Neil Lasher advises the Open University on instructional design

Traditionally, OU lecturers and other subject matter experts have created curricula and courses and then the OU’s editorial designers have produced the resulting learning materials. These materials have been largely paper and DVD-based – with documents, pdfs and video forming significant proportions of the OU’s e-learning materials.

Having decided that it needs to use good practice – as well as more creative use – of e-learning materials, the OU approached Neil Lasher, managing director of independent e-learning specialists Trainer1 and author of the UVID model and ‘A list’ ID rules. Lasher has developed a series of three ‘learning events’ for some 45 of the OU’s staff, based at the OU’s headquarters in Milton Keynes, who are involved in the project management, editing, design and development of the OU’s learning materials.

"These learning events deal with both traditional and the new views on ID and ID techniques," Lasher explained. "They aim to help these OU editors, designers and developers to create learning materials that further enhance the learning experience – especially when that learning is developed via e-learning.

"The OU is one of the leaders in the field of distance learning. This project is one of the ways in which they can keep this position in the market and provide increasingly rich learning experiences for their students – including taking e-learning to a new level of increased learning effectiveness."

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Notes for Editors:

About Trainer1 (www.trainer1.com)

Trainer1 is one of the UK's and leading independent e-learning specialists, established in 1992.

Being 'Vendor Neutral', it assists customers to choose from the best available products to achieve their goals - offering many competing tools in the e-learning market. These tools deal with Authoring, Management and Content Production.

Trainer1 offers a range of services to provide an end-to-end e-learning solution, including a number of training courses in instructional design, development and content production, as well as a full production service for bespoke development.

Further information from:
Trainer1 Offices and HQ located at 26 Kimberley Court, Kimberley Road, London NW6 7SL
USA office is located at Trainer1 House, 331 Little Creek Drive, Nazareth, PA 18064
Neil Lasher, Trainer1, +44 (0) 20 7624 4844
From USA: 1-888-4T1-4CSL (1-888-481-4275); http://www.trainer1.com
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, +44 (0) 1727 860405