Examples

THEMATIC MODULE

Small Medium Enterprises

2

Example - Hungary 7

Example - Bulgaria 8

Example - Germany 9

Web 2.0 innovation

Example Sweden 6

eLearning –timeline 3

SME’s and eLearning 4

Example UK 5

Self - Employment and Enterprise

10

SME - definition 1

SME definition ( Small medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the heart

of Europe’s economy (only 41 000 large firms) large firms)

SME’s are defined by the number of employees and balance sheet or turnover: figures

Medium: <250 employees, turnover under €50m and balance sheet less than €43m

Micro: <10 employees and €2m balance sheet

Small: <50 employees and under €10m balance sheets

Small Medium Enterprises

• 23 million SMEs in EU

• 75 million Europeans work in SMEs, 3/5 of all industrial jobs

• 2 in 3 new jobs are in SMEs

• Europeans less likely to setup own business than Americans, productivity is 30-40% lower

• Key issues include lack of skills and access to training

eLearning 10 year timeline

• eLearning really kicks off in around 1999 with Computer Based Training (CBT) with forums

• Materials and books digitised as eBooks

• Key developments were on-line mentoring and Learner Management Systems • Supported, personalized, hands-on learning with multi-media and built in assessment

SME’s training and eLearning

• European research indicates ‘lack of time and skills’ as key issues for SMEs

• Formal E-learning not widespread (2008)

• Informal use of tools such as Google, Wikipedia and news sites ubiquitous

• SMEs don’t have support from HR or training departments to source training and sometimes believe cost will be a significant barrier

• Training often identified as a cost and not investment

Example UK - learndirect

• learndirect stared in 1999

• Working with over 5000 UK businesses • Delivered 2.5m business courses to date

• 15,800 people achieved qualification

• Courses starting at £19.99

Example Sweden

Example

• In Sweden there have been many programmes both public and private working with computer and internet literacy over the last decade

• The term eLearning is quite diffuse

• Where do we go next with Web 2.0 ?

Example Hungary

Example

Example Bulgaria

Example

Example Germany

Example

Web 2.0 innovation

• Learning from others, existing course materials used as guides to learning

• Tutors work with communities to support content development

• User developed so quality assurance and learner recognition an issue?

• Not reliant on third party for design but need skills and time to produce

Interactivity

Communities

Quality

Flexibility