UK Training Industry Press Releases

Known as ‘Learnscape' - a term initially coined by the US-based e-learning specialist Jay Cross relating to informal learning - the Learning Light consultancy model has been piloted among companies in Yorkshire for the last two years.

Gillian Broadhead, of Learning Light, the Sheffield-based organisation which focuses on promoting the use of e-learning and learning technologies, explained: "When businesses want higher returns in shorter timescales you need to be sure you make the right investment in learning and development.

"In an ever growing global marketplace, employees are a great asset but they must have the right skills and knowledge to be able to keep driving your business forward. We believe that investing in e-learning to develop your employees is key to maintaining a competitive edge."

Broadhead stressed that Learning Light is totally independent of e-learning vendors and distributors and so guarantees to give clients impartial advice, while aligning clients' e-learning strategy with business objectives and identifying where e-learning can address the client's organisational needs effectively.

"We guide clients through the process of developing an e-learning strategy and then measure the impact of that strategy on the client's business - ensuring that clients see a positive return on their investment," pledged Broadhead.  

David Patterson, Learning Light's operations director, commented: "The Learnscape approach seeks to create an environment that nurtures continuing learning. That encompasses both formal and informal learning.

"We feel that the Learning Light ‘Learnscape' approach is unique in allowing organisations to benefit from the power of social networking tools - moving from, perhaps, fear of, or fascination with, social networking to create a Learnscape which unlocks the power of social learning," he added.

Learning Light consultants work with client organisations to discover their organisational learning strategy and then assess this against the organisation's business plan. Among other things, this produces a list of skills and knowledge gaps that need to be filled within an agreed timescale.

The next step is to evaluate the organisation's ‘learning maturity' and facilitate changes so that the organisation becomes a learning organisation, where all staff development activities - both informal and formal - contribute towards the organisation's business plan and ‘bottom line'.

Learning Light's aim is to enable organisations to move from a low level of learning maturity - characterised, among other things, by training being seen as an overhead cost rather than an investment; training comprising generic courses, and being reactive - to a high level of learning maturity, characterised by workers being considered as a pool of intellectual capital and learning being related to business strategy and business imperatives.

"There are four key concepts around which we base the principles of a learning organisation," Patterson said. "These are: information gathering and openness; conceptualisation; action learning, and reflection and renewal.

"In order to create a learning organisation, we need to address the organisation's culture; leadership; processes, and infrastructure," he continued. "Having had some two years' experience of implementing this approach within Yorkshire, we're confident that rolling out this approach throughout the UK will bring benefits for our clients - in particular, it should help them ally learning and development activities to bottom line results."

Moreover, in its capacity as a centre of excellence in promoting the use of e-learning and learning technologies, Learning Light is also able to facilitate and manage the learning and development procurement process for client organisations. While being ‘vendor neutral', Learning Light has access to over 450 reputable companies in the e-learning sector through its long established Vendor Network.

For further details of Learning Light's Learnscape consultancy model, visit http://www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/About_us/Consultancy and/or contact Learning Light at information@learninglight.com

End

Notes for Editors

About Learning Light Ltd

Sheffield-based Learning Light is a centre of excellence in the use of e-learning and learning technologies in the workplace. Its knowledge base contains over 400 papers offering insights and advice on how to use e-learning & learning technologies.

Learning Light, which operates www.e-learningcentre.co.uk one of the leading resources on e-learning in the UK, works closely with the Universities of Leeds and Sheffield and has undertaken a Systematic Literature Review of the available papers on the effective use of e-learning in conjunction with the University of Sheffield.

Learning Light occupies a unique space in the e-learning and learning technology sector networking with:

• Suppliers of e-learning and learning technologies to support the growth of the sector
• Buyers seeking out learning technology solutions to improve the effectiveness of their business or organisation
• Leading organisations worldwide who provide it with market knowledge from around the globe

It:

• Provides unbiased and impartial advice to both suppliers and buyers
• Hosts events and workshops that provide the platforms to impart and gain knowledge by encouraging collaboration and sharing of best practice
• Acts as a conduit between suppliers and buyers to forge successful business partnerships
• Provides market intelligence and benchmarking information gained from its many contacts and networking partners
• Provides access to research materials from leading learning technology professionals

Further information from:

David Patterson/ Gill Broadhead, Learning Light, +44 (0)114 223 2442

Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, +44 (0)1727 860405