as learning keyboard skills and specific computer application programmes.
However, in my view, this is a pointer to one likely important development in
the future. I believe we will increasingly see e(virtual)-learning for virtual
management and leadership in virtual teams and projects in (at least partly)
virtual organisations. This form of work is likely to emerge, not so much
through green field e-commerce organisations, but through the transformation of
existing organisations to a reliance on critical IT infrastructures, such as
enterprise resource management systems.
E-learning in this field will not be easy or cheap. We are in for a period
of diverse experimentation and discovery before the winning formula will be
known.
Technical innovation will change the field.
First, there will be big increases in bandwidth that will allow more visual
and auditory interaction.
Second, there will be the development of new authoring/delivery software.
Hopefully, this will be designed specifically for e-learning and will be based
on advanced technical knowledge of what IT can do, a deep understanding of
principles of learning and an appreciation of the nature and range of learning
content and outcomes as they apply in the management and leadership field.
What we have had so far will soon be seen as very primitive early
prototypes.
John Burgoyne is professor of management learning at Lancaster University
Management School
www.lums.lancs.ac.uk
Comments are closed.