Promoting Quality in Open and Distance Learning

October 2001

Campaign for Learning through Museums and Galleries
www.clmg.org.uk

Even though there's not a lot of content, this site is one of my favourites so far. The campaign aims to promote museum and gallery learning, as part of the "realisation" that "learning tailored to fit the learner" is the most effective.

The site feels fantastic, all clearly laid out, with a helpful "Jargonbuster". The pages feature Posy Simmons delicious illustration of people, all of whom are having extremely realistic thoughts! I was inspired by the range of projects the campaign was involved with for Maths Year 2000 (some of which have been extended into 2001).

Okay, get of the net, and get down a gallery! (After you've used the Museum Finder to see what's on near you.)

The National Open College Network
www.nocn.ac.uk

Learners who study with OCN accredited colleges receive credit certificates on completion of units. These can then be built up to the level required for university entrance.

The site announces itself to be under development (to be completed September 2001) and some pages do feel a little amateurish in design. On the plus side, there is information on:

• How the OCN works
• The benefits of membership (including the sharing of programme units)
• How OCN credits relate to other qualifications
• And downloadable documents on the process, and how to apply.

The link pages give providers working with the OCN. They include some Distance Learning schools, but unfortunately these are not marked as such. Probably one to come back to in September.

TrainingZone
www.trainingzone.co.uk

A consistently good News & Information section sits along side: Training and Learning Resources, a Help section, CareerZONE, and Community where those involved in all aspects of training take part in discussions and share their experiences.

Training and Learning Resources is so full of information that it's split into 8 separate sections. The most interesting of these are: Expert Guides - including one on setting up e-learning, Trainers Toolkit - with lots of online tools, presentations, and resource materials, and Specialist Zones - particularly the ones for e-learning and IT.

From a special page within the site, providers can display course materials, hold workshops and conferences, and have brainstorming sessions on their own "whiteboard". Not terribly cheap, but may well prove a practical alternative to heavy investment of time and resources to set up e-learning.