The Research on Learning in Informal Environment

Globalization and immigration all over the world has made our living environment increasingly diverse,and the social nature of learning has been widely recognized.In order to better adapt to social changes,the demand for lifelong learning is increasing too.Informal learning environment has attracted learners' attention,because it seems to be an effective way for people to keep up with various changes.In this paper,we examine research on informal learning from two dimensions,the real and the virtual environments.We also introduce the several important research institutes that focus on informal learning environment.We then review the implications of these research for informal learning studies in China.