Bilginin sürekli yenilenmesi ve eski bilgilerin geçerliliğini çabuk yitirmesi sonucunda bilgi çağında yaşayan biz insanların öğrenmeye olan ihtiyacı giderek artmaktadır. Bu nedenle örgün eğitim kurumlarında kazanılan bilgi, beceri ve yeterlikler insanların hayatlarının kalan kısımlarında yeterli olmamakta, bu noktada yaşam boyu öğrenmenin önemi ortaya çıkmaktadır. Yaşam boyu öğrenmenin bir parçası olan algın öğrenme ile bireyler, değişen yaşam koşullarına ayak uydurmak için kendilerini geliştirme imkânı bulabilmektedir. Böylece sürekli araştıran, bilgi üreten, ürettiği bilgiyi topluma sunan bireyler ile toplumların gelişmişlik düzeyi artacaktır. Bu çalışmada, yaşam boyu öğrenmede ön plana çıkan algın öğrenmenin tanıtılması amaçlanmaktadır. Ayrıca, yurt içinde yapılan çalışmaların mevcut durumu dikkat çekmekte olup algın öğrenme konusunda alan yazına katkıda bulunmak istenmektedir. Bu noktada, özellikle mevcut çalışmalardan alan yazın taraması yapılarak bu güne kadar yapılmış algın öğrenme tanımları verilmiş, algın öğrenmenin örgün ve yaygın öğrenmeden farkı ortaya konulmuştur. Bunun dışında algın öğrenmenin özellikleri, ortaya çıkış süreci, modelleri ve türleri hakkında bilgiler sunulmuştur. Yurt içinde ve yurt dışında yapılan çalışmaların benzer ve farklı yönleri ortaya konmuş ve bu çalışmaların ekonomik temelli oluşturulduğu ve iş yerinde algın öğrenmenin ön plana çıktığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Bunun nedeni olarak ise, teknolojide meydana gelen hızlı değişimler doğrultusunda iş gücü piyasasında artan rekabette üstünlük sağlamak isteyen tüm kurumların çalışanlarından ve çalışmak isteyen kişilerden beklentilerini artırması ve bunun sonucunda onların yeterliklerini geliştirmesi zorunla hale gelmesi gösterilmektedir. Ancak algın öğrenme ile ilgili yapılan bu tür çalışmalarla birlikte hümanist bakış açısıyla yaşamın her anında ve her yerinde algın öğrenmenin önemini ve gerekliliğini ortaya koyacak çalışmalar da yapılabilir. Böylece yaşam boyu öğrenme gerçek amacına ulaşmış olacaktır

The needs of people to learn are steadily increasing as a result of the growing speed of technological changes, globalisation and constant renewal of information, so old information is losing sooner its validity quickly. At this point, the importance of lifelong learning is emphasized. Because the knowledge, skills and competences acquired in formal educational institutions are not satisfying in the remaining parts of people's lives. Informal learning is an important part of lifelong learning and people find opportunities to improve themselves with informal learning. So they can keep up with changing living conditions and the level of development of societies will increase by the individuals who constantly research, produce information and offer this information to the society. The purpose of this study is to introduce informal learning which has an important place under the lifelong learning framework. Considering the inadequacy of the studies carried out in Turkey, it is desired to contribute to body of literature on informal learning. At this point, informal learning definitions in current studies and the difference of informal learning between formal and non-formal learning have been presented. In addition, the characteristics of informal learning, the process of occurrence, models and types of informal learning have been explicated. Informal learning is different from formal and non-formal education. “Education that is institutionalized, intentional and planned through public organizations and recognized private bodies and – in their totality – constitute the formal education system of a country. Formal education programmes are thus recognized as such by the relevant national education authorities or equivalent authorities, e.g. any other institution in cooperation with the national or sub-national education authorities” (UNESCO, 2013, 27). On the other hand “non-formal learning occurs in a planned but highly adaptable way, in institutions, organisations, and situations outside the spheres of formal or informal education. It shares with formal education the characteristic of being mediated, but the motivation for learning may be wholly intrinsic to the learner” (SEEQUEL, 2004, 20). Informal learning can be defined as learning that occurs spontaneously with or without formal education, unscheduled and everywhere in life and at every moment. The common point of definitions made in relation to informal learning is that it takes place in a natural environment without any particular target and plan; it occurs without the curriculum prepared by formal and non-formal education institutions and programs; the learning process does not result in an official document such as a diploma or certificate; the time and place of the learning is not stated in advance and learning takes place in the family, at work, in community, in daily life; at the end of learning negative behaviours may occur as well as positive behaviours. These definitions also reflect the characteristics of informal learning. Models have been developed on how the process of informal learning takes place. However, these models include the informal learning process at the workplace. The first informal learning process model was developed by Marsick and Watkins in 1990. This problem-solving model consists of eight phases; triggers, interpreting experience, examine alternative solutions, learning strategies, produce the proposed solutions, assess intended and unintended consequences, lessons learned and framing the business context (Marsick, 2006). In the workplace, the need for learning arises as a result of the internal and external triggers of the individuals. Persons can solve a problem situation with the experience gained by these triggers, or they can produce alternative solutions through them. They can implement solutions by developing strategies with these solutions. As a result, they may come across intended or unintended consequences. By evaluating these results, people can make arrangements for possible similar or different problem situations that may arise at work. Another model was developed by Fenwick and Tennant and involved four different perspectives: an acquisition process, a reflection process, a practice-based community process, and an embodied co-emergent process (Fenwick and Tennant, 2004). In the first perspective knowledge, skill or competence is acquired; in the second perspective this acquired information is transformed and produced new and unique information; in the third perspective with this new information daily activities are taken place in the communities; in the last perspective learning occurs concretely. Michael Eraut developed a typology of informal learning and presented this typology with a Table. The columns of this table distinguish between three levels of intention; implicit learning, reactive learning and deliberate learning. According to Eraut (2004, 250) “most learning from experience has some implicit aspects, and that awareness of explicit learning does not mean that implicit learning is not also taking place. Moreover, outside formal education and training settings, explicit learning is often unplanned. Reactive learning is intentional, it occurs in the middle of the action, when there is little time to think. In contrast, deliberative learning includes both `deliberate' learning, where there is a definite learning goal and time is set aside for acquiring new knowledge, and engagement in deliberative activities such as planning and problem solving, for which there is a clear work-based goal with learning as a probable by-product”. The three rows of the table show the possible temporal relationships between the time periods of learning and the experiences. “The context in which learning occurs is always the present, but the focus of the learning can be in the past, present or future. While the planning of future learning opportunities is often informal, the opportunities themselves could be either formal or informal” (Eraut, 2004, 251). Tri-part Typology model of Schugurensky includes three forms of informal learning; self-directed learning, incidental learning, and socialization. Self-directed learning is conscious and intentional, incidental learning is unintentional but conscious and socialization is unconscious and unintentional. A re-conceptualized informal learning model of Bennett was built from Schugurensky‘s tri-part typology. This four-part model of informal learning joins Schugurensky‘s intentionalunintentional and conscious-unconscious distinctions. But the distinction unconscious is renamed as nonconscious. Self-directed and incidental learning of Schugurensky’s model are same, because these learning are easier to understand and commonly observed, but socialization is changed as tacit learning and integrative learning is added. “Tacit knowledge is deeply embedded, but potentially accessible or alterable through reflective practice. If tacit knowledge is able to be used or altered through intentional but largely nonconscious processes, then a fourth type of informal learning is indicated. Theoretically and practically, I believe this form of learning is supportable. The next section explores integrative learning” (Bennett, 2012, 27). Informal learning contains different types of learning classified by organized informal learning and everyday informal learning in the workplace. Activities such as, non-credit learning, work-based learning, volunteerism and service learning, communities of practice coaching and mentoring are organized informal learning. Everyday informal learning has three types of learning, self-directed learning incidental learning, such as such as trial and error, learning by doing, modelling others and reading and web searching and tacit learning, such as trial and error, learning by doing, modelling others and occupational socialization. Studies carried out in Turkey and abroad have been examined and similar and different aspects of these studies have been put forward. As a result, it has been determined that these studies are based on economics and emphasized informal learning at the workplace. Because, as a consequence of living in the age of information all institutions that want to gain competitive advantage in the labour force market have increased their expectations from employees and those who want to work. At this point, they attach importance to informal learning, especially at the workplace, because they realize that the knowledge, skills and competences gained in formal educational institutions are not sufficient to meet these expectations. It is possible to recognize this importance from many scientific researches, such as projects, reports, articles, theses, which they have made about informal learning, Eraut (2004); Lohman (2005); Marsick, Watkins, Callahan and Volpe (2006); Carliner (2012); Lin and Lee (2014); Cuinen, Heymans, Meeus, Van den Wouwel, Dorst, Vereycken and Verwimp (2015); Damesin et al. (2014); Dehnbostel, Seidel and Stamm-Riemer, (2010); Werquin, (2010); Colardyn and Bjørnåvold, (2005). In these studies they have developed informal learning models, gave information about different types of learning, they have made mention the informal learning process. The vast majority of the studies are about informal learning at work. Informal learning situations of individuals in the workplace and personal and environmental factors have been analysed. In addition, there are reports which show the involvement of European countries in informal learning. The growing importance of informal learning can be demonstrated in Turkey as well as in European countries, and the quality and quality of the studies can be enhanced. These studies can be carried out not only theoretically, but also practical studies. In addition, as is the case with studies carried out abroad can be carried out not only on the basis of economics but also on humanistic point of view. That is to say, studies should be made not only to emphasize informal learning in the workplace but to show the importance and necessity of informal learning at every moment of life and everywhere. Thus lifelong learning will achieve its real purpose.