One of the most attractive features of e-Learning is the way it can offer any time any place learning. This is particularly advantageous for people who are working shifts or who have irregular work patterns. People can work at a time that suits them and also work on bite-sized chunks of learning for example in their lunch breaks or in the evening.

For informal learning to take place successfully in and out of the workplace, learners need to have:

• access to computers at work, at home or in the community e.g. libraries, UK Online centres
• information about where to find courses
• good quality learning packages relevant to their work and circumstances
• e-learning packages that are broken up into modules and bite-sized chunks
• support from experienced online tutors
• support from their employers

Learners might not be very confident about this less formal way of working, so to promote e-Learning in a positive way, you might like to appoint an e-Learning champion in the workplace who could encourage and stimulate an interest in e-Learning. This could be a Union Representative or someone who has used e-Learning successfully and who would be happy to provide peer support.

The NHS is developing lots of online courses which can be accessed in an informal way, eg The Core Learning Unit.

Related Resources

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  Core Learning Unit
  

  The Core Learning Unit delivers e-Learning packages to NHS organisations free of charge. Their website contains details of the learning programmes developed for all staff working within the health and social care sectors including indicators of how these programmes support KSF, CNST and Standards for Better Health.

  http://www.corelearningunit.com
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  UK Online Centres
  

  Website which points people to free and low cost access to computers and the internet via a variety of UK online centres.

  http://www.ukonlinecentres.com/