Other benefits of ICT

Are the possibilities of ICTs being realised in our organisation?


Access to more/better sources of information: Yes, the suite of products available to delegates has been reduced, condensed into a suite that best fits purpose, not just a huge list to choose from.


Greater flexibility in how/where/when one learns: Yes, specifically when and where an organisation is 24/7 there is a need for protected learning time - they can use e-learning at anytime of day or night, not being dependant on the availability of a trainer/course, or a classroom.


More collaborative learning- Yes/No. e-learning loosely promotes learning on your own but there are also situations where team events are held, each working individually on the e-learning but in a room with others where discussion is encouraged. This has the effect of a common knowledge and anecdotal experience can be shared - situating and contextualising the training.


New/better ways of learning using Web2.0 - No.


Better/More tutoring - Yes, the team sessions are often facilitated by a subject expert, sometimes without the presence of a trainer. This increases that experts facilitation/leadership skills.


Better assessment methods- Yes, a move we have implemented is to have students assessed before being trained therefore leading to more learner-specific training needs.


Open and distance learning the main beneficiary?


Probably, yes, there are other beneficiaries of new ICTs in education. we have interactive whiteboards and such but without ICT the e-learning simply wouldn't exist.


Dis-benefits
I'm not sure that Greenfield offers much in the way of evidence, it seems to contain a lot of conjecture: "It is hard to see how...", yes it is hard to see how but what evidence do you have?
To then suggest that it may cause cancer or autism, without any hard facts is frankly a bit foolhardy and merely sets her up to be shot down. The flip-side of this is that if there were any grounds in what she has said, it has been dismissed as something tantamount to scaremongery and it may struggle to hold any solid argument in the future.


If I believed that something may cause cancer or autism, I would certainly refer my thoughts to organisations like Cancer Research UK and the Institute of Child Health to hear their educated views before making such statements public.