The drivers and trends in adopting learning technologies
A pull from the corporate sector
Integration of technologies is expected to be driven by demand by the corporate sector. An example of a product integrating technologies is in a partnership with the BBC, NEC has developed an introductory Diploma for The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM); NEC contributed content and collaborated with the BBC on re-engineering the programme.
Social and economic regeneration and change
At a strategic level, NEC is developing a relatively conservative e-learning development plan - staying sufficiently ahead of its customers' adoption of technologies to compete effectively with other suppliers but being cautious in its investments, creating wraparound support and services to complement its paper-based materials while slowly migrating content that is more than simply digitised text into an electronic environment. They maintain a sophisticated and ongoing analysis with users, modelling with them the types of content and specific resource-supported learning activities where digital delivery provides superior learning opportunities. Their aim, according to Alison West, NEC Chief Executive, is to understand at what point digital technologies best serve the learner and the learning process. This approach means we do not make any high-risk investments and our investments are clearly linked to better products and services and customer readiness'.
The changes are occurring slowly, and IT investment in content development and administration processes is being leveraged to support the development of learning delivery systems and approaches. New ICT enabled services are being offered in parallel with more traditional approaches and as part of the marketing strategy to engage with and appeal to new learner and contract customers and VLE development costs are being apportioned across development and marketing. Their business model is one of comprehensive courses not small short learning 'snacks'; courses that are intended to have a relatively long shelf life. And products, such as Tutoring Online can absorb the full cost of their electronic components and be very competitive in the market.
Alison West comments, 'At the same time as tactically integrating technologies in a programme of development that is aligned with our users "readiness", we want to position ourselves at the forefront of enlightened thinking about new models of learning in our society and among our citizens. In the next few years, we will see a move from the individual learner accessing the traditional curriculum in a more convenient way, through to more cross-student contact, and on to the community use of e-learning by collective groups of students acting as one learner. This is a radical agenda that will really challenge people like us. We need to lead the discourse in how providers of centrally produced knowledge and "resources" can both respond appropriately and at the same time, help lead this change. We also however, have a responsibility to remain in business and so we need to position ourselves centrally in the regeneration and broader citizenship education agenda. We think technologies empowering communities and supported with the right kind of resources and services will play a major part in the social and economic changes in the future and we believe we can play an economic role as a business as well as a social role as educators in this.
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