I am involved in several projects involving the use of ICT for learning in Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs.

E-learning was seen as the salvation for SMEs by many policy makers and researchers alike. Policy makers in particular were concerned at the lack of training in SMEs and the associated threat to competitiveness. The reason for the failure to provide training, the argument ran, was because SMEs cannot afford to release workers form the workplace. But with the ability to provide training directly in the workplace the problem would be solved. Voila!

Problem is it didn't quite work like that. Despite hundred of well intentioned projects, the SMEs refused to play. Why? The reasons are complex. The two biggest - I would suggest - are the lack of a training culture and the short term approach of most SME managers.

Thats not to say that no learning takes placed in SMEs. It does. But most of that learning is informal learning - from colleagues, from friends. And most of the e-learning on offer - coming out of the paradigm of the 'virtual university' or the virtual classroom' has been based on formal courses drive provision.

We still have few tools which build on informal learning and tacit knowledge.

Anyway - to get to the point - in one project I work on - e-Compete - I was asked to produce a Handbook on e-learning for SMEs. I attach the draft below. I don't claim to have got all the answers but I think it does start from the right point - from the needs of learners not from the technology.

One problem in writing the Handbook is just that people (including the project commissioning the Hnadbook) still expect learning to be about courses. I have tried to lead fro

Working and Learning.doc
m courses into the wider learning context.

This is still a draft. It is covered by a Creative Commons License. In the near future I want to publish it as a Wiki in the hope that more minds might be able to develop and build on some of the ideas. In the meantime I would welcome any feedback. Also note that this version is not referenced - neither does it have the further resources section completed.

NB Sorry about the bad numbering. Had to produce this version in MS Word. The numbering system in Word has always sucked and still sucks. I will try to get out a version in a more usable format soon.