| If you are professional who really wants to | | | | day or whole day for a course. On the other |
| achieve real career success, chances are that you | | | | hand if the same content is available in short bite |
| will be required to undertake some form of | | | | size chunks, it makes it easier and more |
| continuing professional development. Recent | | | | convenient to do. It might be that someone |
| research by the Chartered Management Institute | | | | spends a lot of time in their car moving between |
| in the UK shows an increase in the use of new | | | | sites. During this time audio recordings can be |
| technologies for continuing professional | | | | listened to through a CD or mp3 player. |
| development. | | | | Benefit 3: Ease of access |
| The report Learning at Work: E-Learning Evolution | | | | You might have identified a development need |
| or Revolution shows that at management level, | | | | directly or something has arisen from your |
| significant use is being made of the following for | | | | appraisal. You often find that there are no |
| continuing professional development:o E-coachingo | | | | courses coming up in your local area in the |
| E-bookso E-learningo Discussion forums ando | | | | immediate future. On the other hand if you make |
| Video | | | | use of new technologies, you can probably get |
| So what are the top benefits of the new | | | | started in a matter of days. |
| technologies? | | | | Benefit 4: Adaptable to different learning styles |
| Benefit 1: Cost | | | | Some like to learn by reading, others by watching, |
| At the present time where many organisations | | | | others learn by doing and others by listening. The |
| are facing some challenging times, the use of new | | | | new technologies support all of these different |
| technologies offers an attractive low cost | | | | learning styles. |
| alternative. Many resources can be accessed for | | | | Benefit 5: Multiple learning |
| free or at minimal cost. The increase in | | | | On a traditional training programme you have one |
| membership sites where people get access to | | | | chance to hear the materials. If it does not land |
| regularly updated content for as little as | | | | first time you are reliant on your written notes |
| £10-20 per month is just one example. | | | | and course manual. With new technologies, you |
| Benefit 2: Convenience | | | | can access the materials over and over again, |
| It can sometimes be extremely difficult for those | | | | creating multiple learning opportunities. |
| working in deadline driven roles to block out a half | | | | |