E-learning for social care consultation | Consultation paper

Overview
Aims of this paper	1
The social care context	2
E-learning in social care	3
Limitations and constraints	4
The strategic context for e-learning	5
Stakeholders and partners	6
Principles and aims	7
Key action areas	8
The kit	8.1
The know-how	8.2
The subject materials	8.3
The technical systems	8.4
The organisational systems	8.5
Action plans	9
Higher education	9.1
Social care workforce	9.2
Research and evaluation	10
Next steps	11
Consultation process	12
Glossary
Acronyms
Acknowledgements
References

8.5 The organisational systems

As each of the case studies/scenarios in this paper illustrates, e-learning exists within a human and organisational context where the 'e' supports and enables the human interactions at the heart of learning. For example, Patience's learning relies on the support of a local FE college and its tutors, an accreditation body and a carers' organisation; Martha's evaluation tool will only fulfil its potential if students, assessors, teachers, service users and work-based managers all provide input.

Our blended approach to e-learning requires, therefore, not only the support of the learner and the educator directly involved (see section 8.2), but also:

support for those with human resources (HR) responsibilities within social care organisations, large and small, to help them understand what e-learning offers and how to begin to use it
support for social care managers to understand what e-learning can offer them and what it can offer their staff
ensuring that e-learning developments are directly tied in with the existing training and learning pathways in social care (see Figure 1), including both informal and formal, and accredited learning.