LearningAge Solutions 2009 News

I'm speaking at the excellent Learning Technologies conference in January 2010. This is the conference for learning professionals in the UK so I'm thrilled to be a part of it, particularly given the calibre of the other speakers. I've only ever heard rave reviews of this conference so it's worth attending it you can make it.

Back on Board
I am delighted to have been re-elected to the eLearning Network Board and will be continuing in the role of Events Coordinator. We've got two new Board members to welcome this year - Matt Brewer and Katherine Chapman. Coincidentally Katherine recently completed the ReD course (see below).

Cambridge Progress
Work is going well at Cambridge;we've completed the first course and are now working on online content for two more. The main challenge has been achieving the level of accessibility required (beyond W3C) whilst still making the learning activity-based and engaging. They are making their rather excellent Sakai learning environment SCORM compliant, so they can run and track their elearning content in it. Cambridge are way ahead of most other universities in their use of elearning and digital media and it's great to be a part of their journey.

Judge Rob
I was recently asked to be a judge on the 2009 eLearning Awards. Competition was hot and this year the quality of submissions was higher than ever. The icing on the cake was attending the black-tie eLearning Awards Dinner in a Park Lane hotel. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!

September 2009
Rapid eLearning Development Course
For the last nine months I've been working on the Ministry of ID's Rapid eLearning Development (ReD) course. It's a groundbreaking design and we've had some wonderful feedback. If you want to learn how to build effective learning content using the latest tools this could be the course for you.

May 2009
Sunshine in Cambridge
I’m delighted to be helping the University of Cambridge define and implement an elearning and blended learning strategy for their 8500 staff and academics. Already the university is doing some great things with technology and I’m looking forward to working with the Centre for Applied Research in Educational Technologies (CARET). On top of that Cambridge is a drop-dead beautiful town.

Musical Chairs
As well as organising it, I also got to chair the eLearning Network's excellent conference on 'Creating Engaging and Effective Learning Content'. The day went really well and we had some great feedback. Check out this collaborative mindmap (an output from the day) for some of the latest thinking on how to create truly effective content.

All Together Now
I’ve been asked to help debate and discuss the possible shape of future learning technologies on the All Together Now social network. This is an opportunity to actually get our voices heard and shape UK government adult education policy. Get yourself over there and get involved!

March 2009
What a Twit
If it's good enough for Stephen Fry it's good enough for me: I'm now on twitter. Search for me by name and 'follow' me to receive my random musings on life, the universe and occasionally elearning.

One Down Three to Go
The Making the Case for eLearning conference was a great success! We had lots of positive feedback and delegates enjoyed the highly interactive approach we took. About half the audience where first timers, showing the groundswell of interest in elearning and the eLearning Network.

February 2009
Not to be Missed...
I'm the eLN Events Coordinator this year and we've been busy getting our programme of conferences up and running. The first, Making the Case for eLearning on 27 Fenbrauary is hotly tipped to be a sell out, so get your tickets while you still can.

LearningAge Solutions 2008 News

November 2008
eLearning Network Committee 2009 - I'm in!
I am delighted to have been elected to the eLearning Network Committee for 2009, so many thanks if you voted for me! I'm looking forward to helping further grow eLN activities over the coming year, and in particular working with the other committee members, all of whom are leading lights within the industry. Now there is just the infamous eLN initiation to survive…

eLearning Network Conference Guest Speaker
I'm thrilled to be one of the guest speakers at the upcoming eLearning Network event on Emerging Trends in Learning Technologies on 21 November 2008. There are some great names on the bill and the conference looks to be as pertinent as ever - not to be missed. My session is going to be hands-on, examining new technologies and the learning needs they could meet. Book your ticket now!

Stop the Press
Actually, don't. I've been commissioned to write a series of articles for the Training Journal magazine to be published monthly from January 2009. The first, entitled 'eLearning What is it Good For?', looks at where elearning works well and where other training methods should be considered. The series of articles aims to help those who are new to elearning make their first steps successful ones.

October 2008
e2train Conference Guest Speaker
I recently spoke at the e2train Kallidus Uncovered 2008 user conference. The event was in the beautiful Cotswold Water Park. I delivered a session on 'Instructional Design Best Practices' as the autumn sunshine glinted off the lake. The session went down well and I met some great people too.