E P I C T H I N K I N G
Issue 52: April 2006 - pre-ITEC issue
This month:
1. Intro: ITEC buildup
2. Feature: Consultant's
Corner
3. Hall of Fame: Internet
Content
4. Article: The Future of Qualifications
5. Press release:
Epic propels ICT challenge
6a. Book review: The Singularity is Near
6b. Book review:
The Blended Learning Book
7.Show report: New Technologies in Learning
8. Jobs: See the latest Epic positions
9. Blended Learning workshops: New dates for 2006
INTRO
1. ITEC buildup
By Steve Macvicar, MD, Epic
Epic will once again be exhibiting at the ITEC exhibition and conference
to take place this year at ExCel from May 16th to 18th.
The 3 day ITEC conference covers all types of training solutions,
systems, methodologies and procurement ideas so as to ensure that
defence forces are well trained to meet the challenge of all types
of military operations.
Showcasing new defence training and simulation products, applications
and technology, the ITEC exhibition provides innovative technical
training solutions to meet the training needs of the defence sector.
Epic has provided numerous e-learning and blended learning solutions
for the defence sector in the past, check out our client
list.
Epic will exhibit on stand 740 and will be demonstrating our SIMsoft
process, showing branching scenario simulation products for softskills
and systems training as well as the latest in mobile learning and
bespoke products delivered by PDA. If you would like to visit the
exhibition, please contact us at marketing@epic.co.uk
for a free ticket.
At the exhibition, Donald Clark of Epic, will be speaking. If you
want to see this presentation, you had better get there early -
Donald was voted Speaker
of the Year at the last two ITEC conferences.
FEATURE
2. Consultant's Corner
By Steve Barden, Head of Consulting, Epic
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development recently released
the findings of their Learning and Development Survey. The survey
of 2006 has strong resonance but raises some interesting conundrums.
More than 600 responses from L&D Managers in the private (62%)
public (29%) and voluntary sectors provided some significant indicators,
across several themes, the most interesting of which are highlighted
by these four:
- Demonstrating the value of learning and development
- Changes in workplace learning
- Developing a coaching culture
- Involvement in organisational change
Read our full commentary
HALL OF FAME
3. Internet Content
By Donald Clark, Epic
The web has produced lots of tools for learning. Google and other
search engines have opened up large repositories of knowledge. In
terms of learning content the web also has its online sources that
now contribute directly to learning. These range from full online
courses to deep and rich knowledge bases. In a direct challenge
to traditional print and classroom courses, online learning is accelerating
and there are two outstanding examples, one of courses, the other
a knowledge base, where the end-product is proof-enough of their
success.
James Sperling changed the face of higher education in the US when
he built the University of Phoenix. This hugely successful learning
organisation had and still has online learning at its core. Sperling
bucked the trend and had to fight for years to get this organisation
off the ground, and when he succeeded it became a very successful
business turning him into a billionaire.
Jimmy Wales is to be congratulated for producing a truly astonishing
online encyclopedia. It is astonishing because it was written, edited
and policed by its users, reversing traditional models of publishing.
It is the fastest growing and most used single knowledge base on
the web and a true example of a radical idea and business model,
changing the very idea of how knowledge is created and distributed.
Read more on Sperling
ARTICLE
4. The Future of Qualifications – are you up to date?
Article by Eric Linin, Associate Consultant, Epic
Despite the fact that the existing National Qualifications Framework
contains more than 4000 qualifications it is widely criticised for
not meeting the needs of employers and learners. So much so that
industry in the UK spends around £23 billion p.a. on training
provision or in developing in-house awards that are outside the
framework.
Read the rest
of the report
PRESS RELEASE
5. Epic propels ICT challenge
Epic was recently invited to sit on a Round Table also comprising
Cambridge University Press, Atomic Assets, UKLearnOnline, Intel
and the United Nations Global eSchools and Communities Initiative
(GeSCI)
to formally launch an e-learning partnership to advance the agenda
for e-learning in the developing world.
The partners are working together to benefit countries where learning
content is a critical issue, initially focusing on Namibia and India,
and are looking to provide students and teachers in these developing
nations with access to quality e-learning objects and a systematic
way of researching and integrating content into a national ICT in
Education initiative. The group will also concentrate on the provision
of learning objects into the E-Learning Asset Network (ELAN), a
digital framework which allows educational institutions access to
both free and for-purchase content through a web-based portal.
Harnessing ICT to strengthen education and communities is vital
in the fight to reduce poverty in some of the poorest parts of the
world and the alliance will seek to explore the digital content
challenge for developing nations.
The Round Table event was held at the Cass Centre, Cambridge University
Press on April 20th and tackled topics such as how UK education
stakeholders can help developing nations with specific regard to
digital content.
If you would like any further information on any of the above please
contact us at marketing@epic.co.uk
BOOK REVIEW
6a. The Singularity is Near
When Humans Transcend Biology
Author: Ray Kurxweil
Publisher: Viking (2005)
Review by Donald Clark, Epic
Ray Kurzweil gave the opening address at ASTD conference in the
opening act at ASTD TechKnowledge this month. He’s the must-read,
tech-guru of the moment and if he’s right, we’re in
for a technology trip that will rip us into the future faster than
we ever envisaged. So is he right or is it more hype and hyperbole?
Read the rest of the
review
BOOK REVIEW
6b. The Blended Learning Book
Author: Josh Bersin
Publisher: Pfeiffer (2005)
Review by Donald Clark, Epic
This is one of the better books on blended learning I’ve
read, and I’ve read a few. It is credible because it attempts
to do the subject justice by recommending a definition, analysis
and recommendations for the design, development and delivery of
optimal blends, along with many excellent case studies. In this
sense it’s fairly exhaustive. I have real issues with his
overall taxonomy and some of the detail, but who wouldn’t
in such a thorough attempt at such an inherently fuzzy concept.
Read the rest
of the review
SHOW REPORT
7. New Technologies in Learning
Report by John Helmer, Epic
Who drives the use of technology in learning? Is it vendor push,
or client demand? Covering m-learning, podcasts, wikis, blogs, and
what are now being called ‘serious games’ – ELN’s
latest conference asked this question. And the answer that emerged,
for me at least, was…. neither.
Read the rest of the report
RETURN OF POST
If you have:
* a question to put to the Epic Thinking user base
* a response to any of the points raised here
* a suggestion for a topic you'd like to see covered
mail
us right now
HOUSEKEEPING
Fed up with your colleagues
reading this newsletter over your shoulder? Tell them to get
their own...
To
subscribe click here putting 'subscribe' in the subject
field
To
unsubscribe click here putting 'unsubscribe' in the subject
field
Epic provides a full range
of services and facilities from consultancy to delivery of
e-learning and e-government solutions. Epicentre, part of
Epic provides a dedicated testing and localisation service.
To order our corporate
brochure email click
here
and put 'brochure' in the subject line
CONFIDENTIALITY
This email and any attachments
are private and confidential and may also be subject to legal
privilege. If you are not the named recipient, please notify
the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to
another person, use it for any purpose, or store or copy the
information in any medium. Internet communications are not
secure and Epic is not responsible for their misuse by third
parties, or for any possible alteration or data corruption
in transmission. You should not rely solely on the contents
that should be checked against hard copy.
top
|
