Quick Guides

Here we present a series of quick guides on a set of topics we hope you find useful, written for us by some of the leading figures in the world of e-learning.

A Buyers Guide to offshore e-learning development:

You’ve heard the pitch to get you to place your e-learning development activities offshore: low costs; large teams; professional project management; certifications and awards. Yet, according to a wide cross-section of e-learning buyers, ‘offshoring’ is not the answer to every project.

A Quick Guide to Blended Learning:

The idea of blended learning is to synthesise a number of different approaches in order to create high impact learning. While a blended approach is not a new concept, many organisations are now combining on-line learning resources with classroom training or mixing the use of a self-paced workbook with one-to-one coaching. In this way, organisations are maximising and optimising the use of resources. This combined approach to using resources and proving linked options to learning can often increase what is learned.

A Quick Guide to Blogging and RSS: 

Blogging is here to stay. Companies that have implemented external blogging are reporting value, are expanding their efforts and we can expect more of it. As a result, consumers, customers and suppliers increasingly expect to find the “real story” from bloggers. Employees are increasingly blogging on their own as evidenced by the high rate of blog growth globally.

A Quick Guide to Serious Games and Virtual Worlds

Interest in the Serious Games field continues to grow significantly as evidenced by the growth in related conferences, research, books, industry activities and examples.

A Quick Guide to Mobile Learning

Workers are increasingly mobile and are expecting content and services in their hands. Powerful consumer devices are continuing to innovate and proliferate. While the guide is pre APP and i-phone it is still useful in outlining the challenges organisations face with this new learning trend!

A Quick Guide to Podcasting

Podcasting is experiencing a high rate of growth as evidenced by the number of podcasts being created and the number of services supporting them. Portable media player sales are growing and the capabilities of storage, connectivity and compatibility are increasing while costs for lower end devices decrease. This combination means that a growing number of consumers have devices capable of playing Podcasts, and the business case for providing media players to employees and students can be increasingly justified.

A Quick Guide to Informal Learning

Informal learning is the way most people learn to do their jobs and to get along in the world. It’s how you learned to speak English. It’s how ten-year old children learn more about personal computers than you’ll ever know. It’s how you learn to become a leader.

Formal and informal learning are ranges along a continuum overall, not opposites. Sometimes they overlap. Formal learning is characterized by a schedule, a curriculum, and a measure of accomplishment. It’s what comes to mind when someone mentions learning or training or education.