Epic Napsterises e-learning

Epic Group plc could change the face of e-learning over the next few years with its new 'Napsterisation of e-learning' system. Epic has developed peer-to-peer (P2P) software and content that allows users to access, create and share e-learning content and services. This Napster-like software allows easy, direct and cheap access to e-learning content through a shared service.

'Within an organisation, the more people that know what you know, the more valuable it becomes,' says Donald Clark, CEO of Epic Group. 'You benefit from the law of increasing returns. The more people who use it, the more everyone benefits. Peer power fuels the growth of content, and collective creation amplifies the learning to the community as a whole. It's a whole new way of looking at the e-learning revolution, where people are the killer application!'

In an innovative deal with the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA), Epic is delivering e-learning to all Local Authorities. IDeA will have the rights to use both the software and content in the Local Authorities market, while all other markets are available to Epic.

UK Local Authorities employ 8 million staff and spend £500 million a year on staff development and training. Even if just 1% of Local Authorities training moved online, the savings to Local Government could be in excess of £30 million per annum.

Learning materials can be as sophisticated as a complete e-learning course, or as simple as a PowerPoint presentation about a new procedure - so long as they have a learning objective they are called Learning Objects.

Councils who subscribe will be able to download software onto their computers, which includes a tool to enable them to develop their own Learning Objects. These Objects can be used on their own internal ICT systems and also be classified and loaded into the system to enable others to share what they have developed.

In order to find a Learning Object on a particular subject, councils can search the central register and be shown a list of matching Learning Objects from other Local Authorities in the network. These can be downloaded for use directly as they are, or be incorporated into a wider programme.

'This approach taps into the real need for learners and trainers to create and share content. Nobody knows more than everybody and this gives us the ability to learn from everybody. In the same way that Napster gives you access to millions of MP3 music files, this system gives you access to a huge repository of Learning Objects, a repository that grows organically. It's a model that has already been proven on the Internet in music. We believe it has even more potency in the world of knowledge and learning. This may change the e-learning landscape forever.' says Donald.

The full service was launched in London on 12 December, and will be rolled out across a number of Authorities over the next few months, with the system going live in April 2002.

Donald Clark's White Paper, The Napsterisation of e-learning (P2P) is available on request. For a summary, please click here.