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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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