What is e-Learning? Why is it important? Why now?

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What is e-Learning? Why is it important? Why now?

• Jane Langfield
• eLearning Manager

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What is it?

• eLearning means using new multimedia
  technologies and the Internet to improve the
  quality of learning by facilitating access to
  facilities and services as well as remote
  exchanges and collaboration.
• European ODL Liaison Committee,
• "Distance Learning and eLearning in
  European Policy and Practice The Vision and the
  Reality
• Published 17/11/04

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What is it?

• Network-enabled transfer of skills and
  knowledge.
• Cisco.com
• E-learning refers to the use of Internet
  technologies to deliver a broad array of
  solutions that enhance knowledge and
  performance.
• Kevin Kruse 2003

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What is it?

• refers to any type of learning that uses
  electronic media. It means many different things
  to people but is a popular media buzz word and
  should be avoided.
• Plymouth State University

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What is it?

• Courses
• Informal learning
• Blended learning
• Communities
• Knowledge management
• Networked learning
• Work-based learning

• Beyond the categories of e-Learning, it is also
  important to note
• Ubiquitous computing
• Tools and delivery for e-Learning

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4 e-learning scenarios
Planet of Contenteous
Planet Instantia
Nomadict Planet
Planet of Cafélattia
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Planet of Contenteous
Technology as a delivery system content
learning management systems, multi media, DVDs,
digital cable TV.
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Planet Instantia
Tick-tock
E-learning Continuous, applied, flexible
instant Just for me, just in time, just for
now, just enough
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Nomadict
Wearable, portable embedded
technologies PDAs, Palms tops, 3rd generation
mobile phones GPS, wireless interacts with
learners environment
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Planet of Cafélattia
Developed Internet technologies as mediating
devices community space, asychronous
synchronous groupware, blogging
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let's start the strategic conversations!
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So what?

• Internet technologies are revolutionising every
  area of our lives. The evolution has taken us
  through mere enhanced delivery mechanisms to a
  new phenomenon the enfranchisement of the
  individual.

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So what?

• Shoppinggtonline supermarketgteBay
• Travelgtbooking onlinegtself created itineraries
• Publishinggtonline journalsgtweb logs

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So what?

• Internet technologies are changing
• Culture
• Expectations
• Capability and Potential
• Aspirations
• and so call into question the appropriateness of
  traditional service delivery.

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So what?

• The central characteristic of such a new system
  will be personalisation so that the system fits
  to the individual rather than the individual
  having to fit to the system. This is not a vague
  liberal notion about letting people have what
  they want. It is about having a system which will
  genuinely give high standards for all
• ..and, as young people begin to train for work,
  a system that recognises individual aptitudes and
  provides as many tailored paths to employment as
  there are people and jobs.
• Charles Clarke
• DfES 5 Year Strategy
• 2004

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Why?

• A 21st Century learning city
• A culture of life long learning
• A skilled workforce
• Enabled citizens
• A self sustaining knowledge repository
• Transformed services

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Why?

• The Leaders Message
• We need to consider-
• progress in achieving more efficient use of
  resources financial and human
• service improvement how to deliver improvement,
  the challenges and the strengths to build on
• continued emphasis on regeneration and transport
  building the citys skills base and driving up
  competitiveness
• delivering on the things that matter to residents
  a safe and clean city getting the basics
  right
• developing a sense of civic pride building a
  great city
• the way we manage the city becoming a modern
  council delivering efficiently
• and cost effectively

• eLearning has a significant contribution to make
  in all areas

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Why?
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Why now?

• Resources we mustnt waste
• Knowledge which should be exploited
• Commitments we must honour
• Opportunities which may not be repeated

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Why now?

• European institutions are urged to
• Re-establish the policy momentum for the
  eLearning Initiative, but with two adaptations
  make sure that the new discourse is more based on
  societal-economic demand and more coherent,
  linking eLearning closely to the lifelong
  learning agenda. Try seriously to achieve
  coordination of resources and actions in the
  field, to the benefit of effective use of public
  resources and higher impact and visibility of the
  implemented actions. Accept intervention of
  other resources and policy concerns to support
  eLearning - even though that may cost something
  in terms of autonomy and administrative
  procedures - because the public benefit will
  easily justify the procedural complications.Polic
  y Paper of the
• European ODL Liaison Committee Released 17
  November 2004

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Jane_Langfield_at_birmingham.gov.ukwww.bgfl.org/ed
evelopment