Learning Technologies 2008 - Echelon Publishing to show M-Learning

Twelve mobile learning tools benefiting customer service operatives (CSOs) in their jobs at the recently re-opened St Pancras International station are shown on the LCD screen of an attention-grabbing giant mobile phone.

Echelon has been recruiting and supporting the CSOs in their jobs as part of its successful work with London & Continental Rail, the company tasked with overseeing the transformation of the landmark London site.

Also featured at the show will be a new generation of online qualification-based university and professional learning materials developed for professional bodies, business schools and blue chip businesses.

A specific example is Echelon’s web-based ‘Urban Design Skills’ (UDS) learning, commissioned by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as a central resource for universities and institutes participating in the government sponsored ‘Pathway to Professions’ initiative.

"The major cost in developing blended or distance learning courses for CPD, Diploma, Certificate or Masters qualifications lies in content development and its editing," explains Echelon director David Hill.

"However, being split eight ways between the universities and institutes involved, with centralised editing and web-based distribution, origination costs for Echelon UDS learning are markedly lower."

Publishing is via a proprietary content management system offering a capability for interactive questions and hidden feedback, and a rapid and cost effective means of editing and updating.

Distribution is via a lite learning management system that allows for storage, search and usage tracking capabilities via the web.

The two case studies above demonstrate the scope for the professional learning design and publishing services which Echelon offers.

Anything from learning delivered by PDAs to a blend of proprietary and generic content for qualification, CPD and performance support published in text and/or electronically.

Echelon clients include institutes such as the RTPI, CIPS and the IIA, business schools and universities (Ashridge, Southbank University, Westminster Kingsway College) and corporate clients including BUPA, Moat, and Vodafone.

The company’s virtual resource of 2,000 generic business and management modules can be accessed at www.learningmatters.com.

Learning Technologies is open 10.00am - 5.00pm daily.

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Media contact: Peter Muir Tel + 44 (0)1296 715228; Email: echelon@pmpr.co.uk

Sales contact: David Hill Tel + 44 (0)20 8568 1500; Email: david@echelonl.com


About Echelon Learning Ltd

Echelon Learning is a consultancy-led publishing house that integrates electronically-delivered knowledge and learning into the development of management skills and business performance.

Echelon Consulting spearheads the company’s service with the development of new content in meeting clients’ requirements. This is usually derived from analysing employee knowledge and learning needs captured during client learning programmes.

Where appropriate, Echelon Publishing then offers this new content to a wider audience by publishing the material in generic format. This is made available in the form of easy to use ‘learning nuggets’ and is complimented with business development information licensed exclusively from one of the market’s best-known providers, Bloomsbury.

Echelon e-Learning provides the electronic systems which enable content to be published, distributed and usage tracked, and offers work-based solutions to a global audience. Echelon’s blended learning based on a bespoke site populated with material selected to support specific courses, builds knowledge prior to the event and refreshes application when back at the desk.

About Echelon Publishing
Echelon technologies help organisations place solutions at people’s fingertips, whether solving everyday business and work-related problems or helping gain qualifications and continued professional development.
Echelon:
• Has a content management system enabling informational or learning material to be developed or converted into XML so that it can be published and distributed in text and/or via the web.
• Has a learning management system to provide ready access via the web to highly structured information, which is easily searched and retrieved, and whose usage can be tracked and learning logged.
• Publishes and/or reformats content for professional bodies and commercial organisations to help students and employees maintain or develop requisite skills throughout their careers.
• Supports people from the outset of their careers in working with professional bodies to develop and deliver the learning content required by students in preparing for examination.
• Frees up the knowledge and learning contained within a business so that people have ready access to these resources in helping them to solve problems or develop their careers.
• Works with a number of blue chip organisations and professional bodies