E P I C   T H I N K I N G

Issue 36: November 2004

This month:
1. New white paper - iPod-learning
2a. Book review: Deschooling Society
2b. Book review: Principles and Practice of Informal Education (Learning through Life)
3. Article: Fresh research gives thumbs up to e-learning
4. Case study: FA blends it like Beckham
5. News: Catch Epic at the World of Learning show
6. Jobs: Check out the latest vacancies

iPOD-LEARNING

1. Introduction

Duke University, in the US, has distributed iPods to 1650 new students, pre-loaded with useful orientation information. Students can download from the Duke Web site, similar to iTunes, where they will find orientation schedules,audio books,
language lessons, lectures, even the University song!

Epic is launching a MP3 learning service. After an initial period of research, the findings of which are in a free White Paper called ‘Ear-learning’, we have scripted and recorded sample learning objects based on the 3 minute single principle.

Nomadic learning or m-learning has assumed that the mobile phones and/or PDAs are the most probable devices for delivery. In practice, simple MP3 players may be more effective. iPods, in
particular, have taken the market by storm. Indeed Apple has been transformed by the iPod.

So does the iPod, and similar MP3 devices, offer a new channel for learning? This is already happening. The iPod is now being used as a spoken word playback device. It is clear that its consumer appeal and ease of use makes it suitable for learning through listening.

Read more

To get your free copy contact us

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BOOK REVIEW

2a. Deschooling Society

Author: Ivan Illich

Review by Donald Clark, Epic.

Ivan Illich is a perfect example of how an immigrant can bring fresh intellectual ideas. Born in Vienna, he moved to the US in 1951 and thereafter had a huge influence on educational thought. I say ‘thought’, because his ideas, as expressed in this book, sound as fresh as they did thirty five years ago when they were first published, yet are only now beginning to bear fruit. Every educational report of note in the last few decades contains echoes of Illichian values and ideas.

Read the rest of the review

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BOOK REVIEW

2b. Principles and Practice of Informal Education

Edited by Linda Deer Richardson and Mary Wolfe

Review by Donald Clark, Epic.

I picked this book up from someone’s desk on the basis of the interesting phrase ‘informal learning’. At last, I thought, someone has written about the real world of learning which is fluid and often takes place in the home, at work and elsewhere, without the intervention of the professional apparatus of teachers, trainers and lecturers. This was a big mistake, entirely mine, not the authors. The book is actually about teaching and education by other state funded professionals, community and social workers. If you’re expecting a text that looks at real learning by individuals outside of the system, then the book has little to offer. This is about an often unrecognised part of the system – social care.

Read the rest of the review

ARTICLE -

3. Fresh research gives thumbs up to e-learning

A well researched report commissioned by Ufi from Hi Europe and Howard Hill Associates, launched this month at the CBI, looked at over 500 companies' experience and attitudes towards e-learning.

The findings are as follows:

Companies who are current users of e-learning see it growing from 15% to 29% of all training delivered (on average). Indeed, all companies have the expectation that e-learning will grow over the next two years:

1. 5000+ employees see e-learning increase from a current 14% to 33%

2. 1000-4999 employees see e-learning increase from a current 10% to 30%

3. 500-999 employees see e-learning increase from a current 8% to 26%

Classroom to shrink
This is largely displacing classroom activity:
1. 5000+ employees see classroom decrease from a current 69% to 52%

2. 1000-4999 employees see classroom decrease from a current 72% to 53%

3. 500-999 employees see classroom decrease from a current 75% to 57%

Top benefits of e-learning
1. Greater flexibility of learning
2. Greater accessibility of learning
3. Cost savings
4. Greater quantity of learning
5. More effective learning
6. Record keeping
7. Better focus on business requirements

Main successes with e-learning
1. Changing attitudes to learning
2. Reducing costs while increasing use
3. Demonstrating training function can add real value
4. Better accessibility to training opportunities
5. Flexibility
6. Supporting installation of new IT
7. Individual development/sense of achievement
8. Ensuring compliance
9. Improvement of specific skills
10. Supporting major sales programme/product launch

This is an excellent report. Howard Hills has been around for a long time in the industry and knows his stuff. Congratulations should also go to the UfI for supporting and disseminating this type of useful market data. Howard has always been brave in stating that he had evidence within his own organisation (Lloyds TSB) of the benefits, and quantified them. Yet people still claimed that there was no evidence for its effectiveness! Glad to see he’s doing the same on the outside.

See the website

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• Object-oriented programming was used, making the site modular and objects in the site re-usable
• Templates were created in Flash Construct, Epic’s proprietary script-to-screen rapid development tool, to generate the e-learning component
• Functionality was integrated in to the program design to provide loading feedback over 56K modems