New to elearning? Well, this page is designed for you. It points you to a wide range of resources which will get you up and running with the minimum of fuss.

Contents

Coming to terms with elearning
Getting connected
Benchmarking
Publications
Conferences
Training
Help and support
Suggestions?

Coming to terms with elearning

Elearning might seem like a simple enough concept, but in practice it has many dimensions. This collection of resources will help you to come to terms with the full scope of elearning:

Exploring elearning:  A video interview with Clive Shepherd, Chair, eLearning Network and Laura Overton, CEO of Towards Maturity CIC.

The many faces of elearning: An article by Clive Shepherd.

eLN glossary: Our very own elearning glossary explains a wide range of elearning-related terms. A good place to start would be the elearning gateway page.

Getting connected

The most important task for anyone looking to work in a new field is to get connected. We recommend that you consider joining one or more of the following organisations:

eLN: As the name implies, the eLearning Network is essentially a community of practice, centered around elearning. The prime focus of the eLN is workplace learning, rather than education, although there are many overlaps. Associate membership is free. The eLN runs face-to-face events in London, as well as webinars.

ALT: The Association for Learning Technology is a professional and scholarly association which seeks to bring together all those with an interest in the use of learning technology. The majority of ALT members are from education, although again there are many crossovers into workplace learning. Each year ALT runs a major conference in the UK.

eLearning Alliance: This organisations provides events and other services for organisations based in Scotland.

eLearning Guild: The Guild is a US-based body, focused primarily on workplace learning. The Guild runs conferences in the USA as well as online events; it also conducts extensive research amongst its membership on all aspects of elearning.

Benchmarking

One of your first priorities will be to find out what other organisations are doing in elearning, in particular what's proving to be successful:

Towards Maturity: This organisation provides a valuable benchmarking service for UK organisations. Every two years it conducts a major benchmarking study, with the latest report published January 2009. Towards Maturity also maintains a tremendous collection of elearning case studies.

Publications

It might be a digital world, but there is still an important place for print media. The following publications will be of particular interest to those based in the UK:

eLearning Age: This magazine, published by Bizmedia, is focused entirely on workplace elearning. It is provided free of charge to eLN full members.

IT Training: As the name implies, this magazine, published by the British Computer Society, is aimed at those working in IT training. The magazine places a strong emphasis on elearning.

Inside Learning Technologies: This free publication, focused primarily on workplace elearning, accompanies the Learning Technologies conference which takes place each January in London.

Learning: A free quarterly publication which accompanies the World of Learning conference.

ALT-N: The quarterly newsletter of the Association for Learning Technology.

Books: If you're looking for a more in-depth read, explore the eLN book list.

Best practice guides: Browse this collection of online guides published by eLN members.

Conferences

If you want to get face-to-face with key personalities in elearning and to mingle with your peers, then these events are for you:

Learning Technologies: The premier workplace elearning event, taking place over two days each January in London with a follow-up day for the 'Learning and Skills Group' in June. Accompanied by a major exhibition, where you can expect to find most of the principal elearning vendors.

World of Learning: Held over two days each Autumn at the NEC in Birmingham.  Although a general learning and development event, there is a strong focus on elearning.

eLN events: The eLearning Network runs a series of five 1-day events each year focusing on key topics in elearning.

ALT-C: A 2-day conference run each year by the Association for Learning Technology.

Training

A number of providers, all eLN members, run short courses and certificate programmes for those wishing to learn about e- and blended learning:

CIPD: The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development offers the Certificate in Blended Learning, a blended programme over 20 weeks including workshops and collaborative online work. The workshops included within the Certificate can also be taken as short courses.

Training Foundation: Provides certificates in blended learning as well as elearning facilitation, design and implementation. Completion of all these certificates and a work-based project leads to a Diploma in e-Learning.

Towards Maturity Enterprises: Provides in-company workshops to introduce l&d professionals to elearning and for managers on the implementation of elearning.

Onlignment: Delivers a range of short courses - all on an in-company basis - on various aspects of online communications, including the use of virtual classrooms, the design of learning content, online tutoring and the use of social media for learning.

Learning Age Solutions: runs online courses in instructional design under the heading of the Ministry of ID.

Help and support

eLN forum: If you want answers to any elearning problem, post your question to the eLN forum and seek the help of more than 1600 members.

eLN groups: The eLN site supports a number of special interest groups, including communities for designers and users.

Suggestions?

If there's information you would have liked but it wasn't available on this page, or we've missed some valuable resources, please contact editor@elearningnetwork.org.