According to research*, a staggering 75% of L&D staff lack instructional design skills to develop their own cost effective eLearning. In a bid to help build these instructional design skills – which can help all organisations do ‘more with less’ within their L&D budgets – The Charity Learning Consortium is hosting a one day master class with Tom Kuhlmann. The workshop is being held in Central London on 22 May.

“In today’s economy, there’s a lot of pressure on people to do more with less. Rapid elearning technologies allow this to happen,” said Tom. “I’m excited to share some practical tips and tricks that will help people succeed and deliver effective eLearning courses.”

The workshop is generic and tool neutral, and suitable for those new to eLearning as well as those who’d like to enhance their eLearning design skills. It is open to all – not just members of the Consortium – with discounts available for members of the eLearning Network and the Towards Maturity Benchmark Centre.

Martin Baker, founder and CEO of The Charity Learning Consortium, and MD of the recently formed Corporate eLearning Consortium, said: “Rapid eLearning can help to drive down L&D spend, but most learning professionals don’t possess the instructional design skills to really make the most of new eLearning technologies.

“Tom is great at supporting professionals on their eLearning journeys, and his well known learning technologies blog has garnered a massive following around the world, so I’m really looking forward to welcoming him to host this master class.”

Recently named as one of the most influential people in eLearning in the world, Tom will be sharing his expertise – which he has gathered through the colourful world of interactive and engaging eLearning – in this full day workshop.

This is Tom’s only date in London in 2012, so it offers delegates a rare opportunity to meet and work with the inspirational instructional designer, and learn how to become a rapid eLearning pro.

There is an attendance fee of £199 with discounts available for qualifying groups. Booking is online via The Charity Learning Consortium website.

*The 75% statistic was taken from the Towards Maturity benchmark report, Boosting Business Agility which is available to download from www.towardsmaturity.org/

“Too many of our L&D staff are still out of their comfort zone when it comes to designing great online content,” said Laura Overton, MD of Towards Maturity, the highly regarded learning technologies benchmarking organisation. “This is a great opportunity to develop some instructional design skills to kick start creating cost-effective in-house eLearning.”

Note to editors:

If you’d like to grab the rare chance to interview Tom Kuhlmann in person, on 22 May, please email your request to sfinch@charitylearning.org

The Charity Learning Consortium has recently become the official Articulate reseller to charities in the UK, offering substantial discounts to all registered charities, including members of the Consortium.

About Articulate

Create compelling eLearning courses with stunningly simple, remarkably powerful software from Articulate. 28,000 customers in 120 countries use Articulate’s easy-to-use tools to develop professional-looking, interactive courses that fully engage their learners. Articulate’s desktop authoring tools and Web applications include Articulate Studio, Articulate Online and Screenr. Articulate’s community, led by Rapid eLearning Blog author Tom Kuhlmann, provides hundreds of practical tutorials, helpful discussion forums, expert blogs and free downloads to help eLearning professionals succeed. It boasts more than 100,000 members, the largest and most active community in the industry.

When it comes to the power of Facebook, the statistics speak for themselves: More than 800 million people worldwide have registered with the social network – 50% of them use the site at some point every day; recent reportssuggest that in the UK alone there are more than 30 million Facebook accounts, roughly half the population. It’s the social network of choice for most people, so why not find a way for workers to access eLearning from their favourite place to be online?

Martin Baker will be leading the debateabout the potential to deliver eLearning via Facebook, on Thursday 26 January at the Learning & Skills exhibition, London Olympia. Martin is looking forward to some lively discussion in this session, which takes place in seminar theatre 6 at 12.15.

The idea grew from his work with both charities and corporates, who are looking for economical but effective solutions to L&D. In the eternal quest for ‘engagement’ with learners, asks Martin, doesn’t it make sense to take eLearning to workers, rather than the other way around?

Please join this exciting debate on the future face of eLearning!

And come and say hello at the exhibition: The Charity Learning Consortium will be exhibiting at stand number210 on the Learning & Skills floor; The Corporate eLearning Consortium will be launched at stand number31 at Learning Technologies.

About Martin Baker:

Martin Baker has been involved in eLearning for more than 20 years and is passionate about the benefits of collaborative working. He is the founder and CEO of The Charity Learning Consortium – the largest group of UK based charities collaborating to make eLearning affordable. He is also the MD of the newly formed Corporate eLearning Consortium – bringing the benefits of collaborative working to the corporate world. Martin is regarded as being one of the top ten most influential people in eLearning in the UK and works to raise the profile of the industry, regularly contributing to publications and presenting at conferences. He is a founding ambassador to the highly regarded learning technologies benchmarking organisation Towards Maturity, is an ambassador for LINGOs and sits on the eLearning Network board.

What you need to know:

Debate: Could Facebook be the saviour of L&D?

Time: 12:15 – 12:45

Date: Thursday 26th January 2012

Where: Theatre 6, Learning & Skills exhibition, Olympia London

Cost: Free!

Note to editors: Unable to make the debate, but would like to find out more about Martin’s vision for accessing eLearning via Facebook, then please get in touch email: sfinch@charitylearning.org

About The Charity Learning Consortium: Efficiency through collaboration

The Charity Learning Consortium (CLC) enables cost effective eLearning in the Third Sector. We’re the largest group of UK based charities collaborating to make eLearning affordable, with more than 100 charity members. The CLC makes online learning available to countless volunteers and well over 100,000 Third Sector staff.

Charities join to save money, but also benefit from networking with others with similar goals, sharing resources, ideas and best practice. Members also enjoy special discounts and specialist workshops designed to help them make the most of eLearning.

Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Find out more at http://www.charitylearning.org/

The Corporate eLearning Consortium – launching at stand number 31 at Learning Technologies – is a membership organisation, offering the unique opportunity for organisations to access a wide range of eLearning, whilst networking and collaborating with others with similar goals – sharing resources, ideas and best practice.

Martin Baker – who is passionate about the benefits of collaborative working – is launching this unique concept into the corporate sector, following the amazing success of The Charity Learning Consortium, which he founded and leads. The Charity Learning Consortium is the biggest group of charities in the UK collaborating to share the cost of eLearning.

The newly formed Corporate eLearning Consortium builds on this blueprint of collaboration, and has been designed to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources, particularly about eLearning, but also about other learning technologies.

The Consortium will hold regular members’ meetings in central London, with case studies, workshops and sessions led by invited specialists and guest speakers, brought in to discuss issues raised by members. These meetings provide an invaluable forum to meet, network and share best practice.

“Membership of The Corporate eLearning Consortium is very much a partnership,” explains Martin. “Like The Charity Learning Consortium before it, the Consortium is based on the mantra ‘by the members, for the members’, with its future direction being shaped by our members’ needs.

“Having seen the many benefits of this unique collaborative approach, which keeps costs down and also enables networking and sharing of best practice and resources , I’m thrilled to be launching this exciting concept into the corporate world. It’s never been more important to ‘work smart’, and by working together L&D departments really can achieve ‘more for less’.”

The new Consortium provides a large and growing portfolio of more than 180 eLearning courses to members, created by our UK publishing partner Jenison – which offers the largest range of off-the-shelf eLearning of any UK publisher. These popular courses include leadership and management; health and safety; desktop IT skills and a full suite of ‘soft skills’ such as communication skills, personal development and customer service. Learners particularly like the UK audio which features on all courses.

But the Consortium provides much, much more than just access to eLearning…. As well as the regular meetings, members can also network online, join special interest groups and monthly web based training courses.  Other benefits include a free rapid eLearning authoring tool and access to Towards Maturity’s Benchmark Centre.

All courses are hosted by The Corporate eLearning Consortium on a Moodle platform*, reducing the amount of input and support needed from IT departments – enabling corporate L&D teams to spend their valuable time and energy developing their people.

* Courseware is SCORM 1.2 compliant, ready to be installed on any SCORM 1.2 compliant LMS

About Martin Baker:

Martin Baker has been involved in eLearning for more than 20 years and is passionate about the benefits of collaborative working. He is the founder and CEO of The Charity Learning Consortium – the largest group of UK based charities collaborating to make eLearning affordable. He is also the MD of the newly formed Corporate eLearning Consortium – bringing the benefits of collaborative working to the corporate world. Martin is regarded as being one of the top ten most influential people in eLearning in the UK and works to raise the profile of the industry, regularly contributing to publications and presenting at conferences. He is a founding ambassador to the highly regarded learning technologies benchmarking organisation Towards Maturity, is an ambassador for LINGOs and sits on the eLearning Network board.

Note to editors:

If you’re visiting Learning Technologies then please come and say hello at stand number 31 – or text Susie Finch at the show on 07938 632 057. Can’t make it to Learning Technologies but would like to find out more about The Corporate eLearning Consortium and Martin’s vision for the new organisation? Then please email sfinch@elearningconsortium.com

Members of The Charity Learning Consortium (CLC) have enthusiastically embraced a collaborative video learning project, after 200 Flip Cameras were given to them by Cisco through a partnership with the Charity Technology Exchange (CTXchange). The cameras are being shared amongst the more than 100 charities which are members of the CLC.

Each member of the Consortium has been challenged to produce three short pieces of video learning for the massive group venture.  The videos will ultimately be posted on a special You Tube channel.

The exciting project received the thumbs up from members when they collected their cameras at a recent meeting in London, where they discussed ideas for video content. These include asking their charity chiefs why L&D is important to their organisation or what their top management tip might be.

Dave Thorneywork, Senior Training Officer (volunteers) at The Royal British Legion, commented: “I’m really excited about this project, which is a great way to get the knowledge and skills to our members and volunteers that they need to carry out their essential work for us. I’ve already drafted a story board and have recorded a few test recordings.”

Alison Sandham, the National Staff Development Manager for Victim Support, was equally enthusiastic, saying:  “I can’t wait to get videoing with my flip cam which looks so easy to use. I am meeting our new Senior Learning and Skills Manager and I can’t wait to include him in my videoing. I am also going to get myself on camera – to share what my top management tip is. Having been a management trainer for many years I have plenty to share. So watch out colleagues, there’s a video cam about!”

Martin Baker, founder and CEO of the Consortium, said he was thrilled that Cisco, via CTXchange, had contributed the cameras, which are now being put to great use. Members of the Consortium had really ‘embraced the challenge’ he said:

“What our members lack in budget they make up for in enthusiasm and creativity, so they have really embraced this challenge wholeheartedly, and I can’t wait to see the results!”

Richard Cooper, Development Manager at the Charity Technology Trust, which co-ordinates the CTXchange programme, said: “It’s so great to see charities putting these donated Flip cameras to such good use. Videos are a great way for organisations to share knowledge and expertise, and we are so pleased that CTXchange has been able to facilitate this.”

About The Charity Learning Consortium: Efficiency through collaboration

The Charity Learning Consortium (CLC) enables cost effective eLearning in the Third Sector. We’re the largest group of UK based charities collaborating to make eLearning affordable, with more than 100 charity members. The CLC makes online learning available to countless volunteers and well over 100,000 Third Sector staff.

Charities join to save money, but also benefit from networking with others with similar goals, sharing resources, ideas and best practice. Members also enjoy special discounts and specialist workshops designed to help them make the most of eLearning. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do.

About CTXchange
Charity Technology Trust’s CTXchange programme enables eligible charities and charitable housing associations to receive hardware and software products, donated by leading brands, to improve the efficiency of their operations. It is part of a global partnership operated by Techsoup, headquartered in the USA. The programme has helped donate hardware and software to over 6,000 charities.

About Charity Technology Trust (CTT)
CTT is an impartial, non-profit-making organisation which provides the charitable sector with information technology and support services including hardware, software and support for e-mail marketing and online payments systems. 6,000 charities have already benefitted from technology donations of hardware and software. Formed in 2001, CTT is the only UK registered charity devoted to improving the operational efficiency of charities through the use of information technology.

“My highlight of 2011 was undoubtedly the first Charity Learning Conference and Awards. I was thrilled that it was such a success, and am already looking forward to our next conference and awards in November 2012.  I know that some of our members faced budget cuts, but I am impressed with how robust charities are – their attitude is always to keep looking forward, and face new challenges with fresh new thinking. It’s this inspirational approach that really shines through when you look at the work that is being done in charity learning – which is a great example for corporate organisations to follow in the continuing tough economic climate. The amazing success of the collaborative approach of the Charity Learning Consortium has led to the formation of The Corporate eLearning Consortium, so 2012 really is set to be exciting year for us!”
Martin Baker, CEO of The Charity Learning Consortium & MD of The Corporate eLearning Consortium

“2011 saw budget cuts, including staff. It has been challenging to deliver what is needed with less budget and time (people). ELearning, online booking systems and making use of other technologies such as webinars have been so important in helping us meet our learning needs using the resources available. I look forward to 2012, and have hopes of making better use of video, discussion forums and mobile devices, making it even easier for our staff to learn at a pace to suit them, at a location to suit them.”
Debbie Barker-Runiewicz, responsible for health & safety L&D at The National Autistic Society

“Reduced resources over the last year have created an opportunity for increased innovation, particularly in the charity sector. Budgets, time and even training teams are decreasing but the need for skills and improved performance within the sector does not go away. As a result the sector is increasingly looking at innovative ways to use learning tools and technologies that are freely available and this is starting to pay dividends. In 2012, I would expect to see even more collaboration across the sector to create innovative learning programmes that can be used by all, as well as increased use of free resources such as social media , user generated content and open educational resources being introduced across the blend to improve quality and reduce cost even further.”
Laura Overton, Managing Director of learning technologies benchmarking organisation Towards Maturity

“Today’s economic climate means we need to use every possible lever to increase the opportunities of society’s most disadvantaged people, by helping them access work, learning and life chances. Charities are powerful enablers of this vital work and I’d like to see more being bold and imaginative in how they think about technology. Thinking ‘digital by default’, both in terms of their own processes and services and also in how they engage and up-skill their client base, will allow them to deliver brilliant tools, products and services to users and staff at dramatically lower costs. I’d like 2012 to see a big upswell in the number of digital champions in the charitable sector.” 
Martha Lane Fox, UK Digital Champion and founder of Race Online 2012

“Last year was a tough year for everyone. Despite this, we have seen more and more charities coming to us to gain access to technology. We expect that 2012 is going to be more of the same, with charities and other non-profits looking to technology to improve their efficiency and their effectiveness. It is going to become even more crucial that charities can give their staff easy access to information, knowledge, and learning resources through technology if they are going to survive in the current economic environment.”
Richard Cooper, Development Manager at the Charity Technology Trust

“In 2011 we launched our online learning system at WRVS. Contrary to some expectations, many people were ready to embrace the use of technology for learning. A year ago I was having regular conversations persuading people to at least give it a go – now, more often than not, people accept it as the norm. I think this shows how acceptable and credible online learning has become and is now a standard method of learning, not just ‘the new kid on the block’. For 2012 I am looking forward to a wider but targeted use of online learning to support our organisational needs and purpose – providing practical support to older people.”
Richard Bragg, Learning and Development Partner at WRVS
 
“Last year was obviously hard for L&D and the situation is not going to change anytime soon. If there is a bright spot it is that decisions on long-overdue changes now really do have to be made. We are moving more activities online, while at the same time recognising that we’ve been placing too much of an emphasis on formal learning. And mobile devices are pointing the way to an exciting future.”
Clive Shepherd, highly regarded commentator on learning technologies and chairman of the first Charity Learning Conference and Awards 2011
 
“2011 was undoubtedly the year of social networking.  It has spread like wildfire into organisations that have been wary and nervous about the implications of embracing it.  First they blocked personal use of social networking sites, then they stopped internal usage – all the while espousing the use of informal learning in the workplace!  This has produced contradictions and pressures that will burst out in 2012. So my prediction is that many, many more organisations will use social networking apps to share knowledge quickly, and build a better more co-operative workplace culture. They will resolve all the security issues and begin to trust their staff to say and do the right thing.  And my second prediction is that all the millions of people who got iPads for Christmas will begin an unstoppable demand to use their tablets for work and particularly work-based learning. “
Nigel Paine, MD at Nigel Paine.com – Nigel presented an inspirational workshop on creativity and innovation at the Charity Learning Conference 2011

Join us for an inspring day including:

• Member presentation by Andy Lancaster, Learning & Development Manager at Hanover Housing Association

• CLC YouTube Channel: How to Create Videos

Laura Overton, MD of Towards Maturity will be facilitating the afternoon workshop session entitled ‘Induction Strategies that Work’. In this interactive workshop, you will apply lessons learned from previous workshops to consider:

• How to create a great first impression with induction training
• How to use new learning media more effectively
• How to help staff hit the ground running
• Involving line managers and peers in the induction process

When: 1st March 2012
Where: London
Who: MEMBERS ONLY

Book your place by filling in the following form:

Martin is now an official Ambassador to LINGOs – a US based consortium of more than 75 international humanitarian relief, development, conservation and health organisations. Eric Berg, the Executive Director of LINGOs, has become an official Ambassador to the CLC.

The two organisations have formed the partnership to support one another – and to fly the flag for global, award winning Charity Learning. Martin and Eric, who recently met up in Las Vegas while at DevLearn, said they were looking forward to collaborating, and promoting the great work that is being done in charity L&D.

Martin Baker commented: “I’m delighted to be sharing our experiences and knowledge with LINGOs, a like minded organisation with similar core values and ethos. It’s great to be able to support each other to deliver eLearning to charities around the World.”

Eric Berg, Executive Director at LINGOs added: “We’re excited about collaborating with Martin Baker and The Charity Learning Consortium, and hope that our combined expertise will benefit the community of NGOs working in global development and humanitarian relief.

“At LINGOs, we’re committed to making world-class learning available, accessible and affordable where it really matters: to those working in the developing world to reduce poverty and alleviate suffering. We’re very pleased to be working with the CLC to further those aims.”

About LINGOs

LINGOs is a consortium of over 75 international humanitarian relief, development, conservation and health organizations. LINGOs provides access to world-class learning from its private sector partners that is appropriate, accessible and affordable, so that member agencies can increase the skill levels of their employees, and therefore increase the impact of their programs.

About The Charity Learning Consortium: Efficiency through collaboration
The Charity Learning Consortium (CLC) enables cost effective eLearning in the Third Sector. We’re the largest group of UK based charities collaborating to make eLearning affordable, with more than 100 charity members. The CLC makes online learning available to countless volunteers and well over 100,000 Third Sector staff.

Charities join to save money, but also benefit from networking with others with similar goals, sharing resources, ideas and best practice. Members also enjoy special discounts and specialist workshops designed to help them make the most of eLearning.

Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Find out more at www.charitylearning.org

Martin commented: “I warmly welcome the recommendations of the Leadership 20:20 report, that suggests that a greater priority should be given to the development of staff and volunteers in the charity sector.

As a society, we are more reliant than ever before on the services that charitable and not-for-profit organisations provide, and it is essential that staff have the right skills for the job if we are ever to realise the dream of the Big Society.

I am passionate about collaborative working, and what charities can achieve together – which is at the heart of the Consortium. Together, our members inspire and support one another to ‘think outside the box’ and make the most of limited budgets to develop their staff.

Our members prove time and again that you don’t necessarily need a big budget for effective learning & development, but being able to tap into the collective expertise of the Consortium really does help – as does a good helping of creativity and drive. Charities like Barnardo’s – the winner of the Best overall eLearning programme in the Charity Learning Awards – are a shining example of excellence in charity learning that any organisation, in any sector, can learn much from.

It is of course essential that learning meets both organisational and employee needs, and is not just a tick box type exercise in response to a recommended minimum number of hours for staff development. I’m glad to say that my experience of the sector makes me confident that Charity Learning professionals are keen to ‘work smart’.”

A report from the launch of the Commission’s findings is available here.

About The Charity Learning Consortium: Efficiency through collaboration
The Charity Learning Consortium (CLC) enables cost effective eLearning in the Third Sector. We’re the largest group of UK based charities collaborating to make eLearning affordable, with more than 100 charity members. The CLC makes online learning available to countless volunteers and well over 100,000 Third Sector staff.

Charities join to save money, but also benefit from networking with others with similar goals, sharing resources, ideas and best practice. Members also enjoy special discounts and specialist workshops designed to help them make the most of eLearning.

Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Find out more at www.charitylearning.org

Learning and development (L&D) departments, usually amongst the first to be subject to cuts, are struggling to meet the call from senior management to deliver ‘more for less’. They wonder – quite rightly – whether this is really possible. First of all, we have to know what ‘more’ really means. Are we looking for more learning? This implies greater effectiveness – in other words, the same number of learners, but better results from every intervention that we deliver. Well, believe it or not, this is possible, assuming we work a little smarter.

Effectiveness comes not from the ways in which we use technology but the methods we select. So, when we get people together to learn in a group, we use that time for activities that you can only accomplish in a group – like sharing ideas and experiences, and practising skills – not dumping information. We continue to provide some elements of the learning experience one-to-one because it is fantastically effective. And we provide the opportunity for people to take control of their own learning, so they can focus on what is really relevant to them, at a time when it is most relevant. Sound familiar? Yes, this is blended learning – designed intelligently.

“Every learner is also potentially a teacher: No-one knows everything but everyone knows something.”

‘More’ might also mean more learners. Well, we are not going to achieve this face-to-face, because we simply don’t have the trainers, the facilities, the time or the money. We have to turn to new approaches that allow learning content to be distributed more flexibly to many more people. As an extreme example, Stanford University recently announced an online course in artificial intelligence, led by the world’s top experts and available free online. Some 93,000 people have so far enrolled. Now, obviously this is not going to be ‘high-touch’ in terms of tutor support, but 93,000 people can provide an awful lot of support to each other through collaborative online work in forums and wikis. To reach more learners we need not only great content but a realisation that every learner is also potentially a teacher: No-one knows everything but everyone knows something.

So what about the ‘less’ side of the equation? Well, less can mean less time. We can save time by not over-engineering our courses, by keeping them short and simple and concentrating on key principles and core skills, not detail. We can save time by selectively providing courses on a self-study basis – you can generally reckon to halve the time you would otherwise have spent in a classroom. You can save time by keeping your live group sessions shorter (which also aids effectiveness) and, where possible, conducting them online instead of face-to-face. And just about all these techniques will result in lower cost because, after all, time is money.

In many organisations, ‘less’ is also – sadly – evidenced in the number of employees working in L&D. This would be manageable to some extent if there was increased money available for outsourcing, but this is not always the case. So, if you have less trainers, what do you do? First and foremost you have to shift the emphasis from courses – the formal elements, whether live or self-study, face-to-face or online – to resources. Courses are needed to inspire learners and to provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to progress forward on their own with some confidence. From that point on the emphasis shifts to resources – both people and content – that can support learners as and when they need it. You will never be able to be this resource for every learner yourself. As we have already concluded, in the organisation of the future everyone is a teacher as well as a learner. And that’s how you really can achieve more with less.

Clive Shepherd was the chairman at the first Charity Learning Conference and Awards this year, where he was interviewed by Martin Couzins, then acting editor of TrainingZone. In the interview he talks about new ‘lean’ ways of working in learning and development. With thanks to Martin Couzins.

Clive Shepherd is a partner in Onlignment, a consultancy specialising in the application of technology to learning and communications in the workplace. He was the co-founder of Epic, the eLearning developer, and before that Director, Training and Creative Services for American Express. For four years he was also chair of The eLearning Network. Clive speaks internationally on workplace learning and development and contributes regularly to his blog, Clive on Learning. He is also the author of the Blended Learning Cookbook and The New Learning Architect.

We also have some more in-depth case studies with Macmillan Cancer Support, The National Autistic Society and Plan. Feel free to download these, and find out more about the great work that is being done within Charity learning.

Video interviews with Laura Overton, Nigel Paine and Clive Shepherd
We were delighted to welcome Martin Couzins, then acting editor of TrainingZone, to spend the day at the Charity Learning Conference and Awards. He carried out quick video interviews with Laura Overton, Clive Shepherd and Nigel Paine, who were all involved in our fantastic first conference. We’ve uploaded the videos on site, and hope they will inspire you to think about how videos like this could be used within your organisation.

Laura Overton, MD of learning technologies benchmarking organisation Towards Maturity, and regular CLC workshop leader, talks about which learning technologies will provide the greatest opportunities for the charity sector in the next 18 months:

What stops you innovating? Not enough money? Not the right Culture? Hear what innovation specialist Nigel Paine suggests about starting to think more creatively and innovatively, to ultimately transform your organisation’s L&D:

The video interview with Clive Shepherd is on site here:

Diary dates
We now have a calendar on our lovely new website! Click here to see what’s coming up, but we’re particularly looking forward to Learning & Skills at London Olympia, 25-26 January 2012 – come and see us at stand number 210.