The E-Learner
Issue No. 23
December 2001
Published by
All rights reserved.
Welcome to the twenty third edition of The E-Learner, ECLO's electronic newsletter for members.
The E-Learner complements our existing hardcopy newsletter that will continue to carry articles and information of interest to ECLO members.As always, we welcome contributions from members, as it is impossible to keep on top of the wealth of information on the World Wide Web on topics of interest to you all.
For your ongoing reference The E-Learner will be archived in the members' zone of our web site.
Editor: Brian Taylor
Editorial
I have to say that I have been encouraged by the response to the format of last month’s issue of the E-Learner; so you only have yourselves to blame for this issue.
Since we are now entering the festive season there are no shortage of story lines, but just to show that ‘Learning’ is ageless, this month tells the story of Virginia, a child from New York, who, over 100 years ago learnt that ‘reality’ has no bounds; except for the limits of her imagination.
A couple of more ‘sober’ contributions from Peter Honey and Web Flash, together with a brief look at Psychics; before taking a well earned break for Christmas and the New Year.
ECLO Amsterdam Conference - May 16-18, 2002.
This year the conference will be held from Thursday noon until Saturday noon. The Thursday night will be used to organise a learning-rich and fun-empowered event. All suggestions for this event are welcome. Please write to info@eclo.org with your ideas and/or collaboration.
BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER AND SANTA WILL BE THINKING ABOUT YOU !
Call for contributions was sent out on the 25th of November. Submissions should reach the office by January 15 at the latest - details are posted on our website
Please PASS THE WORD AROUND YOU
MAIN THEME
Delivering Learning in the Workplace
When the Learning Organisation becomes a Knowledge Factory
This theme can be further elaborated in following subthemes:
- Learning as a step to Knowledge Creation
- Delivery Tools & Techniques
- Appropriate Technology for Learning
- Providing a ‘brain-rich’ Environment
- Psychology of the workplace
Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus !
New York "Sun" Newspaper, Editorial 1897
"I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus ?"
……………………………………………&
whole of
He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.
Alas ! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry , no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus !
You might as well not believe in fairies . You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove ?
Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and un-seeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside , but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real ? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus ?
Thank God he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times, 10,000 years from now , he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !!!!
Peter Honey Newsletter
The Tyranny of Shoulds
In Peter’s newsletter, he confessed that his life amounted to nothing more than a series of `musts' and `wants' - with a tendency to have too many of the former and not enough of the latter. This simplistic view of life was subsequently challenged by a number of people who said what about ‘shoulds’, ‘woulds’ and ‘coulds’ ? This triggered much pondering on his part, in particular about where his ‘shoulds’ fit into the scheme of things.
He doesn’t pretend, but he had not thought about his shoulds before. Indeed, he has even written a song about "the tyranny departmental email to her Minister of State, saying that September 11th was a very good day to 'bury' bad news. Quite understandably, her advice has been condemned as a disgraceful example of spin-doctoring and there have been widespread calls for her resignation or, failing that, her dismissal.
On 16th October a contrite Jo Moore emerged before the media and read out an apology. I am quoting Jo Moore not to make a political point and certainly not to condone her email, but rather to draw attention to mistakes as learning opportunities. In the book co-authored by a colleague Michael Pearn (Ending the Blame Culture, Gower, ISBN 0566 07996 8) over two hundred mistakes are analysed, in detail. Amongst the conclusions drawn by the authors are; that making mistakes can be good for you, that lessons can be learned from mistakes that are not easily learned any other way, that not making mistakes can be a sign that an organisation is suffering from conservatism, complacency and conceit.
Benchmarking
Comparing the way you do things with other people's methods and best practices.
Benchmarking is the process of comparing your methods, procedures, products and services with those considered to be better than yours. This can happen in a parochial way by comparing one person's modus operandi with that of a more experienced or successful performer. It can happen within an organisation where one function or department benchmarks itself against another, and it can happen between organisations by, for example, making comparisons with a 'best in class' competitor. To read more, Click on >>> Benchmarking
The Feel Good Factor by David Horton
This booklet will help you learn about stress, how to deal with it positively and how to achieve the 'Feel Good Factor'. A self-assessment questionnaire helps you identify areas in which to develop more effective stress-busting techniques and 15 subsequent sections provide practical advice on how to develop each of the techniques recommended. The Lifestyle Planning section helps you incorporate your chosen techniques into your daily life, by means of a Feel Good Factor Plan.
For more information, Click on >>> Feel Good Factor
Web Flash from Marchmont
SME (Small to Medium sized Enterprises) TechWeb
Here's a "new, exciting and easy-to-use internet product, which offers a single point of contact for on-line information and advice about EU research for SMEs".
It is the direct replacement for the previous CORDIS SME website.
Check it out at >>> TechWeb for SME's
EU Plan for e-Learning
An e-learning action plan unveiled by the European Commission notes that e-learning should revolutionise the way students in universities, schools and colleges carry out their studies, but it firmly insists that good old-fashioned teaching by human beings will always form the basis of education and training. Find out more, click on >>> EU Plan for e-Learning
Lifestyles – Spiritualists |
What Is mediumship? What can this website do for you? It could change your life! Click on >>> Psychics ! With her many years of experience, and psychic spiritual and mediumistic development, Lyn Guest de Swarte, (author of 'Principles of Spiritualism - the only introduction you'll ever need') will respond to your questions, giving you answers that will comfort, uplift and inform you - and give you the help and strength you need to live your own life to the full. It may well be that by looking at other people's questions and the answers they receive, you too will find a deeper understanding for yourself and more contentment. |
Final Thought
"Most people don't take the time to think. I made an international reputation for myself by deciding to think twice a week" (George Bernard Shaw)
or
"My international reputation is based entirely on thinking aloud – imitation is the best form of flattery" (Brian Taylor)
The E-Learner is published by the
European Consortium for the Learning Organisation
Venelle des Lauriers 8, Wavre, B-1300 Belgium
Tel/Fax: + 32 10 24 1600