UK rail forum discusses blended learning

A forum in which senior human resources and training specialists in the rail industry discussed ‘making blended learning relevant to the rail industry’ was held recently (24th August) in London and facilitated by the global e-learning producer Tata Interactive Systems (TIS). The forum was chaired and facilitated by the well known writer, commentator and columnist on e-learning and related issues, Bob Little.

Delegates heard David Mapp, commercial director of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), provide a keynote address on the challenges facing the rail industry and train operating companies (TOCs).

During his address, Mapp outlined the ‘Just the Ticket’ e-learning programme that ATOC has developed and rolled out to some 6,000 ticket selling staff from March last year. A subsequent ‘mystery shopping’ campaign has shown a remarkable jump to 99 per cent accuracy and impartiality in the selling of rail tickets by TOC staff around the country – and the programme has won a ‘Railway Industry Innovation Award’ for innovation in people development.

“This is another in TIS’s series of highly focused, one day ‘discussion and discovery’ events that spring from the Tata Interactive Learning Forum (TLF) – held annually in the UK before an invited audience of top human resources practitioners,” explained Alan Samuel, head of TIS’s UK operations.

Jackie Lawlor, Head of Workplace Learning at Royal Mail, presented two case studies involving the design, development and application of blended learning for Royal Mail staff and Alison Walker, formerly of British Airways and now an independent e-learning consultant explored ‘the challenges of deploying learning’ within large organisations and drew parallels between the aviation industry and the transport and logistics sector.

“The event offered some valuable insights into issues of common concern and mutual interest,” commented one of the delegates: Tom Grogan, HR director of Chiltern Railways.

Alan Samuel concluded the day’s discussion by stressing that whatever form learning materials take – be it blended learning, e-learning, classroom-delivered learning, simulations, games, stories and so on – they must always be appropriate to the learners’ needs and be able to be shown to be contributing to the organisation’s goals.

According to TIS’s Rohit Sharma: “This event was designed to bring together people – particularly those from the railways sector - to discuss key industry issues, such as making e- and blended learning relevant to business. The aim was to explore and define best practice within e-learning and so help organisations to maximise the effectiveness of that learning.”

TIS is planning to hold further industry sector forums in this series – attendance at which is by invitation only. For further details of these events and to apply for an invitation, please contact TIS on 020 7235 8281 or email rohit.sharma@tatainteractive.com

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Notes for editors

About Tata Interactive Systems (TIS)

Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), a global leader in e-learning, is a part of the $22bn Tata Group. Truly international, TIS has a presence across the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Japan, India, and mainland Europe. TIS offers corporations, universities, schools, publishers, and government institutions a diversified and innovative bouquet of learning and training solutions including Simulation-based Learning Objects (SimBLs™), Story-based Learning Objects (StoBLs™), courseware and curriculum design, special-needs education, assessments, electronic performance support systems (EPSS), mobile learning, along with other corporate training and consultancy services. Our multi-disciplinary expertise and 16 years’ experience across domains helps us design e-learning programmes that are unique to clients’ requirements and specifically crafted to boost knowledge retention and application.

Apart from holding ISO 9001 certification, TIS is the only e-learning organisation in the world to be assessed at Level 5 in both the SEI-CMM and P-CMM frameworks. TIS’s quest for excellence is reflected in numerous prestigious industry awards, including a Silver Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Award 2005 and 2004, APEX 2005 Award of Excellence, BETT 2004 Best Product Award, and two Business World–NID Design Excellence awards.

For more information log on to www.tatainteractive.com


About the Tata Group

The Tata Group, established in 1904 by the great visionary Jamsetji Tata, is one of India’s largest and most trusted business houses. The group pioneered the industrial revolution in India by founding the first steel plant, power plant and chain of luxury hotels, to name but a few.

The Group employs more than 220,000 people in 93 companies across diversified industry sectors including steel, automobiles, cement, telecom and IT. Generating revenues to the tune of $22 billion per year – some three per cent of India’s total GDP – it is recognised as a leader in several industry segments such as such as steel, power, software exports and chemicals. It is also the parent company to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Asia’s largest software producer.

For more information, log on to www.tata.com

Further information from:
Alan Samuel, Tata Interactive Systems, 020 7235 8281, www.tatainteractive.com
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, 01727 860405, www.boblittlepr.com