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Backwards and

forwards

January - named after Janus the Roman god

of beginnings - is the time when we look

forwards and backwards. For the e-learning

industry this is the time of year when we look

backwards to the Learning Technologies

Awards and forward to Learning

Technologies.

The backward reflection is a moment of

celebration looking at the Learning

Technologies Awards winners and the prize

winning work that they have done. But after

quite rightly having a moment of selfcongratulation the industry can't rest on its

laurels. However much value the sector has

added in terms of producing workplace

learning, it has to look to the challenges

ahead.

And what a series of challenges confront the

industry as they gather at Excel for the

Learning Technologies conference and

exhibition. While it is tempting to linger over

the seemingly near crippling short-term

challenges, it is probably more productive to

move on and spend more time thinking about

the bigger picture issues addressed by the

Learning Technologies conference.

This sector has always looked to be early

adopters embracing technologies because elearning recognises the business advantages

of corporate learning improving the

knowledge of workers, enhancing their ability

to perform in the workplace in the short and

long term.

But even a technology friendly sector needs

to take time to absorb the fourth industrial

revolution which is gathering pace. It is

important for the e-learning sector to move

beyond the exaggeration and scare stories

over the damaging effects artificial intelligence

(AI) and robotics could wreak on work and

the workplace as we know it.

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Peter Williams

Editor

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