The Government initiatives need to be well marketed. We saw excellent marketing with 'Computers don't Bite', as it was quite successful. The Learning Direct line is taking off much better than was anticipated, so maybe I am looking on the gloomy side.

The other area that again is down to motivation is the premise that a large proportion of people will learn from home. This is part of the reason why so much emphasis is being placed on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a solution, whether that is Television, Internet or CD-ROM.

The 'Remote Learning in Rural Communities' project demonstrates this. While it would seem convenient to learn from home, there are many drawbacks. I know from my own experience of Open University and Correspondence College work that it is not easy and you have to be motivated to do the work. I know that I am not alone in being worried that the average household will not have digital television for a few years yet, let alone interactive television.

Consider the situation. In most households the main television is in the living room. Not the ideal place to do your learning. Any other sets are in the children's bedrooms. Television has so many channels, if you are on cable or satellite, with digital it will be even more. So learning via television is not only competing with Coronation Street, it is competing with a wide variety of channels. The computer is in use by the younger generation doing their homework or more likely playing games or surfing the net. What chance do I stand of studying my CD-ROM or learning via the Internet? By the time they go to bed I am too tired to do any learning.

You will argue with me that learner led learning is working and I don't disagree, but I say again it is with those who are already motivated to learn. Also with existing systems of learning there are tutors in sufficiently high tutor-learner ratio to ensure that the learner remains motivated. If the take up of the UfI is going to be high enough to make it a success, then there is going to be a huge demand for tutors just to monitor the progress of the learners and keep them motivated or the drop out rate will be large.

Motivation is the key. To quote Peter Honey 'No one lacks the ability to learn - only the commitment.'