Creating a New Learning Model to Avoid Skills Gaps and to Fulfil the Future Needs of the Knowledge Society

The situation in the education institutions and the challenges for human resources activities inside companies changed rapidly the last years. It is not (only) because of the integration and use of new technologies. It is due to a general need to change the paradigm of new learning models (and theories) in accordance with new demands in the knowledge society. Strategic blended eLearning is an opportunity for institutions, universities and companies to utilise the “power” of technology for real social and educational change bringing benefits to all its users. Online education and learning can make a huge impact on the way companies and educational institutions do business. The Web can increase their potential significantly, giving them awareness on a larger scale and increasing or even creating revenue. From a corporate point of view it is recognised that in this day and age where use of technology and business methodologies are all relatively similar organisations need something more unusual to be considered “leading edge”. Creating a corporate university or online learning environment, can educate the people who work on the frontlines of a business. If they are well informed, impart a consistent message and feel valued they become positive ambassadors for the organisation, giving them a competitive advantage, increased productivity and an enhanced knowledge capital. Therefore it is in any case useful to be aware more clearly what the effects of strategic blended eLearning and the IT-integration can offer. The speech/workshop will highlight some of these effects looking at promising examples and methods and discuss the need of the creation of a new learning model. Furthermore the speech/workshop will argue, how this change can influence the requirements to all actors inside the “old” and “new” learning model.