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The TrainingZONE LearningWIRE - Issue 68
27 September 1999
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
The Learning Community
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Copyright (c) 1999 Sift plc. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in any medium for non-commercial purposes as long as attribution is given.
This Week - on TrainingZone
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A choice of TWO free online workshops to boost your learning and CPD. Just open up your web browser at the page shown at 12.00 noon
'Training for Trainers' a practical session to help you develop your skills, led by Tim Pickles, author of several best-selling books and manuals on the subject.
Tuesday 28 September, commencing 12.00 noon (close by 13.00)
at https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/chat
'Developing core corporate competencies' - Spencer Drain leads a session on how we create and specify a set of core competencies for all employees when developing role profiles
Wednesday 29 September, commencing 12.00 noon (close by 13.00)
at https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/chat
These workshops are an easy and engaging way of providing you with practical support, new learning and relevant CPD. There is no charge to participate in each Workshop.
Our Poll asks for your views about people's entitlement to both time and money to engage in training or continuous professional development. Cast your vote at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/poll
Cecilia Bingham has joined the TrainingZone team as a sub-editor with a particular brief to hunt out HR- related stories. If you've got something which would interest others, please contact her direct at
mailto:cbingham@trainingzone.co.uk
Thanks to all those many people who expressed interest in joining our team of reviewers - we should have been in touch with you all.
This week, what about publishing some of your training and development resource materials in the Toolkit? You retain copyright and can promote your own services in the process. It's a great way of demonstrating your abilities and contributing to the network. For details, see
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/toolkit
For further information about any aspect of TrainingZone, contact
Tim Pickles, Editor
mailto:editor@trainingzone.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT
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Job vacancy - Solstra
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A Senior Marketing Manager is sought for BT's rapidly
expanding Solstra team, within its Intranet and Multimedia
Services Division. For a full description of what the role
encompasses and to find out more about who we are, please
see
http://jobsearch.monster.co.uk/getjob.asp?JobID=4541963
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Direct your message to our regular audience of over 3,000 professionals engaged in training, learning and development. https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/help/advertise.html
Tenders
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The idea of advertising and responding to Invitations to Tender has taken off in a big way. One tender announcement placed last week has had a huge response. To find out how to place invitations to tender here, see
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/tenders
Facilitator for team development event: more than 15 responses received to date from people with ideas for running this event. No more please.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6632&d=1
The Poverty Alliance in Scotland has published details of a research contract available on a consultancy basis for completion early next year.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6756&d=1
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WebWatch
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WebWatch brings you information about useful and relevant resources from other Internet sites around the world.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/webwatch
European Mentoring Conference
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The Association for Management Education and Development (AMED) are co-organisers of a significant European conference on mentoring practice which includes plenty of case studies and practical ideas. The one day event takes place in Edinburgh this November.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6706&d=1
Sheffield's network of learning providers
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Citinet is an enterprising site providing detailed information about the range of community, public sector and private sector learning centres throughout Sheffield. Very useful if you're looking for providers in the area, and if you want a listing, check out the site for details.
http://www.citinet.org.uk
Teams - do they work?
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An article in the current issue of the-shelf explores whether teams are as effective as we think, and if not what the alternative might be. Challenging and thought-provoking ideas upsetting some of our long-held views about the value of teams at work.
https://www.the-shelf.co.uk/theshelf/p8.asp?
Learning organisations
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Another article in the current issue of the-shelf provides an introduction to the concept and development of learning organisations - a useful starting point if you want to build knowledge around the subject.
https://www.the-shelf.co.uk/theshelf/p3.asp?
Publish your own online learning materials
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Blackboard.com is an amazing site. The developers have made available their software for creating online learning courses using basic templates and structures. Site users can acces this authoring software for free and use the standard templates to write and publish their own online courses on the site. The courses can include slide presentations, video and audio clips, text-based materials and downloads. The site is free for both authors and learners. To date more than 9,000 online courses are available - ranging from pet care to gynaecology! It's entirely up to the authors what courses they wish to publish. It's an amazing resource which brings lifelong learning within reach of anyone with a browser. Have you got material you would like to publish in this way? We're looking at developing a similar form of service across our professional communities.
http://www.blackboard.com
National Training Organisations
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There are now more than 80 sector-specific NTOs responsible for establishing training and development standards in each of their employment sectors. Around two-thirds of them have their own website. We've created a new area within the Links section to enable you to identify the NTO for your sector and obtain more details. Where the NTO has a website, this is hyperlinked; otherwise, the contact address is provided. Please let us know of any changes and corrections you come across.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/links/nto.html
Hungry Minds - individualised web-based learning
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Proposals for a new Internet-based cyber university have been put forward which will enable anyone to establish and run a personal and customised learning programme to suit their own needs and aspirations.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6862&d=1
Complete internet experience for under 90 pence a day
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Fujitsu Computers and BT have joined forces to provide an 'everything you need'internet package. The BT Internet PC Package consists of three years'unlimited internet access via BT Internet, a Fujitsu PC, home delivery, installation and internet tuition, plus all necessary software - for an inclusive monthly charge or 25.99 pounds.
http://www.fujitsu-computers.com/uk/
ADVERTISMENT
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SKILLSOFT enters the international marketplace.
Learning-on-demand for competitive advantage
SkillSoft has established its international divisiion, based
in the UK offering the industry's most comprehensive library
of web delivered courses covering professional and business skills.
Many large multi-national companies already use SkillSoft courses.
mailto:info@skillsoft.com for full details, information and
demonstration material
http://www.skillsoft.com
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Any Answers?
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https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/anyanswers
This new area of the site is really catching on, with some pertinent questions being asked and plenty of answers from users. Send your questions to the editor and you will automatically be notified of all responses by email. Please offer your answers to each question by clicking on Comment after each question.
New questions include:
Do you know of any comparative studies on RoI for use of online learning materials? asks Colin Russell
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6731&d=1
Which online learning technology would you recommend? asks Andrew Gray
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6783&d=1
How do you encourage trainers to adopt a more experienced based approach? asks Roger Greenaway
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6860&d=1
Several answers already provided to these earlier questions:
Anyone know 'The Plane Game' team activity? asks Gavin Meikle
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6634&d=1
Can you advise on the use of hypnosis to reduce staff stress and improve performance? asks Keith Chopping
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6635&d=1
Keep sending new questions to the Editor
mailto:editor@trainingzone.co.uk
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News
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A selection of stories from this week's News page
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/news
Expansion for Union Learning Fund
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At the recent TUC Annual Congress, David Blunkett announced a two million pound boost to the Union Learning Fund which has been established to promote and encourage greater access to learning opportunities for union members.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6708&d=1
'One' - integrated jobs and benefits service
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The government has announed details of the four preferred bidders to run the pilot 'One' services in different areas of England. These new integrated centres will bring together job hunting and welfare benefit services for individual users under one roof as a pilot for the possible roll-out of the service throughout the country.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6709&d=1
Response to 'Succeed to Learn' white paper
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The Director of NIACE (the National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education) has prepared a response to the government's proposals for the future of adult education and training, and a summary of the organisation's views are available on their website.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6710&d=1
Fourth collaborative learning experiment
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Bob Foster's fourth online experiment in collaborative learning is scheduled to begin on 11 October and run for six weeks. It includes an online 'Leader Learner Guide' which will be available when Leader Learners start to formulate their Learning Campaign Strategies.
http://www.colearners.com
Coaching and Mentoring Conference, London
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The second annual Coaching and Mentoring conference will be held this week at the Commonwealth Centre in Kensington, London, on 27-30 September.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6810&d=1
ADVERTISMENT
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The Toolkit
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Publish your training and resources online -
and demonstrate your skills and experience in the process
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/toolkit
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Product Reviews
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Every week we publish reviews by a team of active professionals of recent publications, resource materials and products. To have your products reviewed, check out
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/reviews
'The Ultimate Business Library: 50 Books that made Management' by Stuart Crainer, published by Capstone and reviewed by Penny Sharland
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6784&d=1
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HR News
=======
Cecilia Bingham has joined the TrainingZone team as a sub-editor with a particular brief to hunt out HR- related stories. I've you've got something which would interest others, please contact her direct at
mailto:cbingham@trainingzone.co.uk
HR Web is our new area for posting news, resources and updates of interest to the HR profession.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/hrweb
European ruling could extend part-timers pension rights
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Part-time workers have won a crucial step in the battle to win improved pension rights. In a case brought by 60,000 UK part-time workers, the Advocate General to the European Court of Justice held that, because this applies more to women than to men, it is discriminatory and contrary to European legislation. He said that such workers are entitled to pension rights back to 1976, the date of a key ECJ ruling.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6616&d=1
UK bosses have a lot to learn
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New Industrial Society research published last week, reveals that UK employers are failing to encourage their employees to learn new skills.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6816&d=1
Forum on competencies
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"Attend the International Competencies Conference and learn solutions to the Top 10 challenges facing your organisation today!" The Forum takes place in London on 25-28 October.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6811&d=1
Desks reveal workers personalities
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Your desk can reveal which of six personality types you belong to, according to new research.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6841&d=1
Self-employment skills of value to employees also
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American writer Charles Mallory offers 20 tips for employees, drawing on the skills shown by the self-employed.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6842&d=1
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New postings in the PressZone
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Publish details of all your news in the PressZone. To become a member, see
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/presszone
The UK's hottest training debate: a new conference in London on 13/14 October organised by Training Solutions looks at the development of soft skills amongst IT practitioners.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6711&d=1
SkillSoft enters the international marketplace with Internet-based learning resources.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=6855&d=1
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To read the online version of LearningWire Issue 67, with activated hyperlinks, paste this link into your web browser:
http://www.learningwire.co.uk
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About Sift
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Sift plc is the award-winning UK developer of online communities bringing you TrainingZone, AccountingWeb, BusinessZone, Travel Mole and LawZone.
http://www.sift.co.uk
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