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Jim Gritton, GB Learning Consultancy

Have you ever found yourself aimlessly browsing the web only to stumble across something of value that you weren't actually looking for? I call this serendipitous browsing: it acknowledges the fact that the search for knowledge may occur by chance, or as a by-product of the main task. For example, a search for information may launch the user on a tangent that ends up being more productive than the original search query.

Whilst many people support the contention that the internet challenges existing pedagogical paradigms, few people seem to have given serious thought to the possibility that real learning may occur as a result of aimless browsing. For many people, browsing and surfing (for the purposes of this article I shall treat both terms as synonyms) are perceived as little more than idle, time-wasting activities, as recent reports of widespread ‘wilfing’ (what was I looking for?) in the UK have suggested. This article aims to kindle debate about something that many people see as frivolous but may in fact provide valuable learning opportunities.

The metaphors to ‘surf the net’ or ‘browse the web’ have become part of our everyday language, yet despite the fact the world wide web was invented some 20 years ago, only the word ‘surf’ (in relation to the internet) has yet managed to find its way into the OED. Google, predictably, offers a plethora of definitions, many of which emphasise the exploratory nature of both surfing and browsing. However, words such as ‘leisurely’, ‘casual’, ‘randomly’, ‘aimless’, ‘superficial’, ‘directionless’ and even ‘serendipitous’ are also routinely used and reinforce the notion that surfing or browsing are inherently frivolous activities.

Despite their frivolous connotations, it is important to remind ourselves that browsing and surfing are also valuable research tools and have been the focus of study of a number of academics, who divide browsing into three broad categories:

• purposeful or search browsing, where the end destination is known, or specific information is being sought
• exploratory browsing, which involves visiting websites expected to contain items of interest
• capricious or serendipitous browsing, which tends to be random and aimless in nature.

However, aimless browsing can be more productive than many people might imagine. Anne Callery of the University of California, Santa Barbara, draws our attention to a largely unintended benefit of browsing – the serendipitous discovery of related items which weren’t actually sought but are revealed by the proximity of other sites in the same digital vicinity.

Steven Berlin Johnson, a popular science writer, agrees:

In a similar vein, Rolf Schulmeister of the University of Hamburg writes about the serendipitous benefits of being “lost in hyperspace” and its ability to foster explorative behaviour, though Allen Foster and Nigel Ford, of the Universities of Aberystwyth and Sheffield respectively, observe that some people encounter serendipitous information more than others, implying that other factors may be at work than serendipity. So what exactly is meant by serendipity?

The word ‘serendipity’ is defined by the OED as “the faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident. Also, the fact or an instance of such a discovery”. It is said to have been coined by Horace Walpole and derives from an old Persian fairytale known as ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’ in which the princes were always making accidental discoveries, ie looking for one thing and finding another.

Science of course is replete with examples of unexpected or accidental discovery, and Isaac Newton's chance discovery of gravity from an apple falling on his head, whilst resting under a tree, is an apposite but perhaps apocryphal example. The discovery of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming is another. Are these tales from science’s rich history simply down to chance, or could other factors have been at work, eg a case of chance favouring the prepared mind (to paraphrase Louis Pasteur)?

We are more likely to be receptive to serendipitous discovery if our minds have undergone some prior training or preparation. Would Fleming have recognised penicillin if he were not already an expert in his chosen field? Preparation, training and knowledge do not guarantee serendipitous discovery, but they do increase the probability of discovery. This skill is sometimes referred to as intuitive sagacity, in which seemingly disparate pieces of information undergo a process of mental incubation and are brought together by an external catalyst such as a research query.

Of course, the Freudians among you may argue that there is no such thing as serendipity – everything we think and do has an identifiable cause, and nothing is accidental. Hence the psychoanalytical concept of free association, which presupposes that all memories are arranged in a single interrelated network, and that ultimately the patient will stumble across the repressed hidden memory.

As we have observed already, people surf the net not only for fun, but also to discover and learn. We have all experienced the thrill of a serendipitous discovery as we look for one thing and inadvertently stumble across something else of value to us. But does learning taking place in the process? A detailed examination of learning theory lies beyond the scope of this short article, but unlike traditional objectives-driven learning, there are no predetermined goals associated with serendipitous learning. However, it is worth noting that the latter often triggers or leads to exploratory or informal learning. Learning goals in this regard tend to be more personal, as the learning often takes place outside of a formal learning environment. Knowledge retention as a result of serendipitous learning will often therefore be high as motivation springs from the learner.

The literature on serendipitous learning is still in its infancy compared to more mature theories of learning. However, it seems to be emerging as a subset of exploratory or informal learning. Whilst serendipitous learning may not yet have gained the academic support or credibility that more established theories of learning enjoy, there does appear to be some acceptance that learning can take place as a result of serendipitous online discovery.

There can be little doubt that anything which encourages exploratory behaviour and leads to learning should be encouraged, but whether serendipitous browsing is a sensible or prudent learning strategy is another matter. Like a lottery, the rewards can be high for very little outlay, but the reverse can also be true. Serendipitous browsing does, however, have the potential to reveal connections between ideas that may otherwise go unnoticed, to stimulate ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, and to challenge our mental models so that new learning can take place. In this regard, serendipitous browsing can lead to serendipitous learning in my view.

This article was written by Jim Gritton, co-founder of GB Learning Consultancy, a specialist learning and development consultancy in the south-east of England. Jim is passionate about the application of technology to learning and is currently pursuing an MSc in e-Learning at the University of Edinburgh.

jim [at] gblearningconsultancy [dot] co [dot] uk

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