Virtual classrooms leading innovation in Charity Learning
Virtual classrooms and online learning environments are being embraced by charity learning departments
Virtual classrooms and online learning environments are being
embraced by charity learning departments, as they look for
innovative, cost effective methods of developing their staff and
volunteers. This was clear from a poll of delegates at the
inspiring Charity Learning Conference & Awards 2011.
Delegates from charity learning departments across the UK
considered the learning technologies that would have the most
influence on their organisation's learning success over the next 12
months, when they came together at the inaugural Charity Learning
Consortium Conference and Awards.
The delegates had been discussing the preliminary findings of
Towards Maturity's latest learning technology benchmark with more
than 600 organisations - 13% were from the not for profit sector.
It was clear live online learning environments - including virtual
meetings and virtual classrooms- had the greatest potential to
influence learning technologies in the charity sector in the
immediate future. This was closely followed by the use of
customised content. Both methods allow charities to tailor learning
directly to their own needs.
The main Towards Maturity learning technology benchmark - due for
release on 10 November 2011 - also showed that live online learning
has increased steadily across all sectors over the last 12 months,
with virtual meetings now in use by 65% of organisations and
virtual classrooms by 46%. Customised learning content was the most
used by organsiations in 2011, the study shows.
The main benchmark also saw a marked increase in the use of
external social media for learning: 41% are now experimenting with
sites such as Twitter and Facebook, compared to just 11% last year.
Whilst the charity sector believes that social media will
definitely add value to learning and development, it will not be as
influential in this sector as the more proven learning
technologies.
Interestingly, whilst many charities use learning management
systems to improve administration of learning, not one table
included it on their top three most influential technologies over
the next 12 months.
Laura Overton, Managing Director of Towards Maturity comments "It
was a delight to share the preliminary results of our Benchmark
Study 2011 at the first CLC Conference and Awards. This year's
results are fascinating especially among the charity sector. I
encourage the sector to download our free forty page in-depth
benchmark report on November the 10th to help raise the impact
learning technologies are having among charities."