Agenda

Speakers

Next Generation Learning Communities: Technology, Content, Tools & Support
Carole Bower and Chris Mayers, Futuremedia Learning

Next Generation Learning Communities put learners at the centre of their own development, enabled by Web 2.0 technology. Hear how the key trends of personalisation and community are driving the development of online learning communities - using widgets and information mash-ups to transform the way users interact with content and LMS. Includes case studies from Bupa and the Crown Prosecution Service.

The Business of Learning
Alan Samuel, TATA Interactive Systems

For learning to be taken seriously it needs to be treated as a business, have business metrics and be seen to contribute to business performance. The challenge of quantifying and aligning learning to business objectives while addressing the individual’s knowledge and skills must be the key drivers for designing and developing solutions that will impact organisations and individuals.

Rapid elearning - or agile elearning?
Nicola Foster, Information Transfer

There has been much debate recently within the UK elearning community about the challenges and opportunities presented by rapid elearning. Elearning professionals are examining the value they bring to the development process.

Information Transfer has created a number of award-winning elearning projects, some using rapid authoring tools and others more traditional bespoke processes. Rapid elearning development offers advantages for certain elearning projects that more traditional development methods cannot match. We have moved one stage further and we call our approach ‘agile elearning.’ to reflect not only the speed of production but other benefits such as co-ordination, increased flexibility and responsiveness, and professional expertise applied where it can deliver most value.

How to create fully accessible elearning - rapidly, collaboratively and automatically
Mike Alcock, Atlantic Link

With increasing legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act and Section 508, global organisations are now committed to being accessible but also need rapid content development for elearning.  Previously, creating elearning that met the needs of disabled users was a slow and laborious process.  Mike Alcock will present a series of case studies showing how organisations such as BT and HSBC are now creating fully accessible e-learning in minutes, automatically.

Really managing elearning
Rob Arntsen, MyKnowledgeMap

Over the last couple of years, MyKnowledgeMap has been quietly exploring the issues associated with managing elearning content in a rapidly-maturing elearning world. The net result of our research and innovation is the Compendle product — a technology which has been adopted without a lot of fanfare by some very significant organisations, and who are using it to manage their elearning strategy. The latest example is the central NHS system for storing elearning, where MyKnowledgeMap is the prime contractor. So what is this technology? How does it differ from rapid elearning tools? What is it trying to do and why is it relevant to most organisations that are embracing elearning on a significant scale? Where is it going next? In this review, Rob Arntsen, CEO of MyKnowledgeMap explains Compendle and presents a vision of how MyKnowledgeMap see the elearning world evolving and maturing over the next few years. 

Using elearning effectively in the 'new' business world that has evolved post Northern Rock
Neil Lasher

We have much we can learn by watching processes such as business coaching, 360 degree and business management techniques. eLearning has for many failed to address the real needs of business as opposed to other skill-based training and soft skill development. Neil will show a different concept known as UVID, along with contextual delivery of learning designed to meet the needs of the business as they change. Rapid Development can also refer to the development of the user.

Are fun and games in elearning really necessary?
Richard Middleton, Academy Internet

Richard Middleton, Managing Director of Academy Internet, looks at whether the current emphasis on fun and games in elearning is a help or a hindrance to effective training.

Using examples from a variety of recent projects, Richard discusses how the 'fun and games' approach sits with the serious task of creating purposeful, high-impact learning, and whether an emphasis on entertainment is any more than just a marketing ploy intended to inflate project budgets!

Richard will be using examples of work from a range of clients, including those in the charity, construction, retail and corporate sectors.

Mortarboards, Mindsets and Mavericks
Mark Tointon, Aardpress

"Mass collaboration encourages consumers, employees, suppliers, partners and competitors alike to share information and ideas, and marks a profound change in the way business is conducted" – Tapscott & Williams in 'Wikinomics'.

Business is increasingly keen to learn from education and vice-versa. For example, businesses adopt innovative learning methodologies and educationalists emulate corporate good practice in change management. Such changing mindsets have also stimulated the rapid evolution of new web technologies – popularly called Web 2.0 – although the implied step change is largely marketing hype for a fast-evolved web.

Moodle – an education-focused elearning system born out of Web 2.0 – offers businesses new ways to collaborate, learn and evolve. Like Wikipedia, Moodle is open-source, benefiting from the mass collaboration mindset of countless technology mavericks. In this presentation we illustrate some advantages for businesses and why tools that we have developed for Moodle are encouraging corporate clients to adopt it.

Expanding your market reach – the role of elearning as a differentiator
Nick Timpson, Epic

In today’s competitive market, finding a differentiator for your company and its services can be difficult. You need to make sure it is aligned with your product offering and your clients' needs and that you can deliver it consistently. Providing elearning as part of your service offering can add value to your business proposition and be that differentiator. Nick Timpson from Epic discusses how. He will take you through the benefits and the risks and provide you with guidance on what you need to do to use elearning as an added value feature. Getting it right can positively impact your growth plans beyond all expectations. Claire Little, Vice President Training from SHL will be joining Nick to talk about how her organisation has used elearning to provide a consistent level of service around the globe and, at the same time improve the success rates of the courses they offer.