Hello World! A new digital learning blog

It’s the start of a new decade. What will define it?

One hundred years ago the decade became known as the ‘Roaring Twenties’. What moniker will be given to this decade? The ‘Soaring Twenties’? The ’Snoring Twenties’? The Boring, Warring, Imploring or Ignoring Twenties? It’s way too early to know.

What we do know is, it will be a decade that will face plenty of challenges: Global Warming; Increasing ageing population; inequality (income, discrimination); changes in production and workforce skill sets.

These challenges are global issues that need global responses. Human responses. Our responses are not always right – to err is to be human – but we must always strive to learn from them.

This blog is about learning.

I won’t solve any of the issues listed above but I hope this blog will provide ways for all of us to make informed decisions. Decisions based on our knowledge and understanding. Decisions based on our continual desire to learn more so we can act better. In a word – well, two words – Lifelong learning.

Two UNESCO reports promoted the term ‘Lifelong Learning’. The 1972 Faure Report (Learning To Be) and the 1996 Delors Report (Learning: The Treasure Within). I believe it’s only in the last few years that lifelong learning is now being practiced by both employers and employees. Some of my blogs will be about lifelong learning. My posts will explore: learning theories and styles; motivating yourself to learn; learning experiences.

One hundred years ago the people who programmed the calculating machines of the day were called ‘computers’. Now computers are the machines. They are ubiquitous. This post was written and will be read via some form of computer. Digital learning is a big part of how we learn today. Some of my blogs will be about digital learning. My posts will explore: managing digital learning projects; uses of eLearning, mLearning, LMSs, XAPI, etc.; the role of L&D as creator or curator of content.

One hundred years ago the Labour party in the UK proposed Secondary Education for All. It took nearly 30 years to achieve but today about 50% of young people go on to Higher Education. Automation will continue to cause a shift in the type of work we do and the skills sets needed in todays workforce. Some of my blogs will be about learning at work. My posts will explore: growing social collaboration; the ABCs skill set needed for Gen -X, -Y, -Z; the importance of critical, visual and design thinking.

This is a blog about learning. I will try and fill each post with action-points so you can do.

Finally, I’ve decided that my preliminary moniker for this decade is the ‘Exploring Twenties’.

Hello World indeed. – HFBKBU*

* This is my motto and it will appear in-full only once in my blog, and that’s here. If someone asks you what it means, you will know to reply…

– Have fun. Be kind. Be useful.