The recently published Kineo newsletter says – among other things: ‘We love to talk and, with so much to talk about, why don’t we all join in the discussion? We’ve set up a new ELearning Professionals Group on LinkedIn to do just that. 800 of your friends are there already. Maybe they’re talking about you. Only one way to find out…’

Comment: It’s very nice – heartwarming even – to think of oneself as a ‘professional’. After all, today’s top sportspeople are ‘professionals’ and, much as the nation likes its doses of reality TV, our celebrities in the world of entertainment are ‘professionals’ too.

Yet this begs the question: is e-learning a profession or is it a career?

Accountants, actuaries, architects, barristers, solicitors, doctors – these people belong to ‘professions’, whereas, for example, ‘sales’, ‘design’ and ‘engineering’ are careers.

Is there a ‘profession’ that is to do with e-learning? Is there such a thing as an ‘e-learningor’ or an ‘e-learningist’? There are certainly no accepted standard exams in order to join the e-learning ‘profession’. There is no accepted professional designation – such as FCA, MD or even LLB – for e-learning. There is no professional association for e-learningists in the sense that the BMA represents the medical profession and the Royal Institute of British Architects represents architects. There are no accepted – and enforced – codes of practice, with sanctions for those whose business ethics are dubious.

It would seem that, these days, it’s hard enough to make a career out of e-learning, let alone a profession. Nonetheless, at least 800 people want to believe that they belong to a profession. So well done, Kineo: it was a nice try – and it’s pleased some of the people all of the time!