Electronic learning is crucial to helping councils to meet the 2005
deadline for delivering services electronically, said a report from
the Society of IT Management (Socitm), the local authority IT
directors group.
E-learning, delivering education through technology, is described
in the report as "a cornerstone" of e-government.
"E-government will not happen unless all those involved understand
and embrace electronic working methods. To do this they must be
digitally literate," it said.
The research, published last month, claims that e-learning can
provide local authority employees with vital skills; help councils
to reinvent themselves to exploit the information age; help to
bridge the digital divide; and enable council staff to drive up
standards.
However, Socitm warned that good project management is key to the
successful implementation of an e-learning programme. The report
said, "Even if the project is to run an initial pilot with an aim
of learning about e-learning, there is value in taking a controlled
and measured approach." Project management will help to identify
manageable chunks within the project, it added.
The report is the result of collaboration between Socitm, the
British Education and Communications Technology Agency, the
Improvement and Development Agency and the National Association of
Advisers for Computers in Education.
Somerset, Hampshire, Warwickshire and Surrey County Councils
contributed to the research.