Development Partners
Development Partners
The Development Partnership Scheme Now you can personally improve the learning efficiency of members of your organisation by up to four hundred per cent. Almost unbelievable, I know, but research has shown that this extraordinary level of improvement can be achieved, when you deliver your training programmes using integrated (or 'blended') learning techniques (see below). As a professional trainer, it is likely that you already have most of the skills required to produce integrated learning programmes. All you need to do now is to add new competencies to your skills portfolio: those of designing and writing e-learning content, and delivery integration. This can be achieved through the Sherpa course which leads to a "Certificate in Designing and Writing Integrated E-learning Content."   Click here for details. In addition, you could recover the cost of your investment through the Sherpa Development Partnership Scheme. If you produce courseware which has an application outside your organisation, we’ll market it for you. As a result, you can recover some, or even all, of your costs. The Development Partnership Scheme provides Cost-effective training to produce high quality e-learning content and integrate it with other training delivery media. Full sub-editing and proof-reading support to ensure that the content of your programmes is of the highest quality possible. The option of full technical support to get your e-learning programmes up and running, either on your intranet or internet, or from the Sherpa site. You will be able to 'brand' your courses and have access to the unique WebChameleon development software.  Integrated Learning Since 1994, members of the Holley Warren Partnership team have experienced the benefits of using integrated learning techniques by blending classroom work and coaching. Many follow-up sessions generated an enormous buzz, since most delegates could cite significant improvements in their performance and testified to a sense of achievement. This experience is supported by research.  Olivero, Bane and Kopelman (1997) found that executive coaching increased public sector employee productivity by 88% after 8 weeks one-on-one coaching, compared to an increase of 22% by training alone. This has been corroborated by others.  A course developed by The Securities Institute in partnership with Wide Learning had a 63% pass rate using traditional training methods. This was increased (coincidentally) to 88% using ‘blended’ learning. Research by Professor Murray Goldberg of the University of British Columbia, comparing e-learning, classroom learning and integrated learning, showed "staggering" improvements using integrated delivery techniques. How Integrated Learning Works Typically, integrated learning works like this: preparation for a classroom session can be done at the individual’s own pace through e-learning, which has been designed specifically to integrate with the classroom component. Then, instead of two or three days away from the workplace for classroom work, learners may spend only one. Over a six to eight week period, learners embed their learning through work-based projects delivered to achieve personally-set performance goals. They may also work on specially devised business simulations. Throughout this period they are supported individually by either in-house or remote on-line mentors. Integrated learning is more flexible for learners because the greatest part of a course of learning can be undertaken when they want and where they want. It is also much more cost-effective because procedural instruction is automated and less time is spent away from the work place. That means less trainer time, lower room and equipment hire costs and virtually no hotel or travelling costs. But the most important aspect of integrated learning is that it is much more effective than either e-learning or classroom learning on their own, producing better and more measurable ROI than for any other form of training.. Additionally, the learning experience is more satisfying and enjoyable for delegates and trainers alike. The E-learning Component To listen to some e-learning gurus, you would think that nobody had run successful training programmes before. But e-learning is a highly complex learning medium, and skills used in designing classroom learning do not automatically transfer. Indeed, a Department of Education and Employment report published in early 2000 and called ‘Authoring for CBT and Interactive Media’ says: "A typical TBT [Technology Based Training] author will NOT have received specific training in the many skills required for TBT development, such as analysis skills, instructional design, writing aims and objectives, question techniques and answer analysis." To ensure that the e-learning components of integrated learning courses are as high in quality as classroom courses, we have produced a learning programme called "Designing and Writing E-learning Content."  This course passed its pilot phase with flying colours and is now available for you to add another string to your HRD bow. It is an integrated learning course delivered through a combination of e-learning, classroom workshops and on-line mentoring. A fully web-based option with on-line mentoring is also available. You can qualify at two levels: Certificate and Diploma. The certificate is awarded on successful completion of the course work, the diploma on the production of integrated e-learning course content. This course is recognised by The Institute of Continuing Professional Development.   Your staff may be eligible for financial support under the Government’s Individual Learning Account scheme (please ask for details) or visit  www.my-ila.com  Becoming a Development Partner 1. Organisations wishing to write their own e-learning content: (a) We will visit you to discuss your needs and find out how you and your organisation would like to benefit from the scheme.  (b) We will help you to select the most appropriate member or members of your organisation to undertake the training and develop your learning programmes. 2. Those not wishing to write their own e-learning content: We are building a team of experienced and qualified Training Partners who can undertake the writing for you. We will provide full technical and editorial support in the normal way and, should you wish, you can still benefit from commission, if courses, originally developed for you, are made available to other organisations. Our Credentials Sherpa Integrated Learning Ltd. was incorporated in June 2000 and is currently an operating division of The Holley Warren Partnership. Established in 1994, the Partnership has provided training services for, among others, Barclays Bank, Burmah Castrol, Boots Contract Management, Campbell’s Grocery Products (UK), Pizza Hut (UK), Severn Trent Systems, North Somerset Council, Renishaw plc, Maxima Information Group plc. devpartners@sherpa.org.uk