David Patterson, operations director of Learning Light, the Sheffield-based organisation which focuses on promoting the use of e-learning and learning technologies, is going to reveal the current top three trends in the UK’s e-learning market. Patterson will reveal these trends at a seminar organised by Webanywhere Ltd, an international organisation which provides online learning technology and website solutions to educational, business and not-for-profit organisations. The seminar takes place from 6pm to 8pm on Wednesday 30^th March at the Queen’s Hotel, in the City Square in Leeds.

The seminar also features presentations by Glynn Jung, of Learning Leadership, who will discuss ‘Disruptive technologies and the opportunities and threats to corporate training’ and Ray O’Connor, Learning & Development Manager at Addleshaw Goddard, who will offer ‘an integrated and blended approach to management development’.

Attendance at this event will be free – although potential delegates are urged to pre-book by emailing corporate@webanywhere.co.uk or telephoning George Donovan on 0800 862 0131.

Comment: I wonder what these trends will be? Learning Light – with its extensive research machine – seems to have a finger on the pulse of e-learning. My guess – and it’s only a guess – is that two of these trends are:

* A growth in ‘DIY’ in-house authoring by subject matter experts – via rapid authoring tools such as Articulate – is forcing ‘old style’ instructional designers out of work.

* The development of personalised/ contextualised learning is giving a boost to mobile learning technologies at the expense of ‘traditional’ ‘computer delivered’ e-learning.

I can’t think of another key trend off-hand. What makes attendance at the seminar in Leeds worthwhile is that Learning Light – in the person of David Patterson – can!