In focus: Research, reports and publications
Each month Dr Andrew Dean of the Marchmont Observatory summarises the research, reports and publications that are shaping the field of learning. September’s round-up includes developing a dialogue on skills in the workplace, benefits of elearning, science skills and Facebook. It’s time to talk training: how to develop a dialogue on skills at the workplace […]
A week in training: L&D budget fears
This week, as shock-waves from the collapse of the Lehman Brothers and the take over of Merrill Lynch are felt in the UK, learning professionals in all industries fear the cuts about to hit their departments. There’s also an inquiry into apprenticeships, a CBI task force on higher education, new downloadable resources and a round […]
A week in training: Apprenticeships, awards and the credit crunch
This week’s round up of training news includes a wage rise for apprentices, positive noises about Time to Train proposals and a round up of industry awards. ApprenticeshipsThe minimum wage for apprentices is set to rise by £15 to £95 next year, Skills Secretary John Denham anounced this week. The rise, set to affect 10% […]
Simplicity: Learning to love ‘new’ technology
Technology that we refer to as new will be old hat to the next generation, so embrace it, says Trevor Gay, and you may even learn to love the electronic revolution. If you work in an office you don’t need a degree in sociology to realise something is going on. We are going through something […]
Mlearning: More than just a passing craze
In response to our recent feature which asked whether mobile learning was just a passing fad, Jill Attewell of The Mobile Learning Network says mlearning is evolving and making a valuable contribution to further education. Recently TrainingZone.co.uk ran an article headlined ‘Whatever happened to the mlearning craze?’ which suggested that mobile learning “will probably fade […]
Just-in-time or just-too-late training?
All too often training is left until the last minute in an information systems project, leaving trainers a nigh-on impossible job of getting users up to speed in time. Jooli Atkins draws on her 25 years’ experience in IT training and project management to suggest ways of persuading your IS colleagues to think about integrating […]
Software Satisfaction shortlist – did your program make the cut?
More than 700 votes were cast in the HR and training categories in this year’s Software Satisfaction Awards, which see some of the larger, established software suppliers lined up against newer arrivals.In the Learning Tools category, Adobe Connect is up against ProForceTen from Outstart, Kallidus LMS from e2train and Raptivity from Harbinger Knowledge ProductsConfirming that […]
The games people play
The digitally native, the media savvy, the hyperconnected, Generation Y, call them what you will, they’re continually immersed in a connected, digitally rich world, which leaves them underwhelmed by tradional learning, says Graeme Duncan. He calls for the training industry to get to grips with their needs – or lose their attention, motivation and skills. […]
Whatever happened to the mlearning craze?
Best Technology Feature 2008Like many other enthusiasts, technology editor John Stokdyk was smitten by the possibilities of mobile learning. So he went in search of evidence to justify the excited claims. “Mlearning will probably fade into obscurity as the practice of downloading learning material and instructional podcasts goes mainstream. While there are advantages to being […]
News round-up: A-levels, skills plan and birthday congratulations
Lost somewhere in a pile of dirty nappies and sleep-deprivation I was sad not to be here for TrainingZone’s 10th birthday, but I was cheered on to find out that this site is not the only L&D institution to hit double figures this year. The Training Foundation (I know it was officially last month, but […]
Ufi ‘good but could still do better’ says Ofsted report
Government e-learning provider Ufi has achieved a grade two – equivalent to “good” – in its first Ofsted inspection.The organisation behind learndirect achieved the rating across the board, with specific praise for its “strong strategic leadership”, “high success rates on Skills for Life programmes” and the “strong management of performance and quality”.It was applauded for […]
Where have all the Moodle users gone?
Last chance saloon: Have your say on your levels of satisfaction with your software suppliers in this year’s Software Satisfaction Awards. Voting closes today. The open-source Moodle learning management system – one of the training technology success stories over the past year – has so far made little impression in early polling for the Software […]
Ask the expert: What elearning methods are best?
Clive Shepherd, chair of the elearning network, gives some advice on the best way to deliver a blended elearning course. Plenty of articles are written about the success of elearning methods and also about what the benefits are. Also, plenty is written saying the values which should motivate an elearning course to get the most […]
Getting to the Hart of learning technologies
Jane Hart reports on Luminosity – an elearning platform which has been designed to save valuable time and money – as well as a new authoring tool with an embedded sound recorder, a new resource from the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies, and a Powerpoint to Flash converter for Powerpoint animations. New elearning creation […]
Comment: Legal action against multiple choice could affect all elearning
News that dyslexic medical student Naomi Gadian is taking legal action against the General Medical Council, claiming that multiple choice tests discriminate against those with learning difficulties, potentially has huge repercussions for the learning industry, says Linda Loader. Student Naomi Gadian is dyslexic and claims that the use of multiple choice tests in her medical […]
Stuck in a blog? Gearing up the training appetite
Blogging and Marmite have a lot in common; there’s little room for middle ground in a debate which finds that most either love it or hate it. But are the reluctant missing out? Annie Hayes reports from two very different camps. A marketing tool Training blog tasters Nelson Croom Sticky Training Janet Clarey Karyn Romeis […]
Comment: The hyperconnected are coming
If you long for the days of beautiful old Bakelite telephones with tangly cords, look away now – the hyperconnected are coming, loaded up with mobile devices and probably wearing one of those funny things on their ears. Nigel Paine reports. Nortel, the Canadian telecommunications company, has published an excellent research whitepaper called ‘Hyperconnectivity’ that […]
How to: Harness learning methods for great elearning design
How do we learn? And how does that information affect elearning design? Keith Bound examines the principles and research, and how it impacts on designing the most effective multimedia learning. With the growth in digital media technology, traditional teaching methods are changing from teacher to facilitator and the learner from being passive to active. Being […]
Spotlight: We shine the light this week on Tim Drewitt
Tim Drewitt gives some upfront and useful insights into technology in training, and suggests some great advice on how training can really evolve and improve. Name: Tim DrewittAge: 39Job title: Director, business and product development, Academy28 Brief description of the job that you do:I am responsible for the sales and marketing of a range of […]
Opinion: Crisis, what crisis? The future of elearning
If only 7% of companies think elearning is effective, and 42% do not use, or have stopped using it, is there a crisis in the world of ‘e’? Linda Loader gives her opinion on the status and future of elearning. The annual learning survey of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) provoked much […]