Autumn is here, back to School, back to Learning!

It seems no time at all since we were holding the Learning at Work Days.  Here are a few photos from these days in May---

Hilary Hallas (O&S Training Manager) gets a QR Code tag from ULR for PCS, Sara Wood-Ripley

Kate Antioniou, Prospect ULR Coordinator at the Prospect table, while PCS rep, Melanie Johnson investigates the handouts.

This is the PCS stand with Sarah Wood-Ripley, PCS ULR

Sarah Wood-Riley (PCS ULR) & Andy Robinson (Prospect ULR) were in charge of the QR code stand

Since then, it has been a quiet summer for the ULRs being a "man down" due to an injury for one of our number & wish this member well & hopes they bounce back soon!

Of note currently in the BL---The Organisation Development team are setting up a mentor/mentee programme.  They have gathered a group of mentors but are still looking for mentees to participate.  To find out more, check the internet for details or contact Sarah MacEwan in Organisation Development.

There is some Digital Champion training going on for one of our ULRs and she is considering organising a "Digital Swap Shop" for digital learning.  If there is enough interest, we would develop a board where people can swap instructions with others.  People would tell which programmes or applications they were confident in showing someone how to use & in turn, what they would like to learn and we could swap the talents of all the participants.

So, for example, Bill who is a wiz at digital photography gives Sally some informal tuition on  digital photos.  Bill wants to know how to use Skype so Jack shows him. Jack needs to know how to use Powerpoint and Sally shows him. 

If you think this is a good idea, please let one of the ULRs know, a brief email will suffice.

This month's new hot online site is ipadio

http://www.ipadio.com/

Ipadio is an interface for podcasting, if you have a phone you can use it.  You could make reports back to your team from an event you are attending with this tool.  You might use it to archive demonstrations or even wish someone well from far away.  

We'll be keeping you posted with all things learning, happy autumn all!

Learning At Work Day is upon us

The 2012 Learning at Work events at the Library will be presented

 on Tuesday 22nd May in Boston Spa in the Conference Suite

and on Tuesday 29th May in St Pancras Panizzi Room & corridor (Floor 4)

Both events are 10:30 AM until 2:00 PM

"The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential."---Steve Ballmer

This year’s Learning at Work Days are all about learning through the use of technology and digital information. 

We'll have a range of stands with demonstrations, hands-on activities and opportunities to talk to experts, ask questions and get advice. There’ll be some fun activities too. 

Attend in work time as long as you have your manager's permission. 

Talks – on 22nd, 23rd and 30th May - six staff experts give short talks on some of the digital developments happening around the Library and how we are exploiting digital technologies to engage with users and shape the future. Full programme at- 

http://intranet.bl.uk/newsevents/archive/2012/law2012programmetalks.html

Book talks now but otherwise just come along to the exhibition events on the day. This event supports the Digital Skills strategy. 

Learning at Work (LAW) Day is an annual awareness campaign organised by the Campaign for Learning (CfL) since 1999. LAW Day promotes and supports workplace learning events across the country. It aims to draw attention to the importance of workplace learning and skills. It encourages people to offer learning to all employees especially to those that may not participate in current learning opportunities. 

LAW Day is part of Adult Learners' Week.

The Campaign for Learning believes that it is more important than ever that workplaces and individuals maintain and develop their skills levels and motivation to learn in order to adapt and thrive in the economic downturn. Each year, thousands of organisations take part in LAW Day and stage fun and business-related learning activities that promote learning, provide a catalyst for change and support their employees to learn new skills that they can put into action at work and beyond. By getting involved in the biggest annual celebration of workplace learning you could uncover new skills, build new partnerships and help reach your business goals - all at the same time!

We have a constructed a quiz to help you employ good online researching skills, utilising in part, an Olympic theme in recognition of the forthcoming 2012 Olympic Games.  Make sure you stop by the Prospect or PCS stands to pick up your copy.  You will have until 1st June 2012 to complete it.

Upcoming National Events to look out for in 2012

Greetings all!

Today's top learning News:

[Please share this information with anyone who may be interested and if you know an adult learner that deserves acknowledgement for their achievements...read on...]

The Adult Learners’ Week Awards celebrate the achievements of outstanding adults that have transformed their lives through learning.

2011 Winner

Denise Chéné, 2011 Senior Learner Awards Winner, Yorkshire and the Humber

Denise Chéné says she is “a new woman at the age of 66” because of learning. With the support of her daughters after a painful divorce at the end of a long marriage, she was encouraged to take part in induction training at Crossroads Care in Harrogate. Her employer encouraged her to take an NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care. 


“I had not been allowed to do anything like this new learning before and my independence had been minimal,” says Denise. But she loved her job so much she decided to give it a try, and succeeded. “I feel so happy and positive. I hope I can go on forever in my job and continue to help the lives of the people I care for.”  Liz Winship, CEO of Crossroads Care Harrogate, Craven and York, says “Starting a new career as a Carer Support Worker and helping others has given Denise the strength she needed to see her way through her personal troubles and gain the strength to cope. Her life has been transformed due to her new learning achievements.”

If you know someone who deserves a Learner Award, you can nominate them here: http://www.alw.org.uk/learning-awards