News story

E-learning event sells out

Learning NewsThe Learning Network

The eLearning Network (ELN) Member Showcase - a one day conference held at the Novotel, Hammersmith in July and organised by the ELN, the UK's foremost professional association for users and developers of all forms of e-learning - proved to be one of the most popular e-learning events in the UK this year, with a capacity audience of some 130 people attending.

ELN members presented 12 different e-learning topics which included case histories of applications of e-learning to business problems. Vaughan Waller, chairman of the ELN, commented: "This was clearly an attractive event - we had a capacity audience, nearly half of which were new delegates to the ELN and as a result of the day, we have signed up a record number of new members.

"For the first time, people could come to an event that was dedicated to exploring best practice in e-learning. The subjects ranged from simulation based e-learning and the lessons learnt about implementation through to e-qualifications and online content management tools. This was a 'take off your sales hat day' - even the vendors learnt something."

In welcoming this first ELN Member Showcase, Cathy Curwood, of Information Transfer, commented: "The whole event was a bonding experience. It was good to network, meeting not only users but also other e-learning vendors, informally, in such congenial facilities."

Joe Quilter, of AdVal Group plc, added: "Not only was this a conference of high quality but it gave us all the chance of listening not just to vendors but to people who are actually using e-learning effectively in their organisations."

According to Sambit Mohapatra, of TATA Interactive Systems: "This industry has lacked a forum to explore best practice away from the pressures of being 'sold to'. The ELN has not only understood this need but taken steps to meet it in this event."

Andy Stevenson, of Bridge-Learning, said: "The questions coming from the delegates at the end of each session were thought-provoking and showed that the audience was highly motivated to develop their understanding of e-learning."

And Neil Lasher, managing director of Trainer1 - who outlined a method for calculating the value of, rather the return on, investment in learning - commented: "The whole experience has been most useful. The ELN has now taken over from the now defunct Forum for Technologies in Training as the place to be for e-learning users and advisers."

The next ELN meeting takes place on 24th September at the Society for Chemistry & Industry in Belgrave Square, London, when delegates will explore the issue of whether or not soft skills can be delivered effectively using e-learning. For further details, visit www.elearningnetwork.org

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