Learning Light at Learning Technologies Summit

Jane Knight, head of research for Learning Light (LL) a non-profit Centre of Excellence in the use of learning technologies in the workplace, is among the key speakers at this year’s Learning and Training Technologies Summit, which brings together key policy makers, leading practitioners and e-learning specialists and takes place at the CBI Conference Centre, in London, on 12th October.

Other speakers at the Summit include Donald Clark, a member of both the University for Industry and LL boards; Gareth Jones, head of strategy and development for BBC Training and Development; Tricia Hartley, joint chief executive of the Campaign for Learning, and Andrew Ettinger, director of learning resources at the world-renowned business school, Ashridge.

Knight will be examining the meaning of ‘successful’ e-learning and will be releasing some of the findings of LL’s recent systematic review of the UK’s learning technologies industry.

Knight explained: "E-learning – be it via blended, informal, workflow or collaborative learning, delivered via the latest fashions of games and simulations or via blogs, wikis, podcasts and RSS feeds - is a means to an end, not the end in itself. However, increasingly, it is being shown to be an important catalyst for improving organisational productivity.

"LL’s systematic review of literature on e-learning – undertaken in association with a team of researchers from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Information Studies, headed by Dr Miguel Nunes – has revealed that the impact and effectiveness of e-learning is being measured in a variety of ways," Knight continued. "These include cost reduction, cost-effectiveness and improvements in job and business performance.

"New ways of measuring the impact of e-learning on an organisation include increased access to organisational information and product knowledge and improved levels of customer service.

"Ways in which e-learning programmes are evaluated are changing from measuring the business impact after the programme has finished to more continuous measurement, using a variety of indicators," she said. "In particular, performance and talent management systems are emerging as a technology to help measure learning with performance."

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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