The System Teaches Too

One of the more interesting ideas from A Sociomaterial Lens on Crowdsourcing for Learning  (Tyrrell & Shalavin, 2022) is that learning is shaped by more than just the people involved. The authors argue that technology, platform design, timing, rules, and social interactions all work together to influence both what and how people learn.

I found myself thinking about workplace training and organizational culture. Throughout my career in casino and hospitality operations, I have seen firsthand how systems influence behavior. Employees respond differently depending on how information is presented, how performance is measured, and how feedback is delivered. The system itself often shapes outcomes just as much as the individuals participating in it.

The researchers studied an online crowdsourcing project where students submitted ideas, voted on solutions, and collaborated with peers. What stood out to me was their finding that the platform was not a neutral tool. Features such as leaderboards, voting mechanisms, user profiles, and even the timing of submissions influenced participation and visibility. In some cases, ideas submitted earlier received more attention simply because they had more time to accumulate votes.

The article reinforced an important lesson for anyone involved in training, leadership, or organizational development: if we want better learning and performance outcomes, we must pay attention to the systems that surround learners. Behavior doesn’t occur in a vacuum. The environment is always teaching something. The question seems to be whether or not it is teaching what we intended.

Reference

Tyrrell, J., & Shalavin, C. (2022). A sociomaterial lens on crowdsourcing for learning. Postdigital Science and Education, 4(3), 729–752. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-022-00313-4


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