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LearningWIRE - Issue 13
30 June 1998
A FREE electronic newsletter for net enabled people engaged in training, learning, coaching and staff development.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
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Copyright (C) 1998 Sift plc. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in any medium for non-commercial purposes as
long as attribution is given.
In this issue:
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- Learning styles
- Need a Quote?
- Are TrainingZONE and LearningWIRE really free?
- Lifelong learning news
- Latest news stories
- Partnership with Pavilion Publishing
- Coping with Spam
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This issue part sponsored by
Pavilion Publishing - leading publishers of training resources,
journals and manuals - and organisers of major national
conferences - for professionals in health and social care
http://www.pavpub.com
'Toolkit for Trainers' - the international bestseller, now
available in five foreign language editions. Order on-line
quoting LW13 for 10% discount.
http://www.timpickles.demon.co.uk/fip.html
Sift - Building internet communities for professional groups.
"We scour the net so you don't have to"
http://www.sift.co.uk
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Learning Styles
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This issue leads with some fascinating websites for anyone
interested in exploring current ideas and research into the way in
which we learn and develop.
One of the best sites on this topic is hosted by the University of Toronto where you can find an excellent listing of different approaches, each cross-referenced to appropriate webpages, giving details of relevant theories and techniques.
http://snow.utoronto.ca/Learn2/lstyle2.htm
http://snow.utoronto.ca/Learn2/lstylstd.htm
If you're interested in exploring the range of different tests
which have been devised to measure and assess learning and
learning styles, you should visit the One Minute Teacher site.
This comprehensive site analyses different strategies for
learning. It also offers an interesting short paper on 'How to
teach others to teach themselves'.
http://www.fln.vcu.edu/Intensive/LearningStrategies.html
Mindtools offer an interesting site which they describe as "tools
to help you think more effectively". Some of the materials are
free although they also run workshops, etc. Worth a look.
http://www.mindtools.com
In the UK, the practical work of Peter Honey and Alan Mumford is
well known for its focus on recognising and using learning styles,
and creating a constructive learning environment. You can now
order their publications on-line. Pause for a moment at the apt
opening quote on this website - "You are what you learn".
http://www.peterhoney.co.uk
Need a Quote?
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And speaking of quotes, if, like me, you like to include the words
of the wise and the (in)famous in your work, you should check out
the brilliant collection of inspirational quotes about learning,
thinking and self-development created by Inner Resources. Well
worth downloading for future reference.
http://www.inner-resources.demon.co.uk/quotes.htm
Mary Gaskin [mary_gaskin@hotmail.com] sends the following tips from the Quote Motivator:
"All of the top achievers I know are life-long learners...
Looking of new skills, insights, and ideas. If they're not
learning, they're not growing... not moving towards
excellence."
~ Denis Waitley ~
You can receive a daily inspirational quote everyday of the year. For a free one week trial send a request to [quote_motivator@hotmail.com] quoting your name and email address
"The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your
own thinking"
~ Robert H Schuller ~
Are TrainingZONE and LearningWIRE really free?
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Yes. I've been receiving some comments recently from users
asking how this works. Subscriptions to LearningWIRE are - and
will remain - free; just use the instructions at the end to add
more subscriptions. Browsing the TrainingZONE website is also
free, including the option to save pages and download Toolkit
items to your computer.
Two specific features are chargeable, although an initial 30-days use is included when you first register. Sift are the UK agents for the ClariNews service which provides access to around 3,500 news stories each day direct to your computer and which you can use to set up personal Alerts. TrainingZONE also offers access to a huge Company Directory providing financial and commercial information on a wide range of public companies. If you find these services useful, you're invited to pay a small monthly charge to continue access after the initial 30-day offer. If you don't take up this offer, all other features of TrainingZONE remain accessible.
Sift's services are financed in several ways. The various professional community sites carry some advertising. Electronic newsletters also accept commercial sponsorship. We are able to host sites for specific organisations and groups who want to publish and distribute information quickly and easily to a wide this audience.
Lifelong learning news
======================
I've praised the efforts of the Government's DfEE before in their
endeavours to publish information and use the latest technology
to communicate. As part of their promotion of Lifelong Learning,
the Individual Learning Division of the DfEE created a specific
site to focus attention on this important area of development.
http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk
One aspect of the site is a bi-monthly on-line publication called
'Individual Learning News'. It's well worth keeping an eye on the
site as it provides lots of useful bits of news. The fourth issue
was published in May and can be found at
http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/iln4000/iln4000.htm
Amongst the items which attracted my attention in this recent issue were:
- A listing of all 39 sectoral National Training Organisations
which now cover 65% of the workforce
http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/iln4000/iln4102.htm - The Hobby House - the search for a suitable base for a centre
devoted to a wide variety of practical learning activities
for people aged over 50; part of a Carnegie Third Age Project
http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/iln4000/iln4000.htm - Update on progress with the Campaign for Learning
http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/iln4000/iln4106.htm - Details of the Adult and Community Learning Fund which will
be targeted at marginalised and disadvantaged communities
to create local learning activities. 5million available in
each of the next three years.
http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/iln4000/iln4129.htm - Announcement of the Union Learning Fund to support Trade Unions
to engage in innovative work in promoting lifelong learning
through the workplace. Bids open in England for up to 50,000
per project.
http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/iln5000/iln5002.htm
Recent News Stories
===================
Further analysis and details of the virtual learning community
being created by pilot programmes for the new University for
Industry. "Wanting to do for learning, what the Open University
has done for further education" comments Gordon Brown.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/artprt.cgx?article_id=1243
Following the announcement last week of the launch of the
Institute for Continuous Professional Development,
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/artprt.cgx?article_id=1175
news this week of the creation of an International Association for
Human Resource Information Management which is seeking to create
a "global network enabling human resource practitioners make the
most of information technology".
http://www.ihrim.org
Advance information on the World Open Learning for Business
Conference and Exhibition to be held in Birmingham on 29/30
September. Billed as the "premier showcase of open learning
solutions for large and small organisations".
Their website is
still being built but keep an eye on
http://www.distancelearning.co.uk
Partnership with Pavilion Publishing
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We're delighted to announce the start of a collaborative
partnership with Pavilion Publishing which will make more services
available to TrainingZONE users. Pavilion Publishing are a well
established publisher of books, manuals and resources materials
for the health and social care sector. In the next few months, we
will be providing downloadable extracts from some of their key
publications in the new Toolkit area. Users will be welcome to
download and use these extracts providing that due credit is
given. Obviously, if you find the materials helpful, we hope
you'll want to obtain the full publication from Pavilion.
http://www.pavpub.com
In the Discussion area, we've also initiated a Health and Social
Care conference to encourage people working in this area to share
ideas and debate issues. Pavilion run an extensive programme of
high profile national conferences and seminars around the country
and we anticipate that this discussion forum will also extend the
debates taking place at these events to a wider audience.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
Coping with Spam
================
'Spam' is Internet jargon for junk email. If you've been on the
Internet for any length of time, you'll start to attract more and
more of the stuff. It uses connection time to download to your
mailbox and where it then clogs up space. What can you do about
it?
Unfortunately, the best advice at the moment is that you just have to live with it. The larger Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are doing their best to screen out bulk postings. Some ISPs allow you to pre-read you emails on a web browser before downloading, in which case you can spot it and delete it. Otherwise, you'll just need to delete it on its arrival - in much the same way you put junk mail in the wastebin. Trying to send it back rarely works since the stuff is frequently sent out by automated lists which do not recognised in-coming mail.
However, I appreciate that, in particular, if you've got children,
you may want to read more about the subject. Try this page,
which gives a succinct summary of the main issues, whilst also
containing some action points if you want to take on the junk
mail kings of cyberspace.
http://www.venus.co.uk/doc/antispam.html
From the editor
===============
We've managed 13 issues of LearningWIRE during the first six
months, giving an average fortnightly publication. There will be
a short break for the next three weeks for holidays but please
keep your comments and suggestions flowing in.
Tim Pickles,
Editor, LearningWIRE and TrainingZONE
mailto:tpickles@sift.co.uk
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About Sift
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Sift plc is a leading developer of online communities. Based in Bristol, Sift has developed AccountingWEB for professionals in the accountancy profession, and BusinessZONE. At the 1997 Online Information Exhibition at Olympia, Sift were voted European Information Product of the Year (and also runner up as Internet Product of 1997).
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Editor: Tim Pickles mailto:tpickles@sift.co.uk
Sift plc., 33 Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1HT
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Tim Pickles ***** Designing professional toolkits
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk ***** The learning community
