Interview
Laura Overton, Skills for Business Network e-Learning champion
By popular demand the e-learning interview
returns this month. We are delighted that Laura Overton has taken
the time to answer our questions and hope that you find the answers
interesting and useful.
Q What's your INTEREST in learning/online learning?
I think that those that know me know that e-learning is more of
a passion than an interest for me. I have spent all of my career
( too many years to commit to in print!) focusing on the people
side of e-learning. Currently that passion for engaging businesses
with e-learning is being worked out through my involvement with
the Government’s work based e-learning action plan. I’m
working with the sector skills councils to help identify what employers
actually need from e-learning – quite a challenge we often
don’t know ourselves.
Q What interactive technology do you use and have at HOME?
We have a wireless DSL connection to the internet and a basic TV.
We don’t watch much TV. Our use of the internet ranges from
email, to shopping, to searches for needed information, to finding
kids resources.
Q What stands out as your MOST EFFECTIVE learning experience?
Wood Badge training for Boy Scout Leaders and flight school training
to be a pilot were both powerful learning experiences. They both
were totally immersive, and continue to impact how I think about
learning today. One was a team-based collaborative experience that
involved a lot of behavioural and a “soft skill” focus.
The other was an intense solitary activity with high degrees of
precision and procedure.
Q What stands out as your LEAST EFFECTIVE learning experience?
I made the mistake of including some pure maths in my university
degree – I had no real interest or motivation in the subject
but that ‘I’ve started so I’ll finish’ pride
stopped me from switching to a different course. I ended up ‘learning’
by focusing on how to get through the exam – I passed but
within 3 weeks had forgotten everything!
Q Any really NEW AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS out there?
Technology wise, I am sure that there are. However I think we really
ought to make more of what we already have which is why I welcome
some of the consolidation in the industry. For me new ways of supporting
learners online, creating discipline, focus and a nurturing environment
still needs to be fully exploited.
Q What do you want that DOESN'T YET EXIST in learning/online
learning?
Transparency – the technology can still get in the way of
the results of learning and puts people off.
Q Any views on the phrase and concept 'BLENDED LEARNING'?
Oh, yes! My biggest concern about blended learning is the potential
that this bit of jargon has to compromise excellence. When it started
being used a few years ago, e-learning providers jumped on the phrase
to prove that they weren’t ‘overhyping’ the opportunity
and in my mind this defocused them from the things they did do well.
Classroom providers added ‘e’ to create a prerequisite/refresher
sandwich but very little else changed. Everyone is now embracing
the phrase but very few are doing anything new or exciting with
the opportunity. Some of the examples I have seen are more ‘blanded’
than blended learning which doesn’t do our industry (either
face to face or online) justice.
Q Any views on GAMES in learning/online learning?
It amazes me that my 9 year old neighbour knows how to play collaboratively
online and can use the web to find information and build new ‘skills’
that he needs to succeed at in his online world – in his case
having fun!. Online games are training tomorrow’s workers
today and I think we need to get ready for them!
Q Any views on INTERACTIVE TV in learning/online learning?
The growth in online collaborative classroom and conferencing in
recent years is probably a foretaste of success for interactive
TV. As bandwidth continues to increase and digital TV increases
confidence of a much wider audience, this will be a medium to watch.
Q Any views on MOBILE DEVICES in learning/online learning?
The rapid adoption of mobile technologies ( phones, iPods –
you name it!) shows how easy it is for technology to catch on when
it does something that someone actually needs or feel that they
must have. If we can harness that opportunity for meaningful, relevant
learning experiences, targeted at specific audiences, we will be
onto a winner. However my gut sense is that if we call it training
or learning then we’ll probably be back where we started!
Q Any views on OPEN SOURCE in learning/online learning?
On the technology side this is a great idea but in practice on
the work based e-learning side, organisations need robust scalable
and proven solutions and I think open source has some work to do
here. On the other hand –the thought of ‘open source’
on e-learning ideas – building on each other’s experience
and best practice in engaging business with learning - would have
some mileage (although it might put a few conferences and magazines
out of business if we really got our act together).
Q What's your favourite PHRASE/QUOTE/EPIGRAM in learning/online
learning?
"Training will either be strategic or it will be marginalized’
(originally from Gloria Gery) is something that I strongly believe
to be true.
Q Could you recommend a PIECE OF RESEARCH in learning/online
learning?
I am very keen on what we can learn from the learners themselves,
why they do, what motivates them etc. but this is missing from most
online learning research. Skillsoft did some work on this last year
and I included about 2000 learners in some research published by
e-learning age – the insights were fascinating but I think
we could do more so I would like to lay down the challenge!
Q Could you recommend a BOOK in learning/online learning?
I am keen on reading books outside of learning to see if other
disciplines can add new insights to engaging people in the learning
process - anything by Kotler on marketing, for example, I find useful.
One book I would recommend is ‘Who moved my cheese’
by Spenser Johnson. E-learning success – either within organisations
or individually – really depends on how we resist or adapt
to change and this book has some simple insights that help unlock
those challenges.
Q Could you recommend a WEBSITE in learning/online learning?
For me it’s got to be Google!
Q If you were to pick one CONFERENCE to attend in learning/online
learning, what would it be?
I have always enjoyed the way that Learning
Technologies celebrates the talent and enthusiasm of the UK
e-learning industry and showcases some of our best examples.
Q Any words/phrases/ideas you'd like to BAN from learning/online
learning?
"We’ve tried that before and it didn’t work!”
Q Anything in learning/online learning that you strongly
believed in, on which you have now CHANGED YOUR MIND?
I always believed that learners would really embrace the ‘bite
size learning’ thing but since conducting my research I was
surprised by the way that they were keen to complete full programmes
and wanted recognition for achievements – (something that
they rarely get with e-learning). These attitudes are probably a
legacy of our education system but seeing them in black and white
has made me think differently about how we engage individuals with
online learning opportunities and the ways in which we promote formal
and informal learning.
Q Anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks for the chance to think through some of these questions
about an subject that inspires such debate – I know I am not
alone in my enthusiasm for this industry and would love to hear
from anyone who has conducted research in this area or has success
stories to share.
Hope you found the questions stimulating. Thanks for your answers.
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