Self-Directed Online Learning

Increasing Effective Learning in the Public Sector

Wendy Edie, eCom's Managing DirectorDunfermline (SCT), April 2021 - In the current Covid-19 pandemic-influenced operating conditions, many traditional approaches to learning and development (L&D), including classroom-delivered courses, have been suspended. Providing alternatives, including curated and self-directed online learning, are taking on a new importance for the L&D sector's professionals.

Recent research from eCom Scotland, digital learning and assessment specialists, has shown that L&D professionals working in the public sector in particular are coming under increasing pressure to ensure their organisation's staff are competent and can perform their duties effectively and efficiently.

Wendy Edie, eCom's Managing Director, explained, "Public sector organisations may not experience the need to make profits and satisfy shareholders' expectations, yet the pressures these organisations face are no less real, and they must constantly provide value for money for all their stakeholders."

According to Wendy, "L&D professionals in public sector organisations must help learners overcome any situational, institutional, and dispositional barriers to learning by providing effective, convenient, and flexible access to learning. Moreover, they must improve awareness and the reach of learning materials during these unprecedented times."

eCom offers a range of bespoke and ready-made eLearning content. Furthermore, it believes that L&D professionals can get even more benefit from using its learning-management system (LMS), eNetLearn - a "mobile-first" LMS that is enabled for desktop, tablet, and mobile access.

"So," said eCom's Chair, Linda Steedman, "eNetLearn gives learners flexibility in where and when they learn.

"In addition, for the L&D professional, the LMS has real-time reporting on learner access and usage. Armed with this data, learning administrators can gain insights into learners' performance, as well as individual courses' engagement levels and popularity. This supports those administrators with their internal marketing programmes for learning."

Those who need accurate measurements of learners' competence levels can use eCom's eNetAssess platform. This provides formative or summative testing in the contexts of exams; training needs analyses; 360-degree evaluations; and information gathering. Offering eAssessment options, including test creation; question authoring; centre management; scheduling; authentication; invigilation and verification; reporting; and analysis, eNetAssess is a secure system that enables learning developers to create complex question flow, marking rubrics, and algorithms. It can also provide real-time feedback for assessment stakeholders.

"In addition, those who want to add value to learning products and services can use eCom's eNetBadges," said Allan Maclean, eCom's Marketing Manager. "These badges mark learners' knowledge, achievements, and skills and serve to demonstrate that those who earn them are providing value-for-money for public sector stakeholders."

eCom is Cyber Essestials Plus certified, and its suite of digital learning and assessment products is available via G-Cloud 12 - the UK Government's framework for cloud-delivered ICT goods and services on the Digital Marketplace.