E-Learning Events: Dates for Your Diary

The following E-learning events are taking place in the next few months:

West Midlands E-Guides Forum - Thursday 23rd April

This half day forum, aims to support the growing number of e-guides in the West Midlands region. As well as the usual sharing of best practise, experiences and ideas, this one will also include a presentation on how various learning technologies can be used within work based learning. Jane and I will also feedback on last weeks e-guides conference events for anyone who missed it. Booking for the forum is through our website.

RSC West Midlands Online Conference - 19 May to 21 May

This year’s annual RSC West Midlands conference, runs over 3 days and takes place completely online through our virtual learning environment, Moodle.

If you’ve never experienced an online conference before, or are unfamiliar with Moodle this is a great way to see it in use and discover what all the fuss is about! With another 16 training providers in this region recently signed up for their own ‘Moodles’ it’s evident that it must offer some benefits for work based learning!

This year’s themes are personalizing e-learning, managing access to e-learning and game for Learning. Topics covered will include Mobile learning, E-portfolios, Games-based learning and more. Registration is through the website.

Association of Learning providers Annual Conference – 13th/14th May

Finally, it’s worth noting that this year’s ALP conference will be held next month at the East Midlands Convention Centre, Nottingham. ALP have been a key player in the development of e-leaning in the work based learning sector - through their recent programme of Learner Innovation Grants they have funded e-learning projects to the tune of approximately £10 million so far!

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Related wobble links:

Last years online video conference
E-Guides Leading by Example
ALP's Learner Innovation Grants

To read more of Wobble click here.

More E-Guides for 2008

NIACE have confirmed that there are to be more E-Guides events taking place from September this year. They are currently in the process of updating the materials, preparing publicity and booking venues.

The E-Guides programme aims to increase the effective use of e-learning in the sector, by developing the skills and knowledge of E-Guides to support colleagues in their use of technology. Training consists of a three-day programme, and is aimed at all WBL staff who are involved with the delivery of learning across different subjects and areas of learning. The new training programme will be aligned with the National Teaching and Learning Change Programme (NLTCP) delivered by the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA).

NIACE have advised that they will announce dates as soon as possible. I will share those here but in the meantime, if anyone would like to be added to the waiting list you can email e-guides@niace.org.uk.

If you're interested in attending I'd suggest registering that interest at this stage as the last events were oversubscribed very quickly! NIACE have confirmed that people on the waiting list will be emailed directly as soon as dates are available.

Pocket-sized Video Camcorders

Day Three of our West Midlands E-guides event last week showcased more useful technologies for e-learning, with one of the favourites this time being a very inexpensive pocket-sized video camcorder, Disgo.

These video cameras have raised considerable interest in the work based learning sector because of their portability, ease of use and starting at just £35 their price! The basic Disgo model has only three buttons so you can’t go far wrong with using it either making it a great tool for learners to use (to capture evidence for e-portfolios for example).

There are a couple of models available, the basic Disgo video retailing at £35 or a disgo Video Pro at £99.99.

Both are great little tools and signal the way technologies are becoming more affordable and accessible. The reviews from BBC's "Something for the Weekend" programme on the Disgo site are worth watching as they show just how easy these pocket-sized gems are to use. This You tube review offers a users review of the Disgo and this one shows a good comparison between the two models.

With capital funding being made available though the current round of Learner Innovation Grants what better time to be exploring technologies like these and looking at ways they can be incorporated into your own provision.

Finally, if you like the idea of using video but don't fancy making your own who not explore some of the ready made content that's out there. Business and Learning Conections is certainly a good place to start!

Creating E-Resources, Trainers Doing it for Themselves

An increasing number of work based learning providers are moving towards installing learning platforms or environments that now make electronic learning materials available to their learners. Consequently, delivery staff are also being encouraged to also make their resources suitable for this medium, but as Wikipedia notes... “..the vast majority of teachers do not have the technical skills to build their own web pages, and must therefore rely on the availability of web developers to generate professional looking online content.”

I'd suggest that was true in a lot of cases, but Ive been recently pleased to see that with exe, a free content creation tool, many delivery staff now can and are, doing it for themseves.

Exe is an e-learning editor (or content creation tool) that can be used to create web-based learning and teaching materials without the need to know html or to use web-publishing applications.

Curious to know more? Here are a few links to get you started.

* Watch a very brief you tube video introduction to what eXe is all about.
* Download the software form the exe learning site where you’ll also find links to support forums etc.
* Take a look at RSC North Wests e-book that explains how to use exe which you can access in their online e-library. (Thanks to John Dalziel for that)
* Visit Exe’s Wikipedia page for online tutorials, and hints and tips to show you how to use the software.
* The free E-Guides programme includes a workshop that will show you staff how to access and use exe.
* RSC West Midlands is scheduling a content creation workshop that will cover using exe (as well as other open source tools). Keep an eye on our events page for details.
* Any other questions, feel free to get in touch (or use the comments below).

E-Guides National Event 2008

The National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE) are holding their third E-Guides National Event 2008 on 13 March in Manchester. This year's programme is jam-packed with speakers who will bring you up-to-date on key themes and issues in e-learning, and workshops that offer hands-on opportunities to improve your skills in this area.

I'm spoilt for choice as the workshop programme has a choice of over 30 titles this year, including:

Quality and inspection: what role ICT and e-learning?
E-portfolios – explored
Developing active learning strategies in e-learning
Make your photos tell a story for assessment
Mobile learning in action: Lessons from the MoLeNET project
Working with Windows Moviemaker
Mobile learning: The impact of mobility on learning, learners, society
Using electronic voting systems
Online learning skills
ICT Skills for Life

I’ll almost certainly attend as will Work Based Learning Advisers from our other RSC regions. As was noted in previous years, it’s a fantastic opportunity to get tips, ideas and to see real life examples of what e-learning has to offer.

You can watch a short video clip to see what last year’s attendees said about the 2007 event here.
Full details of this year’s programme and booking information etc can be found on http://www.niace.org.uk/eguidesnatevent.

It's worth noting there is also an additional discounted fee for E-Guides, or those who are booked to attend the three-day training programme in the future. So if you've not already booked your place on e-guides, now might be the time to do that, particularly as there are currently capital grants available for early birds that do.

Hope to see you in Manchester!

Blogs in Plain English

Part of the NIACE E-Guides staff development programme has recently been extended to include a section that looks at the significance and the usefulness of blogs as a tool that can support learners.

Commoncraft have also made a 3 minute video for people who wonder why blogs are such a big deal and I think that it supports this area nicely. It helps people understand why you might use a blog and how it works – in just 3 minutes. (By Lee and Satchi LeFever)

There is also a good regional example of a provider using a blog to support their learners and staff highlighted on our website. This outlines the impacts and benefits for delivery staff, assessors and learners.



(By me posting it here it also shows how easily you can embed a video in a blog. Yet another reason I’m also a keen fan of blogs myself!)

Capital Funding for Staff Development

I’ve updated our website with details of a brand new round of capital funding that’s just been made available to WBL providers. This is for attendance on various e-learning staff development programmes that are currently being run by the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) and the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).

WBL providers are now eligible to claim £2,500 of funding when a delegate from their organisation completes an eligible staff development programme - a great incentive for getting staff go along and discuss the potential of e-learning and to try out e-learning technologies.

You’ll find links and details of all these individual programmes on our website but I’ve also previously noted some of the activities that are covered by the E-Guides programme here. That should give you an idea of the kind of e-learning skills (and enthusiasm!) that attendees have previously come away with.

This funding is available for delegates attending on programmes that are running between 1 November 2007 and 31 August 2008 but if you’re interested in registering for any of the programmes (which I’d definately recommend) then I’d suggest you reserve your places now as places are limited! Booking details are available on our website.