Learning Light
Second Floor, Gladstone Building,
1 St James Row, Sheffield, S1 2EU
Tel +44 (0)114 223 2442; Web www.learninglight.com
24th May 2007
Learning Light becomes the trustee for £15m of the UK's e-learning
content
Learning Light (LL), a non-profit organisation seeking to establish
itself as a centre of excellence in the use of learning technologies in
the workplace, has become a trustee of UK LearnOnline. In a major boost
to the UK's e-learning industry, Learning Light has entered an
agreement with the UK LearnOnline consortium of developers to manage
and promote the sales of learning materials worldwide.
UK LearnOnline, a consortium of learning content producers which has
developed the learning content for the National Learning Network (NLN)
and will involve the promotion of the UK learning industry on a global
scale, has appointed Learning Light (LL), a non-profit centre of
excellence in the use of learning technologies in the workplace, as a
trustee of the consortium. In this matter, Learning Light was advised
by Peter Rawlinson, partner at Wake Smith, specialists in IT/IP and
corporate sector deals.
The UK LearnOnline consortium comprises of some of the UK's leading
e-learning businesses: Epic, the Workshop, Digitalbrain and the
National Extension College (NEC).
The learning content's production value has been estimated at some
$29.55m (£15m) by the British Educational Communications and Technology
Agency (Becta), which has responsibility for ensuring that learning
content in the UK is 'fit for purpose' and matches the needs of both
the learner and the learner's organisation. The NLN content is over 600
hours long and covers a wide range of topics, from travel & tourism and
environmental conversation to performing arts, sports and recreation.
NLN content is intended for a wide range of learners - from 16 year
olds through to adults - covering adult and community learning; further
and higher education; offender learning, and work-based learning. While
the content is freely available in the UK, Learning Light is developing
a number of channel partners in order to distribute this material
outside the UK, by using its network of international expertise it has
built up.
"The increased exposure of the UK learning industry through the
activities of Learning Light working with UK LearnOnline will offer
significant opportunities - internationally - for both locally-based
and national e-learning organisations," said Mark Pearce, of
theWorkshop and the chair of UK LearnOnline.
"In addition, there are plans to extend the UK LearnOnline consortium
in order to include more NLN producers - and the learning content that
they have produced, Both the UK LearnOnline consortium and Learning
Light are keen to work with more UK developers to expand the consortium
and promote quality UK e-learning content worldwide," he added.
"UK LearnOnline offers many exciting prospects for its member
organisations," he continued. "We're delighted that Learning Light is
working with the consortium and is going to be devoting considerable
resources and expertise to help the consortium achieve its aims and
objectives."
Jim Farmery, head of innovation at Yorkshire Forward commented: "This
is an exciting coup for Learning Light and the Yorkshire and Humber
based e-learning industry.
"In its appointment to manage and promote the work of UK LearnOnline,
Learning Light has been recognised as a world class provider offering
access to world class knowledge, research and learning - the UK's
e-learning offer will now be realised not only within the UK but to a
worldwide market.
"The Yorkshire and Humber e-learning industry already holds two of the
world's largest applied e-learning services," he continued. "It is
partnerships such as this that continue to place the region at the
heart of the use of learning technologies in the workplace - increasing
the skills of our workforce and moving the region forward."
"Our role within the consortium is to be the consortium's exclusive
representative to manage the marketing, sales licensing and
administration of the NLN materials directly and through resellers
worldwide - that is, anywhere outside the UK," commented Mark Pittaway,
LL's CEO.
"In particular, we are looking for partners using established networks
in the US and elsewhere to help promote and further develop markets for
UK e-learning overseas. This is highly significant for the UK's
e-learning industry and shows Learning Light's commitment to growing
the industry."
end
Notes for Editors
About the National Learning Network and its learning materials
Funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and available free to
the post-16 sector, the NLN materials represent one of the most
substantial and wide-ranging collections of e-learning materials in the
UK.
The NLN Materials are small, flexible 'bite-sized' episodes of
learning. They are not whole courses but are designed to support a wide
range of subject and topic areas. The materials adopt a range of
approaches involving some knowledge acquisition, a chance to practise
and absorb, and some form of assessment to check that the learning has
been understood and the learning outcome(s) achieved.
The materials give learners things to do and a chance to think for
themselves. They are designed to be fun. Learners can make mistakes but
can try again. There is plenty of in-built help if they get stuck and
opportunities to go back and revise. Many of the materials include
games or quizzes. Accessibility options are available on many of the
materials to suit learners' individual needs. The materials are also
designed to appeal to the different learning styles of students.
About Epic
Epic Performance Improvement, part of Huveaux learning, is the UK
market leader in the use of new learning technologies and methodologies
to improve organisational performance. Using e-learning alongside
traditional means, we help people know more, learn faster and perform
better, bringing benefits to both organisation and individual.
For over 20 years Epic has been a consistent leader and innovator,
producing ground-breaking and award-winning work. Services range from
consultancy through content production and technology solutions (both
bespoke and generic) to testing and localisation.
Epic has extensive experience across both private and public sectors,
with particular expertise in Government, Finance, Defence, Education,
Travel and Retail sectors.
www.epic.co.uk
About the Workshop
theWorkshop is a creative learning consultancy that specialises in
design and bespoke learning products across all media. Creative
applications range from corporate branding and promotional materials to
websites, intranets, e-commerce and e-learning.
Our team of consultants, researchers, designers, writers, programmers,
testers and project managers, create products for a wide range of
clients from the educational and blue chip sectors.
theWorkshop specialises in developing learning products by combining
rigorous learning principles with creative thinking and technological
innovation.
Areas of expertise include:
-
learning consultancy
-
writing, design and production of bespoke e-learning products including
websites, games, CD-ROMs, online resources, personal and career
development tools
-
bespoke learning materials in other media
-
audio/video scripting, production and editing
www.theworkshop.co.uk
About Digitalbrain
Formed in 1997, Digitalbrain has become one of the leading providers of
learning platforms, e-content and portal architecture to public and
private organisations. Working closely with regional broadband
consortia, including the London Grid for Learning, the East of England
Broadband Consortium, and some 50 Local Education Authorities and
private sector organisations, Digitalbrain has been at the forefront of
the advent of e-learning.
Its key school solution, Learning Manager, provides schools with an
online learning platform. Learning platforms are increasingly being
used by schools to help address the wide range of government
initiatives such as personalised learning, social inclusion, increased
parental involvement and addressing the 14-19 agenda.
www.digitalbrain.com
About NEC
The National Extension College (NEC) was set up over 40 years ago as a
not-for-profit organisation to help people of all ages fit learning
into their lives. It:
-
supports 20,000 individual learners a year on over 100 home study
courses
-
provides quality open learning resources for organisations and training
providers including Schools, Further Education Colleges, Local
Authorities and NHS Trusts
-
works with private and public sector businesses to organise training
programmes that allow their employees to study at convenient times with
work-based learning
-
helps people in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to
develop new skills.
-
promotes the value of distance learning by maintaining a high profile
in the educational environment
www.nec.ac.uk
Notes for Editors
About Learning Light Ltd
Learning Light is a non-profit organisation that builds relationships
between learning technology researchers, suppliers, buyers and learners
providing learner-centric information to encourage the growth of
learning technologies. By sharing comprehensive research, highlighting
successes and failures, Learning Light helps to promote the learning
technologies community.
Learning Light provides bespoke and individual services to help both
buyers and suppliers of learning technologies (e-Learning). Its current
services include:
Research Services
Providing access to expert insights, advice and guidance built on
indepth research. Helping organisations to effectively implement
learning technologies (e-Learning) and integrate them within their
workflow processes.
Membership Services
Partnering with leading thinkers in the industry and providing a
network for all interested in the field to share information,
knowledge, insight, experience and expertise, through utilising online
community tools, networking events, conferences and guru seminars.
Professional Services
Our highly experienced team offers organisations access to range of
competitively priced consultancy services supporting buyers with the
effective implementation of their learning technology (e-Learning)
requirements. And, for suppliers, helping to provide a range of
services to assist market awareness and generate growth.
In addition, Learning Light provides a comprehensive Professional
Development programme to help Learning & Development professionals
understand the significance of learning technologies in the workplace
today and how to effectively implement them within the workflow
processes of their organisation.
Sheffield-based Learning Light is supported by Yorkshire Forward, the
regional development agency for Yorkshire, and the Humber and Objective
1 South Yorkshire.
Further information from:
Mark
Pittaway/ Kay Simpson, Learning Light, 0114 201 5703
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, 01727 860405
www.learninglight.com