Learning Light proves that professional communities' collaboration brings benefits
Nine companies in the digital industries sector are now meeting their business goals as well as growing their reputation for providing high quality products and services as a result of joining a professional community network organised by Learning Light, a non-profit organisation which focuses on integrating systems and aligning learning and people development programmes to meet strategic business goals.
Learning Light (LL)'s David Patterson commented: "One of LL's most recent successes through its professional community network has been to induce a number of e-learning companies to explore opportunities to collaborate formally, as a professional community of interest, exploring new ideas and technologies in the field of e-learning.
"This professional community sprang from a brief meeting - arranged by LL - of companies potentially interested in collaborating in this way. LL fostered and encouraged the community to grow and work ever closer together - and the results of this collaboration are now becoming evident," he said.
The nine companies, all of which are based in Yorkshire, are I am learning, m-learning.mobi, Idigicon, Engage revision, Hocapito, Xoolon, Green Mountain Innovation and Blink. Their specialist skills include learning content development and publishing, mobile learning, the development of social networks, mobile learning technologies and the use of RFID technologies.
"Working together and sharing ideas have really helped these businesses," said Patterson. "The collaboration has allowed companies to exchange ideas, use each other's skills and knowledge, along with enjoying the benefits of the framework of support provided by Learning Light."
Michael Wilkinson, managing director of both m-learning.mobi and I am learning, based in Doncaster, explained: "Following a successful launch, I am learning is being used by a wide range of schools across the country and has recently begun supplying its first school in Australia - with content now spanning key stages 2 to 4 across the curriculum.
"I am learning has also secured a reseller agreement and integration with the Learning Platform 'Talmos' (named in BECTA's Top Ten), and presently working towards integration with a variety of other Learning Platform providers."
"As far as m-learning.mobi is concerned, we have now secured a reseller which has built m-learning.mobi into its standard package. To this end, we are entering into a shared 'brand' called GAIST M-Learning.
"In a similar vein, we have been included into the first phase of the Steljes mobile learning offering in partnership with Vodafone. In addition, we have forged a partnership with Intel, embedding the Intel Skoool mobile learning resources within the m-learning.mobi platform with a shared brand to advocate best practice in mobile learning.
"In addition to helping with these opportunities, LL has played a part in facilitating a number of partnerships within the professional community network - notably with Chris Cudworth of Engage revision and Martin Spence of Xoolon," he added.
"All of these collaborations through the professional community network are beginning to pay dividends for the network's members," commented LL's Patterson. "It shows what can happen when organisations in the same industry and in the same part of the world collaborate, rather than spend all their time competing with each other.
"This collaboration not only brings benefits for the firms but it also brings benefits for their customers - who then, among other things, have access to products which have greater functionality."
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