The Wales-Wide Web

Last week I posted e-Learning in Small and Medium Enterprises (Part 1) and promised you the second part this week. I have not forgotten. In fact you do not only get Part 2 but parts 3, 4, 5 and 6 as well. Its a min series! Why so many? Well, the paper has grown much longer than I expected, the content is much more interesting than I though it would be and I think shorter posts work better in a blog format. This is work in progress - I dare say there are a few typos and I will revise the whole lot in the next few weeks. At that point I will post teh finished paper on the web and provide a reference to it for thsoe of you who still prefer reading pdf papers - rather than following the story in your RSS readers.

As some of you might recall, the paper is based on a research project Knownet has been carrying out for the European Commission funded ICt and SME project.

In this post I briefly recap on the main findings from our case studies. The following posts will present a discussion on the findings. Whilst I would not claim that our sample is in any way representative, I think that the findings are exciting in terms both of the future of learning and of the use of ICT for learning.

Technorati Tags: non formal learning, Small and Medium Enterprises, work based learning

Extended text for this entry:

In my first article, I reported on the findings of the case studies we have carried out in Wales on the use of ICT for learning in Small and Medium Enterprises. In the following posts I want to open a discussion on the issues these studies raise and on what might be the possible implications. First I will recap on the main findings:

• There is little or no involvement in formal e-learning in SMEs
• Few SMEs have any form of training infrastructure, needs analysis, planning of training etc.
• If formal training is carried out it is usually in response to an immediate need or more commonly due to legislative requirements
• When formal training is carried out SMEs are likely to select a training provider, public or private, based on word of mouth reputation or personal acquaintance
• Few SME managers are aware of the potential of ICT for learning
• There is a great deal of everyday informal learning taking place in SMEs using ICT
• The most common tools and applications are everyday business software, especially the use of the Google search engine
• There appears to be little correlation between previous qualifications and the use of ICT for learning
• There would appear to be more informal learning in workplaces with less hierarchical work organisation and where employees are given more responsibility for organising their own work

I stress that these are tentative findings and our sample cannot be said in any way to be representative of SMEs as a whole across Europe. I would prefer to put them forward as a series of hypotheses. Nevertheless, I think there are major implications for the future of learning in SMEs, particularly for those with policy responsibilities in this area, and for the development of elearning applications.