What’s on the web

Citation

(2006), "What’s on the web", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 20 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/dlo.2006.08120fag.001

What’s on the web

For lifewww.lifelonglearning.co.uk

Not as trendy as it used to be, lifelong learning is still a vital strand of our national learning policy – and while this site has been around a long time, there are regular very interesting updates. Last month the site majored on the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency report – into learning and digital technology. It discusses whether you are what is termed a “digital native,” someone who has grown up with technology, or a “digital immigrant,” someone trying to catch up with the new lingo. Either way there are some fascinating glimpses of the future in this recent report from Becta.

The Report comes in the form of five think pieces. Each looks at a particular aspect of emerging technology and their likely impact on education over the next three to five years. As such this is a strategic rather than a technical paper and so mercilessly free of “techno jargon” though excitement at spotting an imminent tipping point in the evolution of technology does spill over on occasions. Well worth a read – and the rest of the site contains much useful (though sometimes dated) stuff as well.

Learndirectwww.learndirect-advice.co.uk

Almost everyone has had a not-too-good experience with learndirect – the strange and rather odd child of the original University for Industry (ufi). From their clunky approach to e-learning to their endless duplication of learning approaches done better elsewhere, they have become something of a joke in the learning world.

I was prepared to be seriously unimpressed by their web site and at first the number of bugs/errors was a problem. Searching for a course near my home town resulted in my being given one 260 miles away! My researcher in the West Country found her nearest learndirect centre was nearly 40 miles away – giving a new meaning to distance learning.

However, the site does have a lot of useful stuff and is very quick. The help and advice section (by e-mail) provided a good clear response.

So, not as bad as expected, but could do better.

Europe-wideelearningeuropa

This site has reviews, articles, and resources devoted to e-learning from a European perspective. It is a really useful resource. The site is dedicated to explaining and promoting e-learning and has a lot of very interesting and readable information. The format is a little dull (as with many EU sites) but the content is excellent. Topics include e-learning fundamentals, social and human aspects of e-learning, ways of learning and teaching, Implementation tools and resources and institutions and policies.

A particularly good section is entitled “Partner search” where you may find a partner to participate in your e-learning project or activity.

Circuit trainingwww.learningcircuits.org

With members in over 100 countries and 15,000 organizations, The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) is the leading association for workforce learning professionals, possibly in the world. The ASTD’s online magazine offers feature articles, columns, and interactive areas for everyone interested.

It aims to promote and aid the use of e-learning, creating a body of knowledge about how to use technology efficiently and effectively for learning. The web site is fully interactive with discussions, demos and resources, and articles on a weekly basis. A bi-weekly opt-in email newsletter, LC Express, sends news, teasers, and links to subscribers. There are nearly 500 articles currently on the site. Well worth a visit.

And finally

Some proverbs from around the world:

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  India – “Learning acquired in youth is an inscription on stone”.

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  Italy – “The teacher is like the candle, which lights others in consuming itself”.

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  Japan – “There are no national frontiers to learning”.

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  Latin – “Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time”.

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  Russia – “Education is light, lack of it is darkness”.

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  Spain – “Wisdom is the best traveling companion”.

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  Zen Buddhism – “When the mind is ready, a teacher appears”.

Contact uswww.emerald insight.com

For a particularly interesting and useful site you could always try our own! And if you have any favorite (or otherwise) sites that you would like us to review on these pages, please drop us an e-mail and we will submit them to our usual rigorous analysis.