Doing E-learning Podcasts: Season 2!

With November all but over, we're pleased to be bringing you in the run up to Christmas the start of Season 2 of the Doing E-learning podcasts.

Over the next 3 months we'll be discussing more topics in e-learning, and bringing at least one interview from the coal face of implementation.

Don't forget, we focus on the needs of organisations who are doing or wanting to do e-learning - if you want us to cover a specific topic, let us know and we'll see what we can do!

Podcast #6 - Anti-social learning: the legal risks of Web 2.0

Blogs, wikis, and video sharing sites to name but a few are now common daily haunts for millions of people, so it's no surprise organisations want to leverage these services for people development. The user generated content and social interactivity that characterises these so called 'Web 2.0 technologies' is ideal both for formal and informal learning.

But before your organisation rushes in with a Web 2.0 based solution, make sure anyone who intends to launch a participatory web service for learning, communications, or knowledge management is aware of the legal aspects.

Get an overview of this hot topic by listening to Doing E-learning's latest podcast.

Click the controller below to play Anti-social learning: the legal risks of Web 2.0:



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Podcast #5 - Back to School with E-learning

E-learning is a growing industry - both in terms of organisational uptake, and in terms of practitioners. So it's not surprising that a number of the UK universities now offer Post Graduate Certificates, Diplomas, and Master's degrees in this area.

Dr Judith Good, Director of the IDEAs Lab at Sussex University, and Dr Lyn Pemberton, Principal Lecturer at Brighton University run the Post Graduate Certificate in E-learning that's jointly offered by Sussex and Brighton Universities.

We caught up with both for our latest podcast, to bring you an insight into what one of these courses can offer. Is it a case of ivory towers, or a vocationally strong offering that addresses the needs of real world e-learning professionals?

Find out by listening to Doing E-learning's latest podcast.

Click the controller below to play Back to School with E-learning:



Alternatively, right mouse click and select Save Target As... to download Back to School with E-learning.

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You can find an overview of the Sussex and Brighton PG Cert here, and the prospectus and application details can be found here.

Finally, as Judith told us on the day, for additional information on the course feel free to contact her at J.Good@sussex.ac.uk.

Podcast #4 - How to be an Effective Subject Matter Expert

What makes an effective Subject Matter Expert?

The Subject Matter Expert is crucial to getting the content right - but doing the role is not always an easy task. For the SME what should they know, what should they do, and how should they do it?

Doing E-learning's latest podcast tries to shed some light. Click the controller below to play How to be an Effective Subject Matter Expert.




Alternatively, right mouse click and select Save Target As... to download How to be an Effective Subject Matter Expert.

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To accompany this cast we're providing our own How to be an Effective SME checklist, together with a great link to a set of slides covering the Critical Decision Method.

Podcast #3 - The E-learning Project: Vendor Management

An e-learning project's not as easy as you may think. And if you're working with a vendor, you need to know what to ask to keep a tight rein on things.

Find out what these are by listening to Doing E-learning's latest podcast.

Click the controller below to play The E-learning Project: Vendor Management:



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To accompany this cast we're providing The Vendor Management Checklist.

Podcast #2 - Rapid e-learning 101!

Rapid e-learning - but 'rapid' what? Rapid development? Rapid business benefits? Rapid tools? ...or simply rapid hype!

Is it really the next big thing in e-learning?

No more reading... time to listen. Check out our latest podcast - and find out what we mean by the 3Rs of Rapid E-learning, as well as our top 10 rapid factors!

Click the controller below to play Rapid E-learning 101:



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As per our cast, you may like to have a look at the following:

• Larstan Business Report: Managing Knowledge in Internet Time: Rapid e-Learning Maximizes the Time/Value of Mission Oriented Training


• Bersin & Associates report: Rapid e-learning: What works


• The eLearning Guild's Rapid White Paper

Podcast #1 - What is e-learning? - 2 of 2

Click the controller below to play What is e-learning? - part 2 of 2:



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Podcast #1 - What is e-learning? - 1 of 2

There are as many definitions of e-learning as there are e-learners! On the face of it it's simple: we've got the 'e' part for electronic, and that's the bit that supports the learning. But just because you've got technology doesn't mean you've got learning. It takes a little bit more than that.

We all know that if you want a great meal what you need are great ingredients, and a great chef - the oven and tools simply enable them both to work their magic. So what ingredients do we have at our disposal to make e-learning? And what are the basic cooking skills we need to put them together to make some great e-learning?

Our e-learning '101' should shed some light.

Click the controller below to play What is e-learning? - part 1 of 2:



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Welcome to Doing E-Learning

Dominique and Keith welcome you to doing e-learning, the blog that will get YOU doing e-learning. Between the two of us we have almost 20 years of experience in the e-learning business covering most sectors - and from both sides of the vendor/ organisation fence.

So who is doing e-learning for? Well, we want to be of service for organisations wanting to embrace technology as part of their people development strategy. And to do that, we want to help the people involved in the 'doing' of e-learning in those organisations.

Are you an L&D, HR or Training Professional? An e-learning or Procurement Manager? Head of the Technical Department, or Head of a Business Unit? Or quite simply someone who wants or needs to get 'doing' e-learning in your organisation? Then this is the blog for you!

And whether you're thinking of doing, are going to be doing, or currently involved in doing e-learning in your organisation... then this is the blog for you!

So you see, doing e-learning has something for everyone at the end of the day.

The core part of our blog will be our fortnightly podcast, covering the A to Z of e-learning: what it is, how you go about starting to do it, once up and running how you then do it - in-house, vendor, a mix - and finally, the nitty gritty basics of hands-on 'doing': designing, writing, and all that jazz.

What we really need is your input. We want your feedback - on absolutely anything. We want you to tell us what your most pressing need is. We want you to tell us where you're having the most problems - so we can help! We want your ideas too - we can then do a cast on the best ones.

We also plan on doing special focus casts, either interview or group discussions on core themes. These 'folkasts' will feature real people, with real stories - so please get in touch if you want to share some of your experiences in doing e-learning with others. We'll then sort out a show - hopefully with you in it.

Our first cast is out on Wednesday 23rd April, 2008. Please do get back to us with your feedback and questions.