher professional development: A review. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, pp. 291-307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.01.021. 

Milligan, C., Littlejohn, A. and Margaryan, A. (2014) Workplace learning in informal networks. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, pp. 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5334/jime.2014-06 

Švigelj, M., & Cruz, C. (2023). Youth as educators. International Encyclopaedia of Education, 4^th Edition, 337-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818630-5.08049-0 

Speaker Bios

Puiyin Wong

Puiyin is Senior Advisor (Digital Pedagogy & Practice) at Buckinghamshire New University, where she leads the strategic direction of digital education and contributes to improving teaching quality University wide. She is also a Trustee of Association for Learning Technology (ALT), where she helps govern the strategic development of ALT and supports sector initiatives. Puiyin has a keen interest in bringing people together; she is connected to colleagues in the UK and internationally. Puiyin is at the final stages of her PhD at Lancaster University, exploring the interplay between pedagogy and technology for learning and professional development. Finally, Puiyin leads a multi award winning researchers community – #TELresearchers & #Heresearchers that connects educational researchers at different career stages, from around the world.  

John Brindle

John is Learning Design Manager at Edge Hill University where he leads the design and development of online and blended programmes and non-credit bearing CPD. He is also and advisory panel member for BETT. John has an interest in inclusive practices and curriculum approaches. He is currently finishing his thesis for his PhD at Lancaster University where he is exploring sense-making of inclusive practice by third-space professionals. He co-hosts the award winning #TELresearchers and #HEresearchers community with Puiyin Wong.