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The TrainingZONE LearningWIRE - Issue 44
12 April 1999
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
The Learning Community
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Copyright (C) 1999 Sift plc. All rights reserved.
This material is distributed free to trainers, learners, managers and
coaches. It may be reproduced in any medium for non-commercial purposes as
long as attribution is given.
From the Editor
===============
In the past week a further 200 people and companies have joined the
TrainingZone community as a result of our recent marketing efforts - as
well as recommendations from existing members. For those people receiving
this LearningWire for the first time, this is our email digest of news,
updates, recent posting and latest resources brought to your direct.
TrainingZone is now the largest European virtual community for people
engaged in training, learning and development. Our aims are simple: to
create a relevant, informative and value-added forum which saves you time
in finding material yourself and encourages you to network ideas with
others. We're committed to keeping this service free to member users.
A mixed collection of updates this week: several more resource sites, a new
statement from Peter Honey to debate, some Internet-related news, and an
interesting University Centre for the Study of Networked Learning.
Watch out next week for a special issue of LearningWire focused on
experiential learning.
Tim Pickles,
Editor, LearningWIRE and TrainingZONE
mailto:tpickles@trainingzone.co.uk
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Thought for the Week
==================== (Thanks to Penny Sharland)
'For fragmentation is now very widespread, not only throughout society, but
also in each individual: and this is leading to a kind of general confusion
of the mind, which creates an endless series of problems and interferes
with our clarity of perception so seriously as to prevent us from being
able to solve most of them ....... The notion that all these fragments are
separately existent is evidently an illusion, and this illusion cannot do
other than lead to endless conflict and confusion.'
- David Bohm
Internet Monitor
================
Training resource websites
--------------------------
For users with a desire to find even more training-related resources, check
out the Echelon website which publishes a commercial online training
resource library. There are presently around 500 resources for training
and staff development activities in the library created by training and HR
professionals. They are available from 15 UKP each.Discounted prices are
available for series of resources.
http://www.learningmatters.com
Meanwhile, another similar website which is well worth a visit because of
the range of training materials which it offers can be found at
http://www.trainingxpress.com
Both sites have been included in our Links - Training Resources area.
Free weekly online training - from Australia
--------------------------------------------
The AusTrainer website has launched a new service offering free online
weekly training via ezines in each of seven topic areas: personal image,
creative thinking, personal efficiency, life tips, working smarter, stress
tips, and memory and mind mapping. This sounds like an interesting feature
and we'd be interested to hear from anyone with experience of the quality
of the service.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3578&d=1
Peter Honey's 12 Values for Learning
------------------------------------
Following the success of last October's 'Declaration on Learning' written
by eight leading figures in the training/learning movement, Peter Honey has
now published his statement of 12 Values for Learning. You can read - and
download - them online at
http://www.peterhoney.co.uk/values.html
We'd be very interested to hear people's reactions to these Values. Are
they a statement of the obvious, or a significant contribution to creating
a more learning society? Why not post your reactions to the Training
Conference at
http://emily.sift.co.uk:8000/~9
Ethics Toolkit for Managers
---------------------------
A 20-page guide available directly on the web for managers looking to
integrate an ethical perspective into their work. Can be read online or
printed off for later reading. Material like this should be essential
reading for all managers.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3579&d=1
Resource library for managers in not-for-profit organisations
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An extensive and up-to-date library of resource materials directed at
managers in the not-for-profit sector - but of high value to those working
in other sectors as well. Covers all aspects from strategic planning to
the recruitment of volunteers. Although US in its origins and links, there
is much useful material here.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3580&d=1
Managing People - Timesaver Toolkit
-----------------------------------
Details of another resource from the Australian Human Resource Institute
website which aims to be a 'complete HR guide and publication' (presumably
with reference to Australian employment law though), plus inclusive
quarterly updates. The resource appears to feature several interesting
references and facilities.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3576&d=1
Centre for the Study of Networked Learning
------------------------------------------
The University of Sheffield has created this Centre within the Department
of Educational Studies. Amongst other facilities, the Centre is presently
promoting an MEd in Networked Collaborative Learning: Teaching and Learning
via the Internet. The course is aimed at professional people in any field
of education, training and human resource development and includes an
action research approach to encourage the incorporation of electronic
communications into students' practice. Sounds fascinating. We'd be
interested to hear from anyone with first-hand experience of the course.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3608&d=1
Did you avoid the Easter traffic jams?
--------------------------------------
This tip is either too late for Easter - or alternatively, too early for
the next Bank Holiday - but if you want to avoid lengthy hold-ups in
traffic jams, you could do worse than monitor this helpful online facility
from the RAC which is continuously updated information about traffic
hold-ups on all Britain's main roads.
http://www.rac.co.uk/html/services/fdigital.htm
Melissa email virus
-------------------
The fact that you are reading this proves that the imminent
demise of the Internet recently prophesied by US experts has been
somewhat exaggerated. Some 99% of computer virus warnings turn
out to be hoaxes but the virus know as Melissa or W97M_Melissa
seems to be the real thing. It emerged from nowhere on 26th March
and caused chaos in the States, overwhelming commercial,
government and military sites. While the FBI hunt the author the
word on the net is that the virus is mutating as hackers try to
out do each other!
The virus is spread by Word 97 and 2000 documents sent as e-mail
attachments. The host message subject line usually reads
"Important message from (name)". Opening an infected document
activates the virus, which then reads the user's address book and
sends an infected message to the first 50 entries. The fear is
that it reproduces and sends so much unwanted e-mail that the
volume will overload and crash mail servers. Apparently it causes
no direct damage to a computer's own memory or programs.
https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3564&d=1
Tabloids join Internet frenzy
-----------------------------
Two more additions to the free Internet services on offer are
about to be provided by tabloid newspapers. The Sun has just
pipped The Mirror at the post by launching their service
recently. It is called CurrantBun after the Cockney rhyming slang
name for the paper. The Mirror's service will be launched at the
end of the month. It will be called ic24.co.uk - which apparently
is supposed to make us immediately think "I see 24 hours a day" -
hmmm.
http://www.currantbun.com
http://www.mirror.co.uk/
In LearningWire Issue 43 we listed several companies offering "free"
Internet connections. This prompted one member to reply with the following
salutory experience:
"Noticed your comments on 'free' Internet access and in particular the
comment that Virgin Net was now to offer free service (Helpline 1 per
minute! - free?!). I was looking for a free service (have AOL and
Packard-Bell [free for 12 months]) and asked for the Virgin CD-ROM. This
arrived today. I installed it - 15 minutes = 60p - and was given (not
asked to give) a password which the connection failed to accept. I tried
all sorts of approaches - negative. I wiped everything and re-installed
(another 15 mins = 60p) - given a different password - this too failed to
work plus all sorts of funny messages. I was not going to use Help at
1 per min, so I wiped and went back to Freeserve to which I was
reconnected in 2 minutes. 'Caveat free ISP'! Anybody else with similar
experience?"
A day or two later, the same member did report a successful connection to
Virgin Net on the third occasion - using exactly the same instructions. A
case of - "You (don't) pays your money - and takes your choice!"
Recent training-related news
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More 16 year olds stay in learning
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1988 school survey data results demonstrate an increasing trend towards
those aged 16 and above staying in some form of education or training.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3593&d=1
European Basic Skills Network
-----------------------------
The Basic Skills Agency has announced a successful application for European
Union funds to develop a European-wide basic skills network linking up
initiatives in several countries and making information available via the
Internet.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3595&d=1
Moser Report - Improving Literacy and Numeracy
----------------------------------------------
The report of the working group chaired by Sir Claus Moser was published
recently. It examines the issue of developing literacy and numeracy skills
amongst adult learners. You can download a copy of the full report from
the Lifelong Learning website.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=3596&d=1
Bullying at work
================
Regular readers will recall a feature in January issues on 'Tackling
Bullying in the Workplace' and our request for people interested in
pursuing this issue. As a result, four members are collaborating to write
a practice book and a UK publisher has been found. The authors now seek
your help in creating examples to include in the book:
1 experiences of being bullied in the workplace
2 experience of successfully tackling the bullying e.g. by
aproaching the bully personally or having it resolved by
management / employers
3 witnessing instances of bullying in the workplace
All responses please to Jo Clifton mailto:DevonAssociates@bigfoot.com or
phone/fax: 01577 840531
Getting involved with TrainingZone
==================================
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Every week we index 35 sites which we believe have the greatest value to
the training community. Our search engine is restricted to just these
sites. Alternatively, the search engine can be asked to search the
TrainingZone itself, the LearningWire archive, or the current news
releases. It's a powerful way of finding exactly what you want.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/search.html
About Sift
==========
Sift plc is a leading developer of online communities. Based in Bristol,
Sift has also developed AccountingWEB for the accounting sector,
BusinessZONE (for the SME market), and TravelMole for the travel industry.
At the 1997 Online Information Exhibition at Olympia,
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Editor: Tim Pickles mailto:tpickles@trainingzone.co.uk
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