Children’s charity embraces e-learning

Citation

(2012), "Children’s charity embraces e-learning", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 44 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ict.2012.03744caa.007

Children’s charity embraces e-learning

Article Type: Notes and news From: Industrial and Commercial Training, Volume 44, Issue 3

UK children’s charity Barnardo’s won the trophy for best e-learning program at the Charity Learning awards.

Judges were particularly impressed with the breadth of learning technologies Barnardo’s has embraced and the organization’s dedication to supporting its e-learners. They were also impressed that the organization’s small learning and development team embraced so many different types of learning technologies, from using virtual classrooms, video, wikis and an online learning community through to e-learning.

Barnardo’s has some 7,500 staff and volunteers, at 400 sites across the UK and Northern Ireland. By using learning technologies, the charity reached 54 percent more learners in 2010-2011 than in 2006-2007.

All new recruits are provided with a 45-minute virtual-classroom session introducing Barnardo’s information-technology systems. New employees are shown how to access the charity’s learning resources and support – a virtual classroom that is also available to existing staff.

All e-learning is delivered using a customized Charity Learning Consortium Moodle web site.

Lisa Johnson, Barnardo’s IT learning and development manager, commented: “E-learning and the use of other learning technologies have had a major impact on the way we support IT users in our organization. Some 60 percent of our delivery is now online.”

Analysis of calls to Barnardo’s help-desk led to the learning and development team producing online fact sheets based on frequently-asked questions. As a direct result, “how to” calls fell by 50 percent.

A large part of the charity’s awards success is the team’s ability to listen to the challenges learners face and to develop viable solutions to solve problems. This policy has had a noticeable impact on the organization’s learning culture.

Lisa Johnson explained: “Initially our staff were reluctant to try e-learning and felt isolated. By introducing individual learning contracts, team-based learning and promoting learning in bite-size modules, we helped people to overcome their concerns.

“The team introduced virtual classrooms and learners were at first anxious – but once they attended a session they were hooked and we are seeing more staff sign up. As an alternative to requesting ‘training’, staff are also now choosing self-directed learning. Instead of staff saying, ‘I need a course,’ the enquiry is now, ‘Where can I find a learning resource that will help me do x?’ This is a major shift forward.”

Commenting on Barnardo’s award, Martin Baker, chief executive of the Charity Learning Consortium, said: “This is an inspirational example of how a small team can achieve a great deal. The team has really listened and responded to the needs of learners, offering vital support which underpins the technology-led learning. It is a great story for others to follow - and not just charities.”