Implications of Digital Learning Organisations and education

Activity 3:1 Implications of Digital Learning Organisations



DHL uses various digital technologies, these all play a pivotal role in the ongoing training to employees. The three most prominent methods, they use are:

• ·         Internet based learning

• ·         Laptops

• ·         Presentations

With DHL being a large multinational organization with multiple divisions spread across the entire globe, the business needs to ensure that all employees receive the same training. This is where DHL’s internet based website called MyLearningWorld is key, the internet site offers a multitude of training courses, through various channels from audio, video and presentations format, all with a multiple languages options. This website enables staff to work at their own pace, in an environment that suits, a course for their own benefit, each of the courses have a small assessment to ensure understanding of the topic.


DHL encourages employees to take time aside from their desk to undertake the web-based training, laptops are made available for the training to take place away from the desk, perhaps in a quiet office. This web-based training removes the needs for trainers or a teacher. This ties in with Laurillard findings that “the mobility of digital learning technologies creates intriguing opportunities for new forms of learning because they change the nature of the physical relationship between teachers, learners and objects of learning”, this therefore has created an increase in interest of M-Learning.

Laurillard, D (2007).


Whilst M-Learning has been defined “as the ability to learn within one’s own context when on the move in time and space” by Melhuish and Fallon. DHL continues to operate in-house training courses without the use of the web-based training website, these normal training courses still involve digital technologies specifically laptops which incorporates the M-learning aspects. Training courses involving large numbers take place in meeting rooms with laptops to ensure students are only focused on training and not their regular work, these training courses normally involve presentations usually in a Microsoft Word or PowerPoint instructions. The ability to use laptops and printed matter mean employees can learn anywhere and at any time.

Melhuish, K and Fallon, G (2010).


Digital learning and he multitude of teaching methods is now at the forefront of our training options and regimes. Organisations and educational facilities need to embrace the change that has been created, in order to help students achieve what they require, teaching methods need to be adjusted to achieve the best results.


Work Cited
Laurillard, D (2007), Chapter 6, Pedagogical Forms of Mobile Learning: Framing Research Questions Retrieved from: http://www.eprints.ioe.ac.uk
Melhuish, K and Fallon, G (2010), Page 3, Looking to the future M-Learning with iPads. Computers in New Zealand Schools: Learning, Leadery, Technology, 22 (3).

3:2 Implications of Digital Learning Tech in Education

See below a drawing of the links between digital technologies within an education environment.

3:3 Digital learning skills for teachers

The way education and training courses are taught has changed dramatically over recent years, this is
mainly due to the change in digital technologies available. In order for digital technologies to use in
the learning environment teachers and facilitators must have certain skills in order to be develop a
teaching methods and material. These skills can be split down into 3 sections, basic skills,
intermediate skills and advanced skills.

Basic Skills (every teacher should have)
Word processing skills to create, edit and update teaching material.
Internet search skills to be able to research topics on internet, and content in classroom
Patience to be able to seek, learn and discover new technologies
An interest in technology
Digital cameras, downloading of photos and editing
Use social media, to interact with colleagues and students, to be able to create and edit items such as blogs /wikis
Email management skills
Spreadsheet processing skills to create, edit and update teaching material
Creation of E-portfolios for own development
EPresentation skills to be able to teach and interact with students

Intermediate Skills (majority of teacher should have)
Knowledge of networks related to your teaching environment
Storage on external hardware eg, USB sticks or CD
Use of video skills, eg Skype to / Lync to enable interaction outside of the classroom
A understanding of E-learning environments
Flexibility to adapt to all changes
Downloading of internets programs / software
To be able to identify plagiarism
Be able to use note taking tools to share content with students
Use online sticky notes to capture ideas

Advanced Skills (be great to have)
Website design and edit skills
Storage devices such as ‘Cloud based options’, ‘Server storage’
Knowledge of new technology available, eg latest smartphone
Security knowledge
Multimedia design skills for videos
To be able to use digital assessment tools to create quizzes
Search and evaluate web-based content for authenticity
Knowledge of educational copyright, ie being able to exploit digital images for classroom
Audio creation and editing skills
Provide students with task management tools to be able to arrange their studies
Use digital tools for time management
Be able to create polling software to create real-time survey.

The above breakdown shows what a wide variety of skills teachers and facilitators need in order to
educate their students.